Something beautiful has come to Chelsea, a Turkish restaurant which is so elegant that it fits its classy neighbourhood perfectly. Iznik Kaftan is so called because its decor focuses on the theme of historical kaftans of the Ottoman period – prints of kaftans, and some real silk kaftans hung on the walls behind glass.

The Venue
Iznik Kaftan has a sister restaurant founded some years ago in north London, and this new branch opened towards the end of 2007 in a great location near Sloane Avenue and the Michelin building. Everything about the decor suggests an atmosphere of harmony and beauty. The design is the creation of restaurant owner Adem Oner who has been innovative in his use of metallic paint and glass partitions inlaid with gold in the basement. The ground floor boasts a chandelier and framed silk kaftans and lots of candles and ornaments such as pottery pomegranates. The basement is beautifully painted in metallic shades of blue and purple, while Turkish pottery plates grace the walls along with prints of silk kaftans and silk cushions which decorate the comfortable banquettes next to the dining room tables.

The Atmosphere
At this restaurant not only is the decor exquisite, but the people serving you are very attentive and polite, which only adds to a good atmosphere. Come here on a Friday night and you will enjoy good camaraderie from diners at neighbouring tables.

The Food
A good starter is the dolma – vine leaves stuffed with rice, pine nuts, raisins and herbs. The vine leaves are very light and delicate with a fragrant flavour. Also good is a choice from the hot starters list, the grilled halloumi cheese, which in Turkish is called hellim kizartma. The cheese is smoky and slightly salty and served just less than hot which is the perfect temperature.

The main courses include some vegetarian options such as Turlu, which is a concoction of oven baked aubergine, courgette, onions and peppers, sesame seeds and garlic, braised in olive oil. The olive oil brings out the full Mediterranean flavour of the vegetables. For meat lovers the icli kofte is recommended – it is a cracked wheat paste shell shaped in the form of a bauble filled with minced lamb, and it has a strong spicy flavour which contrasts with the subtle lacing of yoghurt over the meat shapes. Great accompaniments to the main courses are rice and goban salata, a fresh crisp salad of tomatoes, onions, green pepper, olives and feta cheese.

For dessert the baklava come highly recommended as they are home-made; these are traditional Turkish pastries stuffed with pistachio and syrup and are particularly good because they soft and not dry as in many Middle Eastern restaurants, and the honey oozes out of them. Another excellent desert is the the ayva tatlisi, which is soft poached quince in a syrup with thick cream; the quince is very creamy itself and sweet without being too sweet. This recipe is a pearl on the Iznik Kaftan menu, not to be missed.

The Drink
If you want Turkish wine, which would be the perfect complement to your food, choose the house white wine, Cankaya, which is light and refreshing. Cankaya is available by the glass, and a bottle costs something in the region of £14. If you want Turkish red wine, try the Yakut, which is smooth with ripe cherry flavours and costs about the same as the house white. Also available are a number of Spanish, Italian and New World red and white wines. Other drinks include good quality sparkling and still mineral waters and don’t forget the Turkish coffee, which is served as sweet as you like it with some Turkish delight on the saucer.

The Last Word
Iznik Kaftan provides good authentic, fresh and modern Turkish cuisine, in a beautifully decorated, modern, minimalist setting. Come here for your birthday, your wedding anniversary or just for a good night out.

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