Oklava was first recommended to me well over a year ago and has been on the LardButty hitlist ever since. So when I saw a tweet announcing a special 'Great British Menu - Wimbledon' four-course dinner, it was time to act. Quickly. Booking made.... The verdict: Great service from both of our servers. Staff looked as though they were all enjoying themselves working here, and working together as a team, which was nice (that’s not something that comes across very often in restaurants and was noticeable because of it) and the food we had for this GBM dinner was an absolute treat. Having enjoyed the lamb selection so much, I’m keen to return and try the Sunday Feast...
I had such a perfect night here for my 30th birthday. From the first cocktail, to every delicious meal to the dessert - it was brilliant. Staff were friendly and really accommodating. 100% recommended
Yum. Went with Becca Ingram fairly early on, and there was plenty to be excited about. I'm still dreaming about the lamb neck which had been so beautifully cooked it just melted. There was a delicious aubergine dish too, and even the bread and date butter was something special. We ordered less than they recommended but it was perfect, we left full but not stuffed.
The space is nicely done and service was spot on (although it's worth noting we were there for an early lunch and it wasn't full).
I've been recommending it to friends in the area, it was delicious food.
Oklava is a small Turkish restaurant in Shoreditch that aims to take the reputation of Turkish cuisine to a higher level. I was keen to understand what that would mean as the cuisine is known for its robust and powerful flavours
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Oklava, Shoreditch – Oklava is just in the right spot, in Shoreditch – trendy and contemporary.
I entered Oklava with my gaze fixed on the open kitchen and oven. The feeling of comfort overtakes. The smell of cooking was hardly overpowering, was gentle in the background. The colours of sea blue and white exude a very calming effect. Only soft and gentle lighting to illuminate the Okava, because the natural midday light took control of the brightness of the place. There was this “zen” feeling so when the food was a little slow, it didn't seem to matter.
The place is not huge, so reserving is highly recommended; we were lucky enough to have a table on a weekday lunch because Oklava was packed. Not with office workers because most lingered beyond the lunch hour. Like we did.
We started on the complimentary bread and medjool date butter which was delicious. These are also available in Selfridges.
chilli roast cauliflower, red onion, parsley & pistachio £7.00 – wow, if cauliflower was served like this each time, I would eat it all day long. It was such a picture with a strong toasted red with jewels of pistachio scattered around and crowned off with shavings of red onion. Just for a moment I had a crazy vivid childish imagination of these cauliflowers coming to life, growing legs and started invading the restaurant. Madness! But, back to reality it had such a nice nutty combination from both the roasted cauliflower and pistachio. A gentle kick of chilli at the end, it was proper comfort food.
braised octopus, ricotta, green olives, honey, pickled caper shoots and thyme £14.00 – individually the ingredients were brilliant – meaty octopus (not chewy), tangy pickled caper shoots and thyme, sweet honey, crispy thin bread – and they all came together in a mouthful of flavours. Served up with fresh salad, I enjoyed it very much. The ricotta, I carefully avoided.
charcoal grilled prawns, fennel seed, chilli and garlic £12.00 – nice big prawns but I did think that for four of them it was a little dear.
crispy pomegranate glazed lamb breast and yoghurt £9.50 – this dish was the star. Crispy on the outside but succulent and moist with a subtle lamb flavour, flavoured with the pomegranate glaze which was slightly sweet and bitter. There were only four small cubes of the lamb and I took my own time to savour this dish very slowly, hoping to prolong the taste.
The presentation and style of the food were very sophisticated and portions of food were on the small side. We were advised to order a starter each and two more dishes per person for a proper meal. The dishes were served as and when it was ready so the distinction of starter and main dishes makes one wonder what was that all about. It could have been explained in much simpler words, three dishes per person.
What I did not mention earlier here was that Oklava serves very interesting Turkish wines. I had the opportunity to taste them at a wine event before and was impressed by these New World wines. My favourite was the Turkish sparkling wine at £60.00 bottle. I was tempted.
I just wondered if there was any restaurant that I had returned for a second meal in the last 12 months. Not to my godawful memory, but I certainly and must make it back to Oklava again.
Gingle Lists Everything
+4
I read one review of Oklava and decided their food had to be in my mouth as soon as possible. With Alison (a once frequent character on these pages) back in town for a couple of nights, I thought it would be perfect for us to go and have a few bites, some wine and catch up. As it indeed was. Considering the weather was quite dreadful and it was Christmas week, it was still fairly busy and we perched at a side bar. Choosing what to eat was an enjoyable chore as everything sounded so good. And pretty much everything I ate made me want to go back and try more.
