Zarifi

Zarifi review

An update on the meyhane that's very popular with fashionable young Turks. Zarifi's extensive menu covers all the classic meze and grilled meats, as well as Ottoman dishes and recipes inherited from the former Greek residents of the Pera neighbourhood, like shrimp saganaki and octopus stew. The soundtrack is equally eclectic --a mix of Turkish folk, chill-out tunes and mainstream pop. Once the rakı is flowing freely, the spirit of the meyhane usually takes over and spontaneous table-top dancing breaks out. This winning formula is duplicated every summer at Zarifi's supper club at the New Yorker (Muallim Naci Caddesi 44, Kuruçeşme, 0212 293 54 80) in Kuruçeşme.