Saltbae Burger Istanbul

Neolokal delivers a fine dining experience that examines Turkish roots in terms of produce , traditional recipes and sustainability.

Its current summer tasting menu offers twists on tried and true Turkish home dishes , as a foreigner I am unable to grasp the connection to dishes that I have not tasted in their original form , but it is still fun to be exposed to them.

No matter how solid the food is , the magic here is the view and ambiance , perched overlooking nearby rooftops and the Bosphorus , it’s a great place to watch day turn into night ,

SEARED LAKERDA, sautéed wild greens, collagen-rich fish sauce is a lovely start , the bitter wild greens and the acidic yet rich sauce provide a lovely contrast .

SUMMER TÜRLU’, white asparagus, seasonal fruits and vegetable olive oil-braised vegetable purée, yogurt crisps- fresh and sweet with the use of fruit , the white asparagus and the yoghurt crisps stand out

SHRIMP ‘SU BÖREGI’, grilled red shrimp, shrimp foam, crunchy baklava dough, fresh cheese-
This reminded me of a cross between a seafood moussaka and mornay dishes . The use of savoury baklava dough for crunch was inspired .

SEA BASS, cornmeal ‘mihlama’, ‘terbiye’ creamy fish sauce parsley oil. The cornmeal cake retained a grainy texture , the fish well cooked , the sauce French in execution .

Slow-cooked LAMB SHOULDER, peppered red plum cream, lamb j chicken-broth ‘hedik’ wheat, crispy chicken skin. The lamb shoulder delivers in deep meaty flavour , using a pimped up roast chicken broth turns down the richness but not the unctuousness

‘PEPEÇURA, coconut milk pudding, coconut and rose sorbet, rose l finely grated caramelized coconut. Always a fan of coconut desserts , this was creamy and fresh . Less