I had high expectations of Oklava since its chef, Selin Kiazim, had a very successful residency at Carousel (which I unfortunately missed).
The expectations where compounded by an amazing-looking menu, so before even setting foot in the restaurant, there was much to deliver on, and deliver Oklava did.
We attempted to have at least one dish from each section of the menu, starting with the bread with Medjool date butter, a fried duck egg with baked lamb fat potatoes and the braised octopus pides and moving on to the seafood and meat: we chose the citrus monkfish and the crispy pomegranate glazed lamb, topping it off with two desserts (everything pictured).
Each dish was a different and interesting combination of flavours. I can't wait to go back and try everything else on the menu! The only thing that disappointed was the Turkish wine that was recommended to us by the staff (would have been a 4.5 otherwise).
So I ended up returning to the City on this fine day. Weekend that is. You may wonder WHY I would return to a place with frenetic stress-inducing activities on the weekend. So, a 10 minute walk from Liverpool Street we found this unlikely little restaurant. I say found like we were looking in vain for it. That wouldn’t be entirely correct… Google maps to the rescue.
Chico Bandito in Shoreditch was a Tex-Mex restaurant with all the appeal of skin rash. It’s been thankfully replaced by Oklava, a Turkish-Cypriot restaurant.
The Turkish/Turkish-Cypriot menu has been given a contemporary twist, but that shouldn’t dissuade you from eating at Oklava. Indeed, it’s a very good reason to eat here as it’s quite unlike any other Turkish restaurant or kebab salon you or I will ever have come across.
by Sharky | Nov 20, 2015 | Food, Hottest New Openings - London, London, Restaurant Review | 0 comments. Lets not beat around the bush – I (and I’m sure many of our readers) are hot as fully across the Turkish cuisine as we should be. Yes I’ve done a couple of weeks in Istanbul this year and visited the likes of ‘Best New Restaurants 2015’ Berber & Q in Haggerston and Palomar in Soho – but really I’m still trying to get my head around it all. But I do know what I like – and I reeeeeeeeeealy like Oklava that’s just opened in Shoreditch this week.
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We attended the fourth and penultimate night of their soft launch. Service was already very smooth. They did run out of stock of the cheaper wines. We had the last bottle of the cheapest red (quite pricey at £27) and there weren't any chilled bottles left of the cheapest white (£24). Was happy with friendly service and our waiter put our white wine on ice as soon as we ordered it, so no problems there.
We were a table of 5 who shared everything. We did need the help of our knowledgeable waiter as to whether had we ordered the right amount of food. Excellent brown bread and date butter were brought to the table straight away, along with complimentary still and sparkling water.
We started with two orders of the courgette fritters with feta and mint. Everyone at the table like them, though I would have preferred to skip the feta which gave them a very soft texture.
Next to arrive were the veggie sides. Fried Cyprus Potatoes with Chilli Salt, Garlic & Herb Mayo was delicious. These were big cubes of pan fried potatoes drizzled with an alioli spiked with coriander, mint and parsley. I would definitely order this dish again. We then had the Chilli Roast Cauliflower with Parsley & Pistachios. This is apparently a traditional Cypriot dish, and I liked it but some of our table found it too spicy. The last of the sides were two orders of Aubergine. This was sauteed autergine as well as sweet aubergine puree with yoghurt and crushed smoked almonds. Pleasant but not the best aubergine dish I've eaten in London (which was at Som Saa incidentally).
Our Pides were next to arrive. The Short Rib Pide was underwhelming and some of the table complained about the level of spice. The Pide with Braised Octopus, Ricottoa, Green Olives, Honey and Pickled Caper Shoots & Thyme on the other hand was outstanding. Tender and complex.
Most of the mains were outrageously good. The Seabass was a wonderful texture, with incredibly thin crispy skin and dry but tender flaky flesh. Beautifully cooked. Judging from the grill marks, it might have been cooked over charcoal. We had two orders of the signature dish of Cemen Lamb Cutlets. There were a total of 4 cutlets and they tasted great. The Chilli Garlic Chicken with a Zatar crumb was a thigh and a wing with a little breast meat attached. Very good, though some of the wing was a little too charred. The accompanying sauce of sweetened lime mayo was lovely and intriguing with spices I couldn't identify. I would definitely order this again and it was the only dish that was great value at £6.50. The lamb breast is the only main I probably wouldn't order again. It was swimming in quite a lot of pomegranate molasses and yoghurt. I preferred the clean taste of our other mains.
