Tasting Notes
Neolokal is on the top floor of SALT Galata on Bankalar Caddesi, the nineteenth-century Ottoman Bank headquarters that is now a cultural centre. Chef Maksut Aşkar builds the menu around Anatolian recipes and ingredients, many of them from small producers, and presents them in a modern way. The dining room and terrace look across the Golden Horn towards the historic peninsula. The restaurant is listed in the Michelin Guide, and booking is required.
Three tasting menus
There is no à la carte. The main tasting menu opens with the restaurant's sourdough bread with fig and cheese cream and Memecik olive oil, and moves through glazed lakerda (cured bonito), a summer türlü of white asparagus and seasonal vegetables, su böreği with grilled red prawns, a fish of the day with mıhlama, slow-cooked lamb shoulder with hedik wheat, and desserts including pepeçura and pistachio tulumba. The vegetarian menu replaces fish and meat with dishes such as baked courgette and aubergine with grape molasses, and a third menu is gluten-, lactose- and nut-free.
Practical notes
Prices are per person and include taxes, but service and tips are not included. If you have food allergies or dietary needs, tell the team before the service so the kitchen can plan. The menu follows the seasons, so individual courses change through the year.
“Book well ahead, ask for a table with a view of the Golden Horn, and mention any dietary needs when you reserve so the right tasting menu is ready.”
LR Kitchen — field note