The Okka restaurant at the W Hotel Istanbul is a Turkish themed restaurant inside a fine venue. The hotel itself is just outside the main thoroughfares of the city but within easy reach of everything.
An Okka was a unit of measurement from the Ottomans, which is quite apt for an eatery.
The decoration is rich, just on the nice side of gaudy, with leather seats, a large marble bar, smoked mirrors, and richly decorated columns. Leather wallpaper adorns some walls with prints of banquet scenes to get you in the mood. Most impressive though, is the 3D holographic belly dancer. Not something you see every day!
We visited on a Sunday night, which may have been a mistake. The place was empty and really lacked atmosphere. It also meant we were the subject of a range of overzealous staff. Don’t get me wrong, they were lovely and wanted to help us, but it rapidly became overbearing. On a busier night, this probably wouldn’t be a problem.
“Okka is a modern take on food of the region, done well.”
The Turkish theme means there is meze aplenty. The quality was very good and they weren’t shy with their portions. Our dishes included warm bread, humus, chilli salad, haloumi and several kinds of kebab. We washed it all down with a lovely Rose blush wine that cleared the palate nicely between bites.
The menu is extensive, seemingly with a dish from each region of Turkey. It’s entirely possible to explore the culinary specialities of each without leaving your table. The wine list was more than acceptable, especially considering where we were.
With the exception of the over-helpful staff, our experience at Okka was entirely positive. The decoration is chic and modern, with a healthy dose of traditional Turkish. The menu is a modern take on food of the region, done well. Even the wine tasted great.
On a different night, with more people, the Okka at W is probably a great place to be. We would visit again, but would choose our timing more wisely next time round.