The main dining room at Leydi, looking into the open kitchen at the back.
What can you tell us about Leydi?
This marks the return of chef Selin Kiazim to the London food scene, opening her first new restaurant since the closure of the much-loved Oklava early last year. This restaurant, set inside the new Hyde London City Hotel is a modern Turkish restaurant, with a specific focus on Istanbul.
There's a pretty large second room too.
Where is it?
The new Hyde London City is pretty much next door to City Thameslink station (the Holborn viaduct entrance) and opposite both the Old Bailey and the large Holy Sepulchre church. City Thameslink is obviously the closest station, but it's easily accessible from Farringdon or St Pauls as well.
The Hyde hotel itself has taken over a Grade II listed building and is one of Ennismore's brands (who are also behind the Hoxton hotels). Here, Leydi (both the restaurant and its bar) take up most of the ground floor of the hotel. It's a pretty large space, easily the biggest restaurant that Selin Kiazim has opened, and looks very pretty throughout with the Turkish feel going beyond just the menu. There's a very Instagrammable flooring, as well as comfortable sofa seating (two tables for four have those - and they're the best seats to our mind).
Leydi and Hyde London City, which has taken over a Grade II listed building
Where should we head for a drink first?
The Leydi bar is small, but a fairly handy place to meet for a drink before dinner. There's also a basement bar called Black Lacquer which could be handy (although that wasn't open when we visited). As for just outside of the hotel, there's nothing immediately obvious that strikes us - so a quick stroll to Farringdon/Smithfield isn't a bad idea with more options like the Three Compasses, 56 West Smithfield or the bar at Brutto there. It's also worth quickly noting that there's a very small lobby at Hyde, so meeting there isn't ideal.
There's a compelling cocktail list in Leydi itself (all priced £12) and the Turkish theme carries through to that, with ingredients including yoghurt-clarified raki, and there's a decent alcohol-free list too. We can certainly recommend the following:
Sultaniye – Bacardi Ocho Rum, apricot, Noilly Prat, pomegranate molasses, cardamom, vanilla bitters (£12) - all delivered in a perfectly ice-cold glass. A good start.
So what's on the menu?
There's a little bit of everything, from the breads that Kiazim is well known for, to meze, small/large plates and a mangal/kebab section. They do warn you that dishes will be brought out as and when they're ready, so it's a restaurant where we'd suggest ordering in phases. As it's such a large varied menu, we'd also recommend having a read of it online in advance. Ultimately, work out what meze you want first, get that order in and then consider the rest.
With all that in mind, here's a taste of what's on offer:
Turkish bread - Including tirnak pide, somun bread & Wildfarmed wholewheat sourdough (£6), paired with smoked aubergine (£7) and the excellent sucuk - house-made beef & garlic sausage (£9)
Baked claypot hummus with pastirma brown butter (£8) - A must-order part of the meze section. This arrives bubbling at your table so you'll need to wait a few minutes before diving in (speaking from experience).
Islak burger - spiced beef & lamb köfte bun drenched in garlic tomato sauce (£14) - The burger really is covered in sauce (and very good). If you decide to pick it up to eat like we did, be prepared for your napkin to look like you've just murdered someone.
Imam bayildi - slow-cooked stuffed aubergine with turkish peppers, onions & tomatoes (£16)
Börek – crispy filo layered with sheep’s milk feta & leeks, truffle honey (£12) - Pastries and breads have long been a speciality of Selin's and this is a perfectly delivered (and crispy) borek.
Lamb loin adana kebab (£28) - the lamb loin, cooked over the mangal, is phenomenal. Other options on the kebab front include chicken shish, adana, and a mixed grill for two which mixes much of that together (£58). All the lamb is Cornish and butchered in-house.
You can add a side of doner to any kebab for £7. We very much approve of this.
What about dessert?
After that, we only had room for one of the classics (see below). However, we did like the idea of the choice of ice cream which comes with their "pick & mix".
Künefe - kadayif pastry stuffed with pistachios & kaymak, orange blossom syrup (£12). A fantastic example of a dish we always have to order if we see it on the menu.
Anything else to mention?
Honestly, we barely scratched the surface with the above, so there's a lot more to try (particularly at breakfast). And if you're suffering from decision paralysis, there are a couple of set options, including the full Turkish, which includes breads, meze and two kebabs (£50).
What about drinks?
We've mentioned the cocktails and we do think they're pretty well priced. The wine list starts at a slightly punchier £38 a bottle, with only a few options £45 and under. Primarily European, there's a decent smattering of Turkish options on there throughout and if you're doing it properly, it's certainly worth trying the Paseili Sidalan at £45 (£9 for 125 ml glass).
Overall thoughts?
This is a much larger venture than Selin Kiazim has embarked on than before, but the team up with Ennismore/Hyde has worked out very well. We visited very early on (the second day) and the kitchen was turning out some real stunners. Paired with a lovely-looking room and an excellent cocktail list, this all adds something really new and welcome to the City.
More about Leydi
Where is it? 15 Old Bailey, London EC4M 7EF
How to book: Book online
Find out more: Visit their website or follow them on Instagram @leydi.london.
Hot Dinners ate as guests of Leydi. Prices are correct at the time of writing.
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