V Modern Italian — Restaurant in Şişli

Unfortunately, I have to share an experience that seems to be systemic for non-Turkish speakers at this restaurant, despite it being located in an international hotel.

As a guest of the hotel, I arrived hungry and chose the appealing-sounding Italian restaurant. The issues started at the entrance, most likely due to the staff's limited English skills. After greeting them, the first waiter did not respond and simply called someone else. The restaurant was completely empty—I was the only guest—yet I was directed to the darkest corner, as all other tables were supposedly "reserved."

The menu was simple, which is generally fine—one page featuring eight pizzas (half of them house creations), two main courses, and a few appetizers.

A third waiter, a polite lady with only basic English skills, eventually served me. Given that this is an international hotel chain, I expected smoother communication. Our discussion about food options was limited.

I ordered the only available soup (pumpkin) and the salmon as my main course—one of just two options on the permanent menu. However, I was told I couldn't have it because they were expecting many guests and hadn’t defrosted enough portions. Perhaps something was lost in translation, but an "authentic Italian" restaurant serving frozen salmon as one of its only two main dishes?

I opted for the Pizza Tartufo (mushroom) instead.

The soup was mediocre—an unblended mix of pumpkin, nuts, and oil. Compared to an authentic Italian Osteria, such as Chef Davide Lagomarsino’s at Unico Osteria Prague, this version scored about 40%.

The pizza was acceptable. The dough was good, but the cheese was not mozzarella—oily and off in texture. There was an excessive amount of mushrooms, making the overall taste unbalanced. It was passable but far from the quality of a proper Italian pizza.

I noticed that the restaurant has generally positive reviews, so perhaps guests who did not struggle with the language barrier had a better experience.

As for the food quality—just okay. Based on my experience and comparisons, I can’t give it more than 2*. If you’re looking for genuine Italian cuisine, I’d recommend finding another place.

The pricing was roughly double what I would expect for this level of food and service. It’s my first meal on this trip, so prices may have changed, but compared to similar establishments in Prague, where you get better food and service for English-speaking guests, this felt overpriced.

The restaurant itself is clean, and my server was friendly but inexperienced with non-Turkish guests. While I won’t return, I hope others have a better experience and that the restaurant...

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