Oh Alancha. So like other posts where ratings can be influenced by price I will have to do the same with Alancha. Alancha was on my list since it was an honourable mention in the San Pellegrino Top Restaurants of the World. I skipped Mikla which was a top restaurant since the food didn't have the inventiveness of Alancha. However, perhaps there is a reason for that - which I will get into further down.
But first, Alancha got a 3* because in the end it was inexpensive by North American standards for what is was trying to do. The price point is that of a mid-ranged eatery in the US but it is trying to much harder.
Now back to the food and setting. I think Istanbul has good food, but from my experience there wasn't a lot of highly innovative food. Alancha is absolutely making the attempt which i applaud, but the execution just isn't there.
I did not do the set meal which could have been different, but instead had some a la carte dishes.
They ranged from average to not so good. For example the octopus tentacle was pretty burnt at the ends and grilled to a point that it was dry and jerky like.
I can't recall much else. The drinks were a good attempt, but perhaps slightly over the top. One came in a bowl with a significant amount of dry ice. and there were others executed in similar style.
The service really struggled with English and often tried to hide so they wouldn't have to speak (to be fair there is no expectation that anybody outside of an English speaking country speak English), however this restaurant is clearly aiming to be world class and looking to present itself that way. We were the only table (another table was the owner's friends). and the staff would be behind us laughing and pushing each other to come to us, loser had to speak english. It wasn't rude and it was done in good fun, but it also shows the readiness of the staff and how they were not fully comfortable in their roles.
I don't want to say not go, because i want to give it a chance to be better and the decor had a good touch, but in the end if your time in Istanbul is short.... read more
