Solen Istanbul: From Turkey with Love

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 15^th 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! 

Solen Istanbul Menu - Front

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.

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 

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.

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:

1. Prefer lightly spiced food
2. Have a budget of Rs. 300 to Rs. 500 per person

Don’t go for it if you:

1. Are looking for a fine dining experience 
2. 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.