Travel + Leisure India & South Asia — October 2017

1816 travelandleisureindia.intravelandleisureindia.in

FROM TOP: LEISA TYLER/GETTYIMAGES; COURTESY OF GAEA RESTORAN

ISTANBUL

Turkish Tables

Murver

This new restaurant

with sweeping views

of the Bosphorus is

as much a homage to

open-fi re cooking as it

is to modern Turkish

cuisine. Located at

the chic Novotel in

bustling Karakoy, the

restaurant has been

conceptualised by

Chef Mehmet Gurs,

whose earlier outing,

Mikla, continues to

garner rave reviews.

The restaurant

also features an

extensive wine list

and a fully-stocked

bar with signature

cocktails to boot.

accorhotels.com

Gaea

This trendy restaurant

in Kanyon is testimony

to the city’s growing

focus on high-quality

ingredients and

simple, local food.

Gaea is part of the

recently-launched

Intema Yasam

concept store—it

blends seamlessly

with the store’s design

and core-philosophy,

making it an extension

of the store itself. Try

salads, appetisers

and kofte, or take a

swig of the cocktails

and drinks on offer.

gaearestoran.com

Aila

Elevating Turkish food

to dizzying heights,

this restaurant at the

new Fairmont Quasar

Istanbul does one

of the best mezze

platters in the city,

with vegan, seafood,

and classic variants.

Besides some of the

fi nest cuts of meat,

the menu also has

a rather extensive

vegetarian section

and a Turkish wine

selection. The intimate

setting also features

a Spice Library,

showcasing the rich

spices of the region,

allowing guests to

also make purchases.

fairmont.com

Grey

The year-old

restaurant in

Nisantasi seems to

have a lot going for it,

with patrons pouring

in day and night.

The menu draws

from international

cuisine, with a

strong tilt towards

Italian fl avours; the

risottos and pizzas

are big hits, and

the restaurant also

serves an excellent

breakfast. With

an upscale café

ambience, a garden

setting, and a chilled-

out vibe, the spot

is at once inviting.

facebook.com/

greytopagaci

Gram Kanyon

Chef Didem Senol is

a much-loved name

in the city’s culinary

landscape. While

the city collectively

mourned the closing

of her signature

restaurant Lokanta

Maya, she’s now

back with her new

venture, Gram

Kanyon, at the Kanyon

Shopping Mall. With

an emphasis on local

produce, the seasonal

menu here includes

favourites such as

the mucver (fried

Zucchini patties) and

the Anatolian cheese

platter, among others.

grampera.com

What’s New?

►Turkish coff ee and the country’s famed breads

are going artisanal, with a number of local

bakeries and cafes springing into prominence.

KronotRop Coff ee Bar and Roastery

(kronotrop.com) is a go-to place for a fi x of coff ee,

and bakeries like Grandma (grandmabakerycafe.

com), and 240 Derece (240derece.com) specialise

in handcrafted, organic breads.

►Vegetarian, vegan and healthy food

are seeing more takers. Zencefi l

(Taksim;+90-212/2438-234) is one of the best-

known vegetarian restaurants in the city while

Bi’nevi Deli (binevideli.com) serves vegan food.

►The spotlight is on modern Turkish cuisine,

with talented chefs dishing out innovative

versions of Turkish classics, while bringing

lesser-known local dishes to the fore. Neolokal

(neolokal.com) is refl ective of this trend.

►Casual pubs and breweries with quirky bar

snacks and appetisers are taking over the

city. Some of these like Dear Mom Pub and

Beergarden (Nişantaşı; +90-053/2508-4476)

are pet-friendly too.

A lowdown on new restaurants in Istanbul

that are changing the game. Chef Mehmet

Gurs of Murver.

Gaea serves beautifully

plated dishes.