OLIGARK is a new food/drink and entertainment complex housing eight restaurants and a night club in Kuruçeşme, where elegantly-dressed customers step out of expensive cars and hand the keys off to the valet before making a lofty entry. Bey Lokantası is among the first establishments to open in the complex, which sits side by side with the Bosphorus. The interior of the restaurant, which can seat 200 people when the terrace is open, is classic, sophisticated and sparkling. The antique, framed oriental paintings on the walls, the paneling made from wood and bold fabrics and the enticing smells that reach the nose while wandering amid the tables are part of a luxurious design prioritizing comfort and the senses. The open kitchen is managed by Umut Karakuş, who was awarded Best Chef at the 17th Time Out Istanbul Food & Drink Awards.
The menu reflects Karakuş’s experience and career, who began as a trainee at Le Cordon Bleu before becoming the chef of important establishments including Duble Meze Bar and Fairmont Quasar Aila. While the menu features dishes that represent all the regions of Turkey, its interpretations of local and traditional recipes bear the modern image of fine dining. Among the chef’s signature dishes are cold star ters such as pastırma turşusu (pickled pastrami, 80 TL) and the Armenian eggplant-based meze, nazuktan (55 TL). The main dishes also include abdigor köftesi (90 TL), a speciality of the province of Doğubayazıt. The meatballs are served with a sauce derived from lemon, cream and yoghurt and the leek that is normally stuffed inside is presented in its entirety on the plate. The seabass (120 TL) is ser ved in imbricated parts inside a bath of saucy lentil soup. The künefe (a dessert of shredded dough and melted cheese covered in syrup, 50 TL) features a creative cooking technique and is prepared on a skewer. The kıtır kabak (pumpkin dessert, 40 TL) is injected with a shot of clotted cream. While the measured and respectful service at Bey Lokantası makes a point of leaving diners to themselves, we recommend asking the waiters about the story behind the dishes to truly appreciate what Karakuş has accomplished with his new eatery.