Fodor's Expert Review Banyan

Until recently Istanbul's vibrant dining scene was sorely lacking in Asian food, which is why Banyan's arrival in 2003 was so welcome. The restaurant, which has a soothing dining room with long banquettes, serves traditional Asian fare, including a variety of dim sum and beef in orange sauce, but the kitchen also makes use of regional ingredients to create tantalizing modern dishes such as filet mignon marinated in sake, and octopus satay with a ginger-soy sauce. A branch in Ortaköy has a terrace that looks out on the Bosphorus and serves more substantial fare, at higher prices ($$$–$$$$).