We were so excited to dine at this restaurant since it's advertised as serving typical foods that…read morewere eaten by the sultans from the Ottoman Empire. After we made the reservation we were notified that the menu would not be the same as usual since they would only be serving a Ramadan menu (we traveled in May 2019). We kept our reservations since we thought it would be a unique and different experience.
Well the meal was definitely different but not in a good way. The Ramadan meal was a total bust. When we first got there, our cold appetizers (cheese, jams, olives, stuffed grape vines, dried fruits, breads, sherbets, cookies, etc) which apparently are traditional starters and are the foods Muslims eat to break their fast, were already served and waiting for us on the table. We were discouraged from tasting anything until the time came when it was announced that it was ok to eat. This wasn't a huge issue since it was only a 10 minute wait and we wanted to be respectful and considerate of those religious people around us. It appears that lots of Turkish people prefer to dine out for dinner during the holy month and this was evident at this restaurant since it was full of locals.
Once we were able to taste the food though we realized we had made a huge mistake. There were so many items that were purely sugary foods as well as breads, but nothing to balance it out with, like proteins. The cold appetizers remained on the table as they were to be eaten throughout the meal. Again, there was nothing to pair these items with.
The first item served was the chicken and almonds soup which was ok, nothing special but at least it was warm. The main courses followed, we opted for the veal and the lamb. Both were totally under seasoned and bland. The lamb served with bulgur was actually cold when it was brought to our table. The veal was warmer and the rice served with it was a bit tastier than the bulgur, however we still had to add salt to the food to add some flavor although this didn't really help much. If this is truly what the sultans ate then they didn't eat well at all! The deserts, both puddings, were equally as boring and underwhelming as the meal and too sweet.
For a meal costing 185TL (expensive for Turkish standards) I expected to be served food that was at least warm and tasted good. This was a total disappointment and kind of a rip off actually.
If you're a non-Muslim foreigner who appreciates good and flavorful food, do not dine here during Ramadan (although I'd be skeptical of their food during non Ramadan months also as flavors shouldn't have to be compromised just because they're offering a special menu). Also, don't sit outside unless you want to be dining with cats all around you!