The five of us shared three desserts to finish. Two orders of the choclate delice was rich, dark, and excellent. The more traditional rice pudding with a creme brulee topping was pleasant too.
In summary, the food was mostly very tasty. I would be happy to return and pay full price. However, I would probably order primarily from the mains with some potatoes.
Had the chance to take a few trips to Last neon this year and Oklava was by far my favorite meal. I’ve had inspired Turkish meals in the past but nothing yet that compares to this. At a meal with two colleagues with different palates we found it delicious and at the top of our list for a return visit next time we’re in the area. We had the luck of sampling a dozen dishes and wouldn’t know how to single out a favorite. Every dish had fresh and inspired flavors. The grilled cheese delicious. The spreads subtle and savory. Fresh vegetables full of flavor complimented every dish. Freshly cooked flat breads with meat and vegetables that you hand wrap and split with the table. Even the fries excelled with robust flavor and texture. Cant wait for the next visit
We did the 4 course meal and the food was fantastic! My absolute favorite was the black sea cheese pide; it is so rich yet crispy on the outside and full of flavors. The aubergine is not very good in my opinion; this dish was re-interpreted as a salad like dish and it just lacks all the smoke and flavors from a traditional aubergine. Had the description been different, it may have been less disappointing.
Overall the staff were great, the atmosphere was great, and the food was quite good. Highly recommended!
Fantastic! This was Turkish food with a twist. We ordered the pre fixe menu (7 plates shared across 2 of us) + dessert. Dishes ranged from great to outstanding (especially the chicken). The only disappointment was the bean salad which came out a little too bitter.
Courses change fairly regularly. But I trust the flavors will be unique and bold in every iteration. Service was attentive. I will definitely be back.
AMAZING experience here. I’d heard a lot about it but never actually been, and now I regret not going earlier. Everything we ate was extremely delicious. My favourite dish was the beef ribs, but the kunafe was also unmatched. Great mix of flavours that gelled really well together. Also, the staff were all great and very helpful with advice on what to get. Would highly recommend!
Had a really delicious meal here. You can tell all ingredients are of high quality and the dishes were so tasty! One of my top fave restaurants in London!
Simple place with some great dishes.
The food is full of flavor and very well made. The staff was really welcoming and knowledgeable.
The venue is simple and located in a very hip area. It can get crowded and unfortunately really (really) loud! And depending on who you are can somewhat hurt the overall experience.
A very fusion version of Turkish dishes. The flavor has been amended that it is more balanced and creative. For instance, the cheese pide is a small plate of pizza with raw egg yolk. First time seeing this combination other than Japanese.
Given its price, pretty good. 3/5 I would say.
Service added extra star. I booked kitchen counter but they managed to give me a sit down table.
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It was great to be back inside the restaurant after our last visit where we enjoyed a fabulous al fresco dining experience back in April. I also have to say that the turkish food we enjoyed on saturday was probably the best we’ve ever had. This was matched with fabulous cocktails , good wine and fantastic service. So you can understand why Oklava is clearly one of our favourite restaurants to visit.
So yes this led us to saturday and a truly amazing visit once again. The restaurant is nicely tucked away on the corner of Luke Street in Shoreditch and literally less than ten minutes from Liverpool Street station. When we arrived general manager Conall remembered us from earlier in the year and was delighted to see us back before showing us to our table. In fact he couldn’t have looked after us any better throughout our entire lunch.
We started to look at the menu when one of the chefs came over to ask if we had any questions and also to inform us of the two specials on offer. We then ordered a cocktail each a Cherry Spritz and a Beet Negroni which were both absolutely fabulous.
Now it was time to order the food to which we managed to have all dishes that we’d never tried before including the specials of the day. These were mackerel which is my wife’s favourite and hake which is one of my favourites.
So now let’s get started and of course you have to begin with the amazing Baharat Bread & Medjool Date Butter it’s simply to die for. We followed this with Crispy Fried Aubergine with greengage ketchup & kyseri spice that was heaven. Our palate was slightly refreshed by a delightful salad of Fava , grilled summer salad , kale ezme & black cypriot olive oil.
Now it was Pide time and in my opinion their best yet. The Black Truffle Pide with feta & pickled hen of the woods was an absolute flavour sensation. This was followed by the Pekemez glazed grilled Quail with fragola grapes & rosemary brown butter. The dish was accompanied by the Tomato Salad with lemon braised greens & sherry caramel which complimented the quail perfectly.
