'Something close to silk for the price of cotton': Elif, Castle Street, reviewed

Some of the best Turkish food I've eaten has been in some of the least impressive surroundings. 

Plastic tablecloths, tellys on the walls emitting Windows screensavers, and crockery that looks like it's been around since the days of the Ottoman empire. 

And some of the most disappointing meals I've eaten have been surrounded by maximalist decor best described as Cocaine Milanese. 

So where does that leave somewhere like Elif on Castle Street? A Turkish restaurant serving a very affordable lunch menu in surroundings best suited to silver service? 

Will two courses for £18 amount to something close to silk for the price of cotton, or be closer to chewing on an old carpet?

There's no doubting the decor of Elif; a domed roof looming overhead, round marblesque tables in artful alcoves, chandeliers, an open kitchen to the side and staff in smart aproned attire circulating. 

Given the grandeur of the grade II listed building - once the Parr's Bank and NatWest until 2017 - it's a reasonably understated renovation. The space sings already, so why strangle it with over-embellishment and unnecessary fluff? The fountain in the entrance is a nice touch (if a little piddly).  

Elif is part of the ST Hospitality group, whose Bistro Franc I reviewed and greatly enjoyed earlier this month, and much like the French restaurant doesn't needlessly overcomplicate things. The chances are you've come to Elif in the hopes of eating an array of near-Eastern dishes; hot and cold mezes, skewered kebabs off the charcoal and salads, which is exactly what you're getting.

Of course there's an a la carte, taking in the likes of whole sea bass, a more generous vegetarian section than many menus and wine pairing recommendations to go with the handsome store of bottles at the back of the room. But in the interests of an affordable early afternoon meal I went for their set lunch menu of two courses for £18. Because in the end I do this with our dear readers in mind. 

The hot meze section offered plenty of enticing options, especially the kiymali borek, pan-fried pastry filled with mince meat and spices. There's also tavuk kanadi, spicy chicken wings grilled on charcoal, which again I considered going for. But I've been stung so many times with disappointing kalamar that I thought I would see if Elif could restore my faith in that so often rubbery, soggy-battered mollusc. 

Thankfully, they did. It certainly came from a healthy squid, as the rings were sizeable hoops and the meat was not remotely rubbery. The batter passed the test, with well-seasoned shards of panko properly coating the squid and a chilli sauce that was pleasantly on the jammier side of things. 

The salad on the side, so often just dressing, was a fresh and flavourful combination of lettuce and shaved carrot, lending a slight vinegar crunch to the already crunchy batter.

When it comes to main courses at Turkish restaurants it's usually a forgone conclusion what you'll be ordering  - skewered charcoal-grilled kebab. The only real decision to be made is whether you'll go for chicken or lamb. Both have their virtues, and when treated well are hard to improve on. The fattier tang of lamb and its seemingly endless capacity for drinking in herbs and spices, or chicken that's almost unnervingly succulent and when well-seasoned is a simple joy. 

I went for the chicken patlicanli kebab and was not disappointed. The chefs drive those flame-licked bars with real skill, knowing just how long to leave the skewers on the grill. It's terribly British to overcook your chicken, so terrified are most of slight shades of pink, and even more terrified of actually tasting the thing. Elif's chefs clearly know how to bring it to the right point. 

The sauce, described simply as 'special', had the rich depth of flavour of good tomatoes and the aubergines underneath had been properly pulverised so that their own complex flavours could come to the fore. There was also a yoghurt dip on the side which was, to put it simply, delicious, and rang with the slight garlicky notes of its cousin, the tzatziki.

Alongside the chicken was a beautifully bright and crunchy salad of red cabbage, lettuce, tomatoes and cucumber with what tasted like a subtle lemon dressing and what certainly looked to me like a dusting of sumak. See, salads don't have to be boring.

I was stuffed by this point, but (again, for you dear readers) had to see how their baklava stood up. The answer is it could have propped up a corner of the room, such was the size of the slab. There was ample pistachio and the filo layers were many, sandwiching generous scoops of chocolate ice cream. The ice cream, along with the very 70s dessert at your grans addition of a fan wafer and caramel sauce on the cream, were playful little add-ons but not really necessary for me but were nonetheless perfectly pleasant. I couldn't finish the slab, and staved off the inevitable slump with a strong and sugary Turkish coffee that was a perfect end to things.

Too often restaurants with the kind of setting that Elif enjoys are more than a bit distracted, the food becoming an accompaniment to the room and the whole affair taking on the air of some strange Gatsbyesque daydream. Phrases about fur coats spring to mind. 

But not here. There's a reason the place was full on a Wednesday afternoon, and why there were two separate rounds of Happy Birthday. Elif has cause to celebrate, and when you walk out stuffed and satisfied for under £50, so will you. 

Elif, 22 Castle Street, L2 4TX