sea change at raan palace

A sea change at �iragan Palace

�iragan Palace, one of the magnificent buildings flanking the

Bosporus, has a rich history full of disaster, fire and restoration.

The palace, built in 1871 for Sultan Abd�laziz by Serkis Balyan and

located between modern-day Besiktas and Ortak�y, remains one of the

most beautiful examples of the Ottoman architecture.

The Kempinski Group restored the palace for use as a hotel in 1991 and

- despite some controversy over the restoration and redecoration - its

restaurants, Laledan and Tugra, almost immediately received great

recognition for their excellent cuisine and high quality of service.

Laledan initially opened as an open buffet restaurant offering

international cuisine, and remained thus for about 15 years, but its

high prices dampened its popularity over time: In response the hotel

management has reinvented Laledan.

Located on the ground floor of the �iragan Palace on the sea front,

Laledan assumed its new identity as a seafood restaurant last

November, boasting a revised interior and an entirely different menu.

It now offers reasonable fixed menu prices, fighting the prejudice

that hotel restaurants are too expensive, and the palatial venue is

open to all, not just hotel guests.

A brand new menu:

The changes stretch further than the menu and decor. Rudolf Van Nunen,

one of the best chefs in the world and a leading innovator, has been

appointed as the hotel's executive chef.

Van Nunen is not only famous for his marvelous dishes, but also for

his love of bread with many varieties made in house. He favors natural

products and plain dishes; olives and olive oil are two products he

cannot cook without. A fan of fresh herbs, he carefully selects

flavors that will not overpower the delightful natural tastes of each

kind of fish.

Eggplant salad, lakerda (salted bonito), creamy yogurt dip, stuffed

mussels, yaprak dolmasi (stuffed grape leaves), samphire, cheese,

melon, shrimp and octopus salad are served every day. A variety of hot

appetizers, like shrimp g�ve� (casserole), whitebait, fried or grilled

calamari or fish pastries, are served on a rotating basis.

Tuncay Usta, one of Laledan's chefs, said that they never use frozen

fish; the many varieties they serve include bonito, blue fish, sea

bass, whiting, mackerel, striped red mullet, gilt-head bream and

trout. Appetizers are served on a tray, as in so many Turkish seafood

restaurants; however, the fish is all cooked to order.

At Laledan fish are generally fried or grilled according to the

customers' wishes, but the restaurant's steamed sea bass is among the

most delicious dished on offer, according to the head chef. The feast

ends with sweet tastes like quince dessert, tavukg�gs� (literally

"chicken breast," in fact a milky dessert), kadayif, baklava and

halva.

The fixed menu price is YTL 90, including drinks, but higher-priced

fish and other deluxe dishes are also served on occasion, for a

supplement.

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