Ioki Kandilli — Restaurant in Üsküdar

What a view. If this place was a cake the view would definitely be the vanilla buttercream frosting. Don’t forget to book in advance and ask to be seated at the rooftop. It gets crowded as the sun sets, more so during the weekend. Making reservations is also a piece of cake since you just send a request through their website and they call you to confirm.

The service was also exceptional. We had a slight mishap where our dinner reservation never made it to their system. Luckily, the maître d’ was very accomodating and he made sure we were seated at the rooftop as soon as a table became available. All of our food came with very short intervals in between.

As for the food itself, I first started with the Spicy Miso soup and my gf got the Lemongrass soup. Spicy Miso was definitely the way to go as the other one tasted a bit chalky.

From the appetizers, gyoza and dynamite shrimp are no brainers. The gyoza was crisp yet the filling was soft and the shrimp honest to god melted in my mouth.

For nigiri you have the option of ordering a 9-piece mix or just individual pieces with each piece costing between 90-140 Turkish Liras. We got 3 Sake (salmon) nigiri and 1 Suzuki (sea bass) nigiri. The salmon was unfortunately sliced a bit too thick so the whole bite took some chewing. The Suzuki, on the other hand, was an instant hit.

From the rolls, I’d say go with the “house specials”. We went with Boton Roll and Istanbul Ebi Roll. Both were great.

Finally, we sampled some of the Sweet & Sour Chicken. Best thing I tasted all night.

For dessert we ordered the Chocolate Mochi and it was mediocre. Tasted and felt more akin to chocolate ice cream. One thing to keep in mind is that they don’t serve alcohol. So we topped it all of with a cup of green tea.

Overall, pleasant experience, generous portion sizes and calm vibes. Its not cheap, but nothing over...

I had the pleasure of dining at this incredible Japanese restaurant and I must say, it was a truly exceptional experience! From the moment I stepped onto the rooftop, the view was absolutely stunning and set the perfect tone for the rest of the evening.

The sushi was a great choice and exceeded my expectations in every way. Each piece was expertly crafted and bursting with flavor, truly a feast for the senses. The quality of the ingredients was clearly evident in every bite, and I found myself savoring every moment.

The ambiance of the restaurant was also fantastic, with a modern yet inviting atmosphere that made me feel right at home. The staff were friendly and attentive, ensuring that my dining experience was nothing short of perfect.

Overall, I would highly recommend this Japanese restaurant to anyone looking for an unforgettable dining experience. The combination of delicious food, breathtaking views, and top-notch service make this restaurant truly stand out from the rest. A five-star rating is well deserved and I can't wait to come back for...

İoki’nin yolculuğu, mekanın sahibi olan şeflerin iki üniversite öğrencisi olarak New York’taki Uzak Doğu ve Peru mutfaklarını keşfe çıkmalarıyla başlıyor. Girişimci olarak o gün deneyimledikleri Asya mutfağına ait yemeklerden etkilenen ikiliden Şef Okitasan, 2012 yılında Türkiye’ye gelip, bu kültürü de buraya getirerek söz konusu deneyimi, Uzak Doğu ve Nikkei mutfağının en lezzetli halini ulaşılabilir bir şekilde sunmayı amaçlayarak İoki’yi kuruyor. İoki adını direkt Hollywood’un meşhur Japon şeflerinden Keizo Okitasan’dan alan mekan Haziran 2011’den beri İstinye’de, 2012’de Kandilli şubelerinde, son olarak da 2015 Mayıs ayından beri Ulus’ta misafirlerini ağırlamaya devam ediyor. Ayrıca İoki, 2015 Ocak ayında İstanbul’un “En iyi Asya Mutfağı”ödülünü de alıyor. Şimdi bahsedeceğimiz İoki Yeniköy (İoki Nau) ise bu harika yolculuğun son halkası.

İoki Nau, diğer şubeler gibi şık; ancak bana kalırsa biraz daha farklı ve modern bir atmosfer yaratılmış. Bordo rengin hakim olduğu İoki Nau, geniş bir alana kurulmuş, romantik bir havası ve birkaç farklı yanı da var. Burası hem yine Asya mutfağının en güzel örneklerinin sunulduğu bir restoran hem de klasik/imza kokteyllerin bulunduğu bir etkinlik alanı/bar. Özellikle haftasonları burada pek çok müzik etkinlikleri oluyor ve İoki Nau, bu anlamda bir restoran olmanın da ötesinde, eğlenebileceğiniz, müzik dinleyebileceğiniz ve çeşitli kutlamalar (doğum günü, yıl dönümü gibi) için tercih edebileceğiniz keyifli bir mekan. Bu etkinlikleri İoki Nau’nun instagram hesabından takip edebilir, rezervasyon yaptırarak katılım sağlayabilirsiniz.

Ioki’nin menüsünde çorbalar, salatalar, trüflü edamame, sweet potato fries, Shrimp Taco ve Somon Tartar gibi başlangıçlar, tempuralar, enfes sushi çeşitleri, nigiri, sashimiler, rice ve noodlelar ile Seafood Tepenyaki, Teriyaki Tavuk, Spicy Beef ve Hawaian Bowl gibi ana yemekler var. Açık mutfakta bu yemeklerin pişirilme anını ve sushilerin hazırlanışını da izlemeniz mümkün. Özellikle Hotate Nikkei (deniz tarağı) favorilerden. Gerçekten Türkiye’de Asya Mutfağı’nın en iyi restoranlarından biri olan Ioki’de mutlaka bu farklı deneyimi yaşamalısınız. İoki Nau da harika bir şube olmuş doğrusu. Yemek sonunda ise başka hiçbir yerde bulamayacağınız Matcha Volcano ve burada başarıyla yapılan Mochilerden yemeyi...