Turkish has always been a cuisine under-represented and clouded by the false perception of simply being the late-night lamb sandwich solution.

But over the past few years a collective of operators have pulled the magic carpet from under our feet with its smoky, pickled and fragrant essence — though none have done it so marvellously as Stanbuli.

A slang word for the citizens of Istanbul, it is the vision of former Porteno panhandler Ibrahim Kasif with that clever crew Joe Valore, Elvis Abrahanowicz and Sarah Doyle (Porteno, Bodega, Continental).

Inspired by the traditional Turkish taverna it’s got their classy signature touches all over it.

Starting with the cute, kitsch purple and pink Marie-Louise 1950s hair salon façade and finishing with the stunning tiles, wallpaper, marble top bar, hand-made dark wooden table tops and classic bistro chairs.

The fitout is beautiful, but Kasif’s interpretation of Turkish cuisine will leave an indelible mark on our culinary landscape.

The menu is broken into the small raki mezesi, medium meze and large charcoal dishes inspired by traditional Istanbul street food.

Plump, sweet mussels are stuffed with fragrant rice. Mackerel sandwich – something served by the riverside – lands slider-sized in house-made buns with lettuce and pickled turnips. Classic Ezme is a mix of walnuts, tomatoes, chilli and pomegranate vinaigrette, while Patlican salatasi lets smoky eggplant and cucumber be seduced by sumac.

Pickled WA octopus is simply served with taramasalata, while a Cypriot-style beef and lamb kofta is smoked over hot coals.

Must eat: Mackerel sandwiches