Istanbul has just nine restaurants with Michelin Stars, despite a population of almost 16m (the comparable stats for London are 84, for just over 9m people). Neolokal is one of this haloed group and could easily hold its own in any capital city around the world. Its success derives not just from its location, but the ability of chef Maskut Askar and his team to successfully meld the old with the new.
Visit the Neolokal website to read its mission statement. The venue describes itself as “a bridge between the past and the future”, but more importantly, says that it seeks to share “humbly” this experience with its guests. Sceptics might argue that this is mere marketing guff, but a good attitude goes a very long way. All the servers we encountered at Neolokal showed passion and pride, presenting the food and drink with detailed descriptions. Guests are also given an envelope containing a series of cards. Each contains a backstory for an ingredient used, a dish served or a tradition acknowledged, a nice touch and consistent with the Neolokal ethos.
Even if you had never looked at the restaurant’s website and cared little about history and provenance, it would be hard not to fall in love with Neolokal. Located in the SALT building (a cultural centre) in the Galata district of Istanbul, the venue has a stunning west-facing terrace. On a pleasant summer’s evening, guests can take in a cocktail and then dine as the sun sets on the Golden Horn and the lights of Istanbul come alive.
It’s a seven-course tasting menu for all visitors, with the usual amuse-bouches and palate cleansers surrounding it. Regular readers of this Blog will know that your reviewer’s vegetarian dining comrade is often long-suffering, but not at Neolokal. Vegetables are no after-thought here and indeed three of the menu’s dishes were identical across both the omnivorous and vegetarian cards. The summer ‘Türlü’ (plate two) was an undoubted highlight. We learned that the word, when translated, literally means ‘of many kinds’ but refers here to an Anatolian speciality, which will vary by season. The iteration we enjoyed – and is pictured – combined white asparagus, an intense olive oil purée and dried yoghurt crisps. It was a plate packed with zing and freshness.
Rarely, across a tasting menu that endured some three hours, there were no dining fails. Seared lakerda (an Istanbul fish related to the bonita) and a slow cooked lamb shoulder were truly memorable for this reviewer, while his comrade rated her grilled mushroom main, topped with mushroom foam and chilli oil. The tasting menu was accompanied by paired premium wines – all local and presented by a diligent sommelier. Under-extracted Grenache from an emerging Aegean producer was a dream match with a grilled red shrimp dish.
Neolokal is a must-visit venue. If for no other reason, a return trip to Istanbul needs to happen soon.