KID makes an impression before you even reach the door. You can spot the crowd from the top of the street - a mix of hopeful queuers and curious onlookers peering through broad front windows. All that separates Soho’s street chaos from one of London’s hottest new openings is a heavy timber door stamped with a tiny goat insignia.
Inside, the roar of traffic, pub chatter and clacking Lime bikes is gone, replaced by the low hum of a packed dining room and a waft of woodsmoke from the ocakbasi. In front of the grill stands Sertaç Dirik, dressing plates of köfte, fanning the embers, and sending smoke wafting across the pass. Back where he belongs after three long years, he sports a broad grin all night.
The room itself is a moody triumph of concrete, burnt-orange brick, and brown marble, warmed by flickering candlelight and soft alcove uplights. As with David Carter’s other spots, a wood-fired oven glows at its core, throwing off hypnotic flames. Energy pulses in waves from the kitchen, reverberating around the room. Whatever the intangible alchemy of great restaurant design is, KID has it.
The menu sits right in the sweet spot between Carter’s existing hits, AGORA and OMA - channeling the kinetic energy of the former with the finesse of the latter. A pillowy, fire-licked pide arrives enthusiastically oiled and salted, ready to be dragged through a bowl of smoky aubergine, garlic yoghurt, and shoestring fries. An ice-cold black olive and pepper Martini is the perfect accompaniment.
What follows is a procession of fire-led brilliance. Highlights include tennis-ball-sized içli köfte - crisp bulgur shell packed with rich aged beef, doused in yoghurt and chilli oil - and a glistening Adana köfte with meat juices soaking deep into warm lavash. Dish of the night acclaim goes to a whole barbecued squid, boasting angry black char marks, sitting in a bright dressing of fresh tomato and parsley; it’s a testament to the power of fire, smoke, and top-class ingredients.
We didn’t even make it to the signature roast kid for two, though we did save room for a memorable bruleed rice pudding. If there’s a catch, it’s that KID packs far too many must-orders onto a single menu, and prized evening tables are going to be harder to bag than Glasto tickets. But as we step back out into the Soho night, we’re already plotting a return visit. KID is no hyped-up hotspot; this is a heavyweight London restaurant, a future cornerstone of Soho’s food scene. Good luck getting a prime-time spot - you’re going to need it.