Araka

Very underwhelming for a Michelin-starred restaurant. The prices and the star demand a higher standard across every dimension. The dishes were balanced, but they lacked excitement and failed to stand out. The persistent chlorophyll aroma in every dish became repetitive rather than intriguing. Unless you’re specifically seeking this flavor profile, you’re likely to leave disappointed.

The quality and service here are not worth the high prices. We were astonished that this place has a Michelin star. Our waitress was inexperienced, didn’t explain the menu, and seemed to lack knowledge, even though we were the only guests. The menu was uninspired, and we ended up ordering dishes like eggplant kebab, which was dry and too small for a main course. Overall, it was a disappointing and costly experience.

My first one star Michelin experience. I paid ca $85 for three courses: A beetroot soup, grilled octopus with shrimp bisque and chocolate cake and mousse. The sum is a bit more than I pay for a five course meal at decent restaurants in Norway. Considering this I found the experience a bit expensive even though it is a step up. The dishes were full of original while balanced flavors. The detailed fermented goat cheese cream touched the beautifully colored beetroot soup just perfectly. The octopus was flawlessly grilled, full of flavor without any fuzz. The shrimp bisque was an ocean of flavor. The chocolate cake was a bit disappointing, though. The slightly sharp cognac, ginger and sweet chocolate mousse was a great contrast to the more refined cacao centered cake. However, I still felt I could have expected more.

We went at afternoon, not at dinner time and we didn’t know that there is an upper part too! For a nice experience, i recommend the upper part which has a cool design. At the first floor there is a cute little terrace and inside that is really terrible, from the entrance to the chairs and seing the huge generator at the door. BUUUT the the food comes and you kind of forget to look arround, everything was exquisite, fresh, fresh tasting and delicious, you keep wondering about how something can taste so simple but complex at the same time. I really enjoyed it!

Nice environment and interior design. Let’s say fine dining Turkish cuisine. We ordered 4 starters, 1 main course and a dessert plus a bottle of rose. One of our starters was so salty that all other flavors were hidden. Another starter which was raki infused melon with some greens and Turkish cheese wasn’t my taste at all. I couldn’t find any harmony for that dish in flavors but when you read it in the menu, it makes you super excited to order but in fact I didn’t like to continue eating it. Among all the starters I really liked the one with okra and fava beans pure. Our main course ,which was kalamari with their special sauce, was amazing. Wine collection also was limited. Atmosphere and staff is in a way that you don’t find yourself welcome.

A small and cozy restaurant with a recent Michelin star. The ingredients were all fresh and delicious, and there were even some vegan options available. One thing that stood out to me was the attention to detail in every dish. The flavors were well balanced and the presentation was impeccable. I particularly enjoyed the vegan options, as they were just as tasty as the non-vegan dishes.

Premier chef restaurant in Istanbul. Be reasonable with your criticism here. Experiment and enjoy the unique tastes and tickle your taste buds

One of the worst e experience ever. Very overage food with some decoration that can satisfy only a person that never been in a Michelin guide restaurant. Super expensive for nothing. I don’t have idea how they got a start Michelin. I really don't recommend it! 👎👎