A Legacy of Flavour

Bosphorus Fine Turkish Cuisine
Lot No. : 6.33.00 & 6.34.00, Level 6
03-2142 4000
www.bosphorus.com.my

The Bosphorus is of course the famous strait that divides the great city of Istanbul in Turkey. The historic piece of real estate is home to millennia of culture and history, perhaps one of the most enchanting places in the world. All this is nothing new for the well-informed amongst us, but to understand Bosphorus the restaurant and indeed Turkish cuisine, it demands us to appreciate its context.

The Ottoman Empire stretched far and wide, uniting most of Western Europe, North Africa and Eastern Asia and Istanbul was the very centre of that empire. Hence the dishes with which we relate to Turkey in modern times, echoes an ancient tradition. There are no coincithe dences in the manner with which these recipes have stayed alive. They are the culmination of centuries of refinement in the greatest Turkish kitchens.

Take the starters for instance; there is no other famous export from the region than Humus (RM16.80). Such a simple dish – a blend of a few ingredients, yet so revered for its smooth, savoury and slightly tangy feel on the tongue. But it must have taken the chef at Bosphorus years to perfect one that was so well balanced, as befits a purveyor of fine Turkish cuisine.

What surprised was the Hot Antep Dip (RM12.90), which was a dip made from finely chopped tomatoes and pomegranates with just coincithe right hint of heat and plenty of aroma from flat-leaf parsley. Both dips were wonderfully mopped up with lavash bread, a kind of soft, thin flatbread that was puffed up under the grill and decorated with black sesame seeds on top – the perfect accompaniment for such savoury starters.

But the star of any refined Turkish meal has to be the Imam Bayaldi (RM19.90), a cold dish with grilled aubergine, onions, tomatoes and garlic. Legend has it the Imam was so taken by this dish that he fainted from the pure joy of the experience, which is a very approximate translation of the name of the dish. Besides being a great story, it could well be true once you sample the excellent smoky flavour of the aubergine and its velvety smooth texture without any hint of bitterness at all. This was surely another triumph of a recipe developed through the centuries.

The meal was clearly lavish in nature yet contained flavours that were simple and fresh. The Coban Salad (RM16.90) is a great example. Looks suspiciously just like a Greek salad, and it shouldn’t be surprising considering the proximity, but just that extra hint of oregano and paprika made it much tastier.

Main courses stayed on the same path with nothing more than simply good quality meat, prepared well and grilled to perfection. A popular choice is the Iskender Doner Kebab (RM49.90), an excellent sliced lamb kebab with a rich tomato sauce and fresh homemade yoghurt, served on pide bread.

If you can’t decide which one of their excellent kebabs to go for, try the monstrous Mix Grill for Two (RM128.80). You will get a chance to try the doner kebab in addition to lamb and chicken adana kebabs, land and chicken shish kebabs and our personal favourite the lamb kofte with its mild cumin flavour and irresistibly soft yetmeaty texture, just like a good burger patty. This gigantic meat heaven comes with grilled tomatoes, chillies, yoghurt dip and rice for a meal certainly fit for an Ottoman Emperor.

by Lee Chan Wai