Efendy: Modern Turkish With A Taste For The Traditional

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It’s no surprise that chef Somer Sivrioglu’ s restaurant Efendy has its roots in traditional Turkish cuisine

It’s no surprise that chef Somer Sivrioglu’ s restaurant Efendy has its roots in traditional Turkish cuisine when you consider that Sivrioghu spent the first 25 years of his life in Istanbul, where under the tutelage of his mother, a successful restaurant consultant, Somer spent most of his teen years working at one restaurant or another learning recipes that form the basis of many dishes on his menu today.

What is surprising is that Sivrioglu spent many years working on the other side of hospitality – launching high profile restaurants and brands like Lowenbrau and Wagamama before finally taking the plunge to follow his passion and open his own restaurant.

Efendy is a culmination of Sivrioglu’s desire to provide an authentic Turkish dining experience. Dishes run the gamut from traditional to the best in new Turkish cuisine. The focus is on regional cooking and the meze plate – tapas-style dishes perfect for sharing.

To ensure your dining experience is as authentic as possible, Sivrioglu has filled his kitchen with Turkish chefs – each one a master of different regional cuisine. As for the cuisine – Sivrioglu has excelled – creating a menu of lavish and tasty dishes for the Meze Bar that will please even the most jaded palate. Highlights include the Kadayifli Karides – delectable (and sweet ) King Prawns rolled in a crisp shredded pastry, fried to perfection and served on a bed of smoky capsicum dip that is a delight for the taste buds. The Pachanga Boregi –, pastry triangles stuffed with pastirma and kashar cheese – crunchy outside and soft and silky within.

As for mains Sivriouglu has chosen from the best of his country’s national dishes. The slow-roasted lamb shoulder melts in your mouth – the crisp pickled vegetables are a great accompaniment to cut through the richness of the meat. My companion opts for one of Efendy’s trademark clay pots. Her lamb is accompanied by braised tomatoes and a creamy cheese that delivers on all fronts.

Hardly able to move, our charming waiter still manages to persuade us to try dessert. The mastic pudding beckons me and when it arrives the sticky mastic is coated in a layer of burnt cinnamon that adds a rich depth to the dish. My partner in crime opts for the traditional Turkish fare of baklava – this arrives in two guises – the traditional hand-rolled pastry with pistachio and honey drizzle and a new twist with walnuts that is simply superb. Turkish coffee and a traditional apple tea round out the meal which leaves us deeply satiated.