Fodor's Expert Review Muti

Run by a longtime restaurateur from Istanbul, Muti has a diverse, seasonally changing menu influenced by Ottoman cuisine, the cosmopolitan kitchens of Istanbul, and Turkey's Aegean region—all in sophisticated surroundings. Delicious starters include the unusual mezes, such as a börek (pastry) filled with cheese, pear, and walnut, or cabbage stuffed with anchovies. Main courses, like baked lamb shank cooked with quince and red wine, are excellent, and portions are generous. Try the lavender pudding for dessert. The restaurant occupies several interconnected rooms in a 250-year-old kervansary, with wooden ceilings and stone arches; in the summer, seating is in a pleasant courtyard.