Puma and END Serve a Turkish Delight (Thanks to Mangal II)
Living in East London is to know that some of the city’s best Turkish food can be found in Dalston, but you needn’t have an E8 postcode to know that Mangal II is the pick of the bunch.
Founded as a traditional ocakbaşı charcoal grill by chef Ali Dirik thirty years ago before his sons Ferhat and Sertaç took the reigns and modernised the menu in 2022 – earning critical acclaim in the process – you'll recognise the dimly lit space (primed for the aforementioned customers) on Stoke Newington Road by its famed clyde royal blue exterior.
Seems natural, then, that this is the hue Puma and END. have decided to emblazon onto the suede silhouette of its latest trainer, in celebration of the restaurant’s big anniversary. The eaterie's name and inception year, ‘94’ is stamped onto the heel, while the tongue pays homage to Mangal II and its footwear partner. A shoe that’s traditional but with a twist; just like its culinary counterpart.
The collaboration also delivers a film about the family’s culinary lineage, where the brothers explore their father’s homeland of Anatolia in West Türkiye. The cuisine found there is what inspires the food at Mangal II.
“Coming back to Anatolia for the first time in 19 years has reinforced, personally, my identity, my roots,” says Ferhat Dirik of the film. “Experiencing the regional cooking and dishes that we grew up with at home made me feel very complete. It felt like a very personal mission, and I've left feeling very fulfilled and sure of myself and my family’s roots.”
Fans of the restaurant can cop one of the 300 pairs from END. Launches on 29 November, or via the retailer’s e-store the following Friday. Rest assured, expect to see pops of blue from underneath the tables upon your next mangal feast.
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