By Akdeniz by Esra Muslu offers a new take on Mediterranean cuisine and is the latest restaurant at the 5-star Çırağan Palace Kempinski Istanbul, home to eight bar and restaurant outlets. As one of the most lauded female chefs of Türkiye, and on the heels of her London restaurant success which earned her a spot on the Michelin Guide’s favorite places list, Muslu keeps Turkish tradition alive while weaving in Mediterranean touches at Çırağan Palace, with a menu of shared plates cooked on a wood fire.
Offering a spacious and modular design that gives the feeling of passing from one place to another, guests start their gastronomic journey in the welcoming library and waiting area adorned with green colors before proceeding into a Mediterranean garden with folding screens covered with special wallpapers featuring several trees indigenous to the Mediterranean. Inside, the blue, white and red upholstered furniture joins giant cubes and elegant vases that nod to Ottoman times.
Çırağan Palace Kempinski Istanbul is the only Ottoman imperial palace and luxury 5-star hotel on the Bosphorus, a 310-room property bringing a resort atmosphere to the city. The Çırağan Palace has added another new restaurant taking advantage of its spectacular location.
Overlooking the Bosphorus with floor-to-ceiling windows opening onto a wonderful garden, the newly designed Gazebo brings the outdoor natural beauty indoors.
During the Ottoman Empire, gardens were divided into quadrants, called Chahar Bagh and with this inspiration in mind, Çırağan’s Gazebo layout was adapted to reflect a winter garden, or Orangerie, setting complete with citrus trees, a huge golden bird cage stylized with Ottoman arches and a fountain at the center (a nod to the historical sense of place the former palace turned resort occupies, as at Ottoman palaces, the sounds of splashing water and birdsong muffled any conversations, and kept them private).
The four flowers of Ottoman art – tulips, roses, carnations and hyacinths – have also been incorporated into each corner’s square seating areas, and color tones that evoke nature are reflected in the surrounding chairs, armchairs and pillows. Offering delicious sandwiches, à la carte breakfast service, salads, light snacks, delicious afternoon tea, special drinks and much more in its stylish and spacious atmosphere with a high ceiling.
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