Istanbul Restaurant serving fine Ottoman Turkish cuisine just opened in Horizon Hills, Johor Bahru. We greatly enjoyed the flavours, aromas and whole experience at Istanbul Restaurant.
Pushing past the swinging doors, stepping into Istanbul Restaurant is like being suddenly transported to Turkey. The restaurant is not big but it is beautifully decorated and furnished. The floor is fully laid with Turkish carpet, so we had to remove our shoes before entering.
The furnishings, linen, glass and tableware were of high quality. They have comfortable, heavily padded high back seats.
There are tables for 2.
Round table for small groups.
You can choose to sit reclined on the floor on comfortable soft cushions and pillows just like how the old Ottomans partied way back then. Classical traditional Turkish music complete the setting.
Colourful Turkish chandeliers filled the rooms with the right mood.
We sat at the "Sultan's table".
Chef Shaban started his culinary career nearly 20 years ago in Turkey. His career took him to Azerbaijan and he was at Donergy Turkish Kebabs at Millenia Walk in Singapore before joining Istanbul Restaurant in JB.
We started with an assortment of meze which are eaten with unleavened bread. Meze are small dish appetisers found in parts of the Middle East, Balkans, and north Africa which were former territories of the Ottoman Empire (which reigned for over 600 years from 1299 - 1923).
📸 My photos don't do justice to the colours and beauty of the dishes. I didn't use lamps or flash as it might disturb other guests in the fine restaurant.
Istanbul Restaurant's meze at RM16+ a dish comes with complimentary fresh baked house made bread.
Acili Ezme made with tomato, cucumber, capsicum, garlic, onion, chili, parsley.
Mangal Salata is made with grilled eggplant, capsicum, tomato, onion, garlic chopped and mixed with olive oil, and served dressed with coriander and dill.
Humus paste made with chickpea, olive oil, garlic, dill and lemon is ubiquitous throughout the Middle East and Central Asia.
Muhammara made with red capsicum, tomato paste, tomato, walnut and garlic dressed with pomegranate molasses.
We enjoyed eating the flavoursome meze with freshly made crisp chewy unleavened bread. For me, an assortment of meze with bread would be a hearty, delicious, healthy meal in itself already.
Hellim Izgara is a salad made with grilled egg plant, carrot, mushroom, tomato, cucumber, pumpkin, onion and lettuce with fried hellim cheese (price RM39+).
Oh... we love this Kofte Corba which are minced beef and lamb meat balls in a flavourful soup of onion, rice, potato and chickpea dressed with coriander and mint. The meat balls were tender and so... juicy and rich with natural sweet savoury flavours of beef, lamb and herbs. Must try. Price RM29+.
Kurban Corba - fall-off-the-bone tender juicy lamb shank in a delicious thick potato, carrot and onion soup dressed with chopped coriander. Love this too for its nice lamb gamey taste complemented and balanced by the flavours of herbs. Price RM39+.
Orman Haslama is a traditional dish from the kitchens of Anatolian forest village homes. It is a tasty stew of sirloin beef with cubed potatoes, carrot and garlic. Price RM39+ for small serving.
Urfa Kebabi - the tenderly juicy minced beef and lamb grilled kebab was full of natural beefiness and lamb flavour. We love it. The dish was served with bulgur (wheat) and rice, carrot, onion, lettuce, grilled chili pepper and grilled tomato. Price RM59+.
Ali Nazik Kebabi is chargrilled boneless cubed lamb leg served on a bed of house made yogurt with salad of grilled onion, julienned cabbage, carrot and baked tomato. Price RM69+.
Balik Bugulama is a traditional oven baked fish dish. At Istanbul Restaurant, it is baked sea bass served on a bed of baked cubed onion, garlic, carrot, tomato, lemon and potato. Price RM69+.
Istanbul Ozel Karisik Izgara is a traditional mixed grill platter of Adana or Urfa kebab, lamb chops, chicken wings, and chicken thigh served with bulgur (wheat), rice, carrot, onion, lettuce, grilled chili pepper and grilled tomato. Price RM199+.
Finally, it is time for dessert 😄
This was my first time tasting Kunefe (price RM29+). This is a must try sweet dessert. It is toasted shredded kadaifi pastry (like extra fine bee hoon but made of wheat flour), with bits of pistachio nuts and large scoop of heavy kaimak cream dressed with prune sauce and honey. Interesting texture and loaded with rich sweet, nutty and savoury flavours. Lovely new taste experience for me. Can't wait to taste it again.
Baklava is another must try classic Ottoman sweet dessert (price RM25+). It is slices crispy filo pastry laid on top of squares of chopped walnuts held together with honey. Sweet, nutty and buttery. The perfect accompaniment for tea and coffee.
My stylish cup of Turkish coffee.
Turkish coffee is made by steeping Turkish roast grounds in a steel cup of water warmed in a heated sand box filled with fine sand. No filter is used, so we drink the coffee with sediment at the bottom of the small cup.
Istanbul Restaurant is the go to place to experience old Ottoman cuisine. The ambiance evokes the grandeur of the old empire. The dishes are fascinating and delicious - Chef Shaban and his crew took great pains to get the most complete and best quality ingredients to make the traditional Ottoman dishes in the old way. I am just getting exposed to this delicious cuisine and enjoying every bite as I learn. It's like a journey to Turkey and also back in time to the old Ottoman Empire through its food. I will definitely be back for more.
Disclosure: Please note that this was an invited tasting.
The signboard wasn't up yet during my first visit 😄
Restaurant name: Istanbul
Address: 7, Jalan Hijauan 3, Horizon Hills, Nusajaya, Johor, Malaysia (right next door to Pan Kobo cafe)
GPS: 1°27'27.6"N 103°38'39.6"E 🌐 1.457664, 103.644320
Tel: +607 509 5484 ✆ Whatsapp +6016 761 5824
Hours: 12:00 noon - 3:00pm | 6:00pm - 11:00pm (Monday off)
No pork, no lard, no alcohol
Date visited: 14 Nov 2019
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