Galeyan Restaurant — Restaurant in Fatih

I was recommended this restaurant by a local, who especially loves Galeyan’s cold mezes. I ordered the tasting menu 1, which is normally for 2 people, by myself. I was notified repeatedly that I was paying for 2 people, and everyone made sure I understood and would be happy with that before putting in my order. I think the meze quantity was still for 2 people, but the quantity of two of the starters, the entrees, and the desserts were just for one person (I compared the size with the table next to mine).

The cold meze came with a couple of chef’s compliments; my favorites were the two chef’s compliment items, a pepper paste and a butter with sesame, as well as the muhammara. I also liked all the salads: humus-u ala, zeytin piyazi, and zahter salatasi. For entrees, the alenâzik was hands-down my favorite, and I ordered another one =) despite being really, really full. I’m really not a dessert person and usually do not eat sweets, but both of the desserts were amazing (the milk halva was huge and was, for my personal taste, too sweet by the end).

Everyone was so friendly and made me, possibly only one of two groups of foreigners in the restaurant, feel welcomed and like we were friends. It was easy to ask people to make sure I knew what dish was what, or order more food or drinks. I also asked them to pack everything up for me that I couldn’t finish, which was…all the meze (I don’t think I got the second person’s quantity of the starters, entrees, or desserts and will update if I’m wrong).

My picture-taking skills are not great and I also sat directly in the path of the light and my dishes, but wanted to share the photos as well.

Worth coming, and bon appetit!

Edit: I want to note that a 10% service charge is already included!! I uncharacteristically did not double check the total and didn’t see that; I was only checking for the itemized amounts to see what was charged (they did not charge me for tea or the additional plate of alenâzik. To be fair, I paid for 2 people’s tasting menu). I would still go back because this was on me and I am still happy giving what ended up being a 25%-ish tip, but if I had seen this earlier I would have given the cash tip to the waiter who made my experience amazing and even shook my hand when I...

We have been recommended this restaurant by a friend's friend, so we decided to give it a go, as we were visiting the sultanahmet district of Istanbul. Hesitant in the beginning since we thought it would be a tourist trap and we would be ripped of by all means. Anyway, we walked in this restaurant which is actually within the hall of Sura Hotel. Upon entering this beautifully decored place, we were under the spell of the interior architecture which was clearly ottoman inspired yet was clean and crisp with beautiful huge marble tables and modern furniture. Actually it was just as Istanbul itself: A combination of old and modern as well as a synthesis of Eastern and western culture. We were warmly welcomed and introduced into the menu, which we decided to go for as we were curious. The discovery menu was priced at 200tl, which we thought was utterly adaquete. Let the festivities begin! Variations of mezes was served... But hey, I not your average mezes but those of which we had never heard before... One more delicious as the other.. Then, main courses were served..and the journey of our taste bud's continued to travel from Anatolia to the Aegean region and we were trapped in this food temple and didn't want to leave...as for desert the finale was somptueuse... It was all we had waited for and so much more... I mean, did you ever had apple baklava served with home made pistachio ice? The servings were more than generous and we have loved the time spent there as it just added to the whole Istanbul experience and made us only want for more. The obligatory tea and coffee offerings included. We thanked the chef in person Yunus Emre Akkor for his exquisite cuisine and service and promised we'd come for more. Please do not hesitate even 1 single second and trust the the excellent advice of the restaurant waiter who did a great job! See you very...

Food was awesome. But the service from manager Yildirim was amazing. He went beyond his job scope to make us felt welcomed. Food was on the pricier side. However, the experience was spoilt by two singer/violin/buskers. They came into the restaurant to play for us without us asking. We enjoyed it and tipped them 200 lira anyway. They went to the next table to play. At this point, a couple (who wasn’t even in the restaurant, took a video of them playing). After finishing playing that table, they went to the couple who filmed them (they were sitting on a curb outside the restaurant) and started playing. The couple didn’t make eye contact as they play and just look at their phone. Obviously wasn’t enjoying this forced performance upon them. After playing, the buskers demanded a tip. The guy of the couple gesture no in a nice way. The buskers became angry and refused to leave. The guy gave a small tip but the busker asked for more. He gestured that’s all he had, the busker refused to leave. The guy just ignored him, he finally left after cursing something plus a rude gesture.

We always tip buskers for anything we enjoyed. Even if we are in a restaurant, and they are just playing outside. I’ll still make an effort to head out to give them a tip. Because we enjoyed their effort.

But this is daylight robbery. That couple was not even in the restaurant. And were hustled into giving a tip. Of which was deemed inadequate and cussed.

I hope restaurant around would refuse these guys entry to perform for their guests. Can you imagine what would happen if guests refuse to tip for a performance they didn’t asked for or enjoyed? Won’t the mood be ruined? This is emotion blackmail. Most people who aren’t thick skinned enough would eventually be blackmailed into tipping to avoid...