We now moved onto the two Specials of the Day. My wife had the Mackerel which when you looked at her face you could tell how good it was. For myself I had the Hake which was topped with apple and in a light buttery sauce. It was truly amazing and you would have to go along way to try and beat this. So all credit to head chef Dawid for not only these two specials but for every dish that we had the pleasure of eating today.
Now after a nice little rest it was time to finish with desserts and these were not for the feint hearted. The Spiced Rice Pudding with fig leaf oil , mahlep ice cream & hazelnut crumble was absolutely delicious. The Malt Custard with caramel ice cream , summer fruits & pecan wafer was lighter than the rice pudding but equally fabulous. These desserts were a fantastic way to finish a truly amazing Turkish lunch.
This brought to an end yet another amazing visit to Oklava and a restaurant that I would highly recommend visiting yourself. The food was absolutely amazing so thanks to head chef Dawid and the team. The service led by Conall was excellent. So when you put this all together you can see why already looking forward to a return visit.
Thank You Selin , Dawid , Conall and all the team for an amazing lunch and hope to see you all again soon
Would preferred if there was seafood options. Food was quite heavy. would recommend sharing between 3-4 people instead of 2 people. Service was nice as well, but will only revisit if menu changed a bit more because of the limited selection of dishes. I would recommend ordering the cabbage. The bread was undercooked, but the butter was amazing.
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If you grew up eating Turkish, Greek and/or any Levantine cuisine, you might not be impressed here. Oklava has a reputation built on good food critics and social media posts. The place is smallish with a relaxed casual atmosphere (this is not a dying to be seen place and it is not decorated for insta selfies!).
When booking I requested a seated table rather than a bar stool!
Service is friendly although lacked a bit of time to get the menu explained.
Hellim was nice and crusty, oozing with honey (an exact replica of usual cooked food in my home!). Pide was excellent and original. Surdough bread and medjool date was worth it! Best bread tasted in LDN for a long time. Cypriot chips were good and spicy with an excellent mayo but sadly arrived on the table long time before the seared hanger beef in chili oil they were supposed to be served with... Therefore eating the delicious but very oily beef on its own was (a bit of) a struggle.
Unfortunately, too full to try the Kunnefeh dessert.
Cup of Turkish coffee was well needed.
All the above cost £99. Cheap ? Not for that kind if food. Expensive? Not for the quality and experience. Obviously, not a place we'd go on a weekly basis...just for the diet's perspective!
Some good cocktails, no choice of beer (only standard Efes!).
We have been there for lunch. The date butter is superb. The starters were very good: cheese with honey and tomatoes cuori di Vesuvio. The main dishes were ok and a bit overpriced. The service is very kind and attentive.
Great place for a casual lunch date. The spiced cauliflower is my favourite by far. I could just eat that all day. The lamb chop is good too.
Service is friendly and fast. We thoroughly enjoyed it!
Modern, innovative take on Turkish food, with intoxicating flavors in a hip setting. While the service was at times slow and some of the portions were small for plates meant for sharing (especially the starters), the friendly staff and delicious dishes had us sold from the start. Chef Kiazim used to have a couple of other restaurants in London, both were fabulous and I’m heartbroken they’ve now closed, so glad to have had another taste of her food.
Not pictured are two starters - the hellim and the muhammara - that might have been the best in the entire meal (along with the cheese pide). I highly recommend booking in advance as it’s a small space, and you want to make sure you get a good spot.
All in all: very tasty, beautiful presentations and combination of flavors, but a bit pricey.
We had lunch on a Saturday and arrived at 1pm, where the restaurant was not very busy.
The dishes are meant to be shared, so we ordered 3 starters (loved the bahart spiced bread with date butter and the hellim) and 3 mains (in pictures: glazed carrots, chili roast cauliflower, bulgur wheat stuffed lamb kofte).
Portion size is a bit on the small side, but the flavors combined in the dishes made the quality ingredients really stand out.
Service was excellent and we liked the recommendations!
A perfect lunch in a lovely setting. Absolutely delicious food. Staff also perfect, polite, attentive, unobtrusive, not arrogant. Nice to see the chef behind the counter cooking. Each dish is well thought out, balanced, delicious and looks great too. We will be back!
The food here is exceptional. Sweet date butter with fresh bread to the salty sweet goodness of herb honey lathered halloumi. Our wine choice was not the best but this was significantly out weighed by the quality and ingenuity of flavours. Will definitely be back.
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