Fodor's Expert Review Mikla

With sleek, contemporary decor and a stunning 360-degree view of Istanbul from its perch on the top floor of the 18-story Marmara Pera Hotel, Mikla is the dramatic setting for prestigious American-trained Turkish-Finnish chef Mehmet Gürs's modern Anatolian cuisine. Sophisticated dishes of domestically sourced ingredients offer unique flavor combinations rarely seen in traditional Turkish cuisine, such as grilled dentex (a Mediterranean fish) served with olives, charred red peppers, and pistachio puree, or a dessert of sour- cherry compote with bulgur wheat and lor cheese (similar to ricotta). One of Istanbul's most wide-ranging—though expensive—wine lists features some 40 pages of labels from Turkey and around the world. Diners can choose between a three-course prix-fixe menu or a seven-course tasting menu, with or without wine pairings.