Nicole — Restaurant in Beyoğlu

As first time visitors to Istanbul, we were looking forward to exploring the Turkish cuisine. After consulting Tripadvisor, we booked table at Nicole on 29 Jan. 2025.

We had read about the great view, so we thought we would come early to enjoy the sun set. We arrived 06.30 pm to an empty restaurant - a bit surprised, that no other guests had the same idea. My wife whispered her concern, but I assured her, that crowd size and quality does not necessarily apply to great restaurants. This is a Michelin star restaurant after all.

It was another hour before we had company from a party of 3 persons. Not that it really mattered, but it was strange.

We ordered a glass of local sparling, as it came recommended by the soft-spoken sommelier. It was not French champagne, so I didn’t think of asking the price. And I wasn’t told. I have to admit, it was careless of me.

We were introduced to 2 menus – a long and a short. We decided on the long one, at TYR 5,200 per person (before tax). We had booked our table 3 days earlier with a pre-payment of TYR 4,000. At that time, on Nicole’s website, the long menu was priced at just TYR 4,800. Not sure, how that works. I wondered, if our deposit would have been refunded, in case we didn’t like the price increase?

Without any knowledge of the local wines, we saw the wine menu as a great opportunity to explore the wineries from the comfort of our table. A wine menu came at TYR 3,750 per person (before tax). Later, upon receipt of the bill, I came to realize, that the Turkish sparkling was charged at TYR 1,400 per glass. In other words, 3 glasses of an average local sparkling came at the same price as a wine tasting menu.

Although the wine menu served 6 glasses, I can say with confidence, that everyone can drive responsibly, as each wine serving was just 2 sips. The wine menu was a disappointment, both in terms of value and quality. With the exception of a chardonnay and one of the reds, in our opinion the wines were bland and lacking character. Our neighbours were smarter - they ordered bottles.

It is only our 4th visits to Michelin star restaurants, so we are still not sure what to expect. In general, the food was a delight to the eye and mostly tasted wonderful. My wife is raised by the sea and has been taught, that fresh fish is not supposed to smell of fish. She had to pass the “graved” (marinated) tuna, which was too smelly and fishy for her liking.

Service was generally attentive and friendly and the ambience was really nice – offering a great view of the Bosporus Strait and Hagia Sophia.

Surely, guests must pay a surcharge for the 1 star Michelin experience. But is it Michelin standard to serve the plates across the table? Is it ok, that waiters are using the guest bath room (there was only 1)? Is it ok, that the automatic light in the bath room goes out when washing hands? Is it reasonable to request a deposit but also increase the price without notice - 3 days after the reservation was made?

The total experience set us back TYR 23,190 or USD 650 including service charges. To us, it wasn’t value. The restaurant was serving 3 tables including us that evening – 7 persons in total. Maybe the crowd was a...

I dined here with a friend to celebrate our first trip to Türkiye and Istanbul. I made the reservation 2 months in advance. Overall, the food was fine, but not outstanding, and the combination of flavors in the menu didn't feel harmonious. The service was also a big letdown, so the holistic experience did not feel worthy of a Michelin star.

We were among the first group of diners to arrive around 6:30pm, so we got a pretty good table by the window. The waiter greeted us but did not offer to store our bags or jackets.

We ended up selecting the Agnès tasting menu which costs ₺2250 before the 12% service charge and includes an amuse-bouche, bread, 6 courses, mignardises, and something from the chef. Having dined at other Michelin star restaurants, including a 2-star one in Istanbul (that I thought was much better value because it delivered more courses and cost slightly less than Nicole), this menu didn't stand out in any way. The amuse-bouche was a soup plated in a small cup and you were supposed to drink it straight from the cup, which I found weird. I also don't recall being served mignardises, but that may have been because I forgot to take a photo of it.

Throughout the entire dinner, as courses were served, the waiters would announce the name of the dish and nothing more. There was no detailed explanation of the dish, what the ingredients were and where they came from, or what we should expect to taste. It was also difficult to hear the waiters most of the time as they mumbled the names of the dishes. Perhaps most egregious was when my main course, the lamb and meatball, was served. As the waiter put down the plate, my lamb fell sideways on the plate. It's not a big deal, but the waiter did not even acknowledge that it happened and simply said "enjoy". LOL. My friend's lamb did not fall sideways when it was served. See the first 2 photos for a side-by-side comparison.

Anyway, if you're looking for a fine dining experience in Istanbul, perhaps try somewhere else. There is only one 2 Michelin-star restaurant in Istanbul right now,...

My Rating: 4.3

Our dining experience was pleasant, enhanced by our window seating which offered a beautiful view. We opted for Menu 1, accompanied by a wine pairing. The initial serving of amuse bouche, featuring Sea Bean Tempura, Sweetbread Cream Caramel, and Circassian Duck, was delightful, although a sparkling wine could have ideally complemented the richness of the dishes. Despite this, it wasn't a significant issue.

The meal began to falter when the bread arrived, filled with cabbage and another sweet variation paired with goat cheese and olive oil. The service felt rushed, with staff clearing dishes prematurely, even interrupting my husband mid-bite. It seemed as though the staff was adhering too strictly to a timetable, neglecting the diners' experience.

The first wine, served with an entrée of snow peas on clotted pistachio cream, was overly cold and bitter, necessitating manual warming to enhance its flavor. Our feedback to the sommelier was dismissed, being told this was the standard serving température. Fortunately, the meal improved from there. The second entrée, featuring Jerusalem Artichoke paired then the chef's special dish which was dolma with a superb Sauvignon Blanc (that was amazing surprise) and the first main course of shrimp with Trout Caviar in Lemon Butter, were exceptional; gave me goosebumps. The chicken Kazandibi and lamb shoulder followed suit in quality, though the desserts left something to be desired, especially given the rich tradition of Turkish sweets and fruits. However, the thoughtful preparation of a chocolate cake for my birthday was a kind gesture.

Overall, the experience was memorable, despite understanding the critique found in other reviews. While some dishes may not have been extraordinary, the innovative twists on traditional Turkish cuisine were appreciated. The service, however, could benefit from a more attentive and less hurried approach and the atmosphere could be more quiet. Additionally, the inclusion of remise en bouche between courses would have been a...