Feriye Lokantasi is a restaurant within the Feriye Palace on the Bosphorus strait. The internationally significant strait that separates the European Turkey from the Asian Turkey.
The Feriye Palace sits on the European side of the Bosphorus strait as Istanbul is separated by two bodies of water. The Feriye Palace was constructed as an extension of the palace for the Ottoman imperial court for extended family members. The building has a very old vintage European appeal to it with its white exterior and gravel courtyard. Feriye Lokantas? is to its left of the palace. The restaurant is completely covered in glass giving it a luxurious beauty to it; in addition, the Bosphorus strait could be seen throughout the restaurant. Feriye Lokantasi Istanbul
I decided to walk from Dolmabahçe Palace to Feriye Lokantasi. It was a little over one and a half miles on Çiraian Cd; Çiraian Cd is a three lane road with lush green leaves throughout the road. The road had a brick wall with multiple propaganda posters and the Turkish flags on one side; on the strait side, the road was filled with four star hotels, palaces, museums and universities. The walls and landmark provided cover from the cold winds coming from the body of water.
I finally arrived at Feriye Lokantasi and sat next to the window. My seat had an amazing view of 15 July Martyrs Bridge, T.C Ortaköy Camii and the Bosphorus strait. It’s definitely one of the best views in Istanbul outside of the view at Mikla Restaurant. The restaurant is the perfect destination for a meal during warmer times in Istanbul. It reminded me of Rio Tajo in Lisbon, Portugal. Feriye Lokantasi Istanbul
My initial thoughts were to grab a few drinks and relax until dinner time. However, I stayed at Feriye Lokantasi for four hours hypnotized by the beauty surrounding me. I decided to order some items off the menu and to my surprise they offered sushi. Here are my thoughts on the dishes: Feriye Lokantasi Istanbul
- Char Grilled Meat Balls – The grilled meatballs was laid on top of the Siyez cracked wheat bread and soaking up the meatballs’ flavors. It was served with french fries, roasted garlic, tomato and green peppers. The meatballs were perfectly cooked and the texture was really tender. However, the mixed of lamb and beef left an unpleasant after taste on my palate.
Char Grilled Meat Balls - Toro nigiri – The fairly large portion of toro on top of white rice with roe as garnish. The toro didn’t taste fresh and it had hints of old fish to it. The large cut of toro was too much to really take advantage of the rich buttery texture of the toro. The rice was the only decent part of the nigiri.
Toro Roll - Spicy Salmon Roll – I don’t usually order Westernized sushi rolls but I was curious about the quality of Feriye’s sushi roll. The firmly wrapped sushi with avocado, salmon and spicy mayo to round it out was fairly decent in taste. It gave me the impression Feriye was trying to cater to Western taste buds and be more tourist friendly due to the declining tourism numbers in the Middle East.
Spicy Salmon Roll
As I paid my bill, a few of the wait staff came over and asked if I was a chef. It’s a question I get repeatedly at restaurants. They said they don’t usually see people using ginger to lightly glaze their nigiri with soy sauce or take pictures of their food. I giggled a bit and replied, “No, I’m not. I’m just a fan of food and like to remember what I eat. I’m also in love with your city.”
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- Service - 8/108/10
- Presentation - 7/107/10
- Flavors - 5/105/10
- Decor - 8.5/108.5/10
- Ambiance - 8.5/108.5/10
Summary
Feriye Lokantası is a restaurant within the Feriye Palace on the Bosphorus strait. It has an amazing view of 15 July Martyrs Bridge, T.C Ortaköy Camii and the Bosphorus strait. It’s definitely one of the best views in Istanbul outside of the view at Mikla Restaurant. However, the food doesn’t match the view but it’s still worth the trip for a few drinks and appetizers.
