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| Solen Istanbul Outlet at Dolmen Mall Clifton, Karachi |
Turkish
food has witnessed a surge in popularity over the past few years. Known for its
simplistic style and subtle use of spices, the cuisine recently made its foray
into our side of the border with the launch of Şölen Istanbul.
With
a name that translates literally to feast, Solen (pronounced
Sho-len) is part of a Turkish restaurant chain headquartered in
Istanbul. The eatery opened its first outlet at Dolmen Mall Clifton
in Karachi on 15th February this year, making it the first Turkish
restaurant in Pakistan.
The
Menu
The menu, though selective, promises popular Turkish dishes such as Döner, Köfte and Lahmacun (pizza). What dampens ones enthusiasm however is not the narrow choice but the fact that the menu is in the Turkish language!
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| Solen Istanbul Menu - Front |
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| Solen Istanbul Menu - Back |
One
can understand that retaining the original name of each dish will help create
consumer awareness about the new cuisine; but for something that is yet alien
to many in the general population, a brief description of ingredients in
English / Urdu would have gone a long way in making the menu reader friendly.
Soslu
Tavak
The
Soslu Tavak (sauce chicken) with small chunks of fried chicken layered
on a bed of thin pita bread looked appetizing but sadly was barely warm on
arrival.
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| Soslu Tavak |
Served
with helpings of rice and pita bread, the dish caters to both rice and bread
eaters. The chicken cooked in a sauce of crushed tomato, black pepper and red
pepper flakes was doused with a heavy dose of olive oil which may make it
unappealing for the weight conscious.
Typical
to the cuisine, the dish was mildly spicy but did not do much to stimulate the
taste buds. The rice sprinkled with tomato strips was underdone and the handful
of fries/potatoes served on the side was soggy and stale. The salad of sliced
cabbage and onion was also chewy and seemed to be recycled.
The
helping was adequate for one person but given the quality, this
dish did not score any points for value. It could have tasted far better had it
been freshly prepared and served hot.
Doner
Don’t go for it if you:
Crossing
our fingers, we anxiously prayed that the Döner would be the saving grace
of the day. A Turkish specialty, the döner is prepared using either beef
or mutton and is fashioned around thin shavings of sliced meat seasoned with
herbs, suet (raw beef or mutton fat) and spices.
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| Doner |
With
a generous serving of beef, fries and a salad of sliced tomatoes, cabbage and
onion served on the side, the döner was a complete letdown. The
vegetables in the salad were soggy and the meat was starchy and dry.
But
worst of all - the beef was infused with the permeating odor and aftertaste of
raw meat. The smell was so pungent that we could not eat it beyond a few
mouthfuls!
When
we shared our feedback with the management, we were curtly told that the
restaurant serves only the highest quality products to its consumers. Suffice
to say, we did not linger long after that.
Service
The
service needs to go up a notch. The waiting staff does not seem well informed
about the menu; they need to be given that it is incomprehensible to diners due
to the language barrier.
Also,
the Turkish management needs to interact with patrons directly to address
queries and complaints rather than directing them to front line staff.
Hit or miss? A miss!
Like
any new venture, Solen faces a unique set of challenges. Its biggest task
is to educate the common consumer and develop his penchant for Turkey’s unique taste.
I
have a few suggestions that the management can follow:
- Adapt the menu in the local language and include a description for each item to increase clarity. People will not eat what they don’t understand. This will also decrease the long queue of confused customers looking for advice on what to order.
- Serving food at the right temperature is the basic standard that any eatery can follow – serve food hot and fresh and watch your sales go up.
- Expand
the menu to include delicacies such as Sac Kuvurma, Mücver, Kurufasulye,
Manti and Dolma.
A
little heads up:
contrary to what is advertised on the menu, the eatery has yet to start its home
delivery service.
Go for it if you:
- Prefer lightly spiced food
- Have a budget of Rs. 300 to Rs. 500 per person
Don’t go for it if you:
- Are looking for a fine dining experience
- Want a wide variety of dishes to chose from
Rating
- Service: 2/5
- Value: 3/5
- Presentation of Dishes: 2/5
- Soslu Tavak: 2/5
- Doner: 1/5
My overall rating for Solen
Istanbul, Karachi is 2/5.
Have you been there yet?
Written by Rabia J. and published in Blush Magazine on March 29, 2013.
