If, like me, you sometimes get fed up of staid Michelin-wannabes full of beautiful people and would really just like good food in a great atmosphere then this excellent Turkish restaurant on Upper St, Islington is the place to go. Make sure you have a reservation as it does get quite full but once you're in, wow! It's all great food and belly dancers in there! The tables are placed in a random fashion and it seems anything is a dinner-table in this joint! Your proximity to neighbouring diners and general laughter and noise make the place seem chaotic and disorderly but this is all part of the charm as, in reality, the staff are professional, friendly, and know exactly what they're doing. This means a decent waiting time for your food to arrive and excellent Turkish and North African cuisine when it does arrive. Naturally, the steadfast favourite - the lamb tagine - is made of succulent chunks of tender lamb and their fish is so moist it renders you incapable of doing anything else save close your eyes and murmur "Hmmm..." in that voice (you know the one I mean).
There are 3 Gallipolis on Upper Street but the one I mean is the middle one with a purple front, I believe. They are all owned by the same person and are all excellent but I think the other two are smaller and more like cafes than restaurants.
Try this for a fantastic night out at a reasonable price. You will be most pleasantly surprised!