Fanus Restaurant

Escaping the construction chaos at Taksim Square is as easy as stepping through the doorway of Fanus Restaurant, located inside the Elysium Suites near the square. The peaceful, modern atmosphere is well-matched by the menu prepared by Ertan Afacan, the chef previously in charge of the cuisine at the Kempinski and Grand Hyatt hotels. Top starter choices include a Turkish meze plate, veal carpaccio and crab cakes (22-28 TL), while soup lovers shouldn’t skip the Thai-style fish soup. The Santa Fe salad, a savoury mix of chicken, coriander, Mexican beans, red peppers, tortillas and peanut sauce (22 TL), is another can’t-miss selection. Fanus’s signature main dish is the baked veal ribs (42 TL), slow-cooked for 12 hours until unbelievably tender and flavourful. Staples such as hamburgers, sandwiches, pastas and pizzas round out the menu. For dessert, our pick is the white chocolate cheesecake topped with Mövenpick ice cream (17 TL).