Lokal in Istanbul

Any restaurant that has its own projection screen and transformers on every table has to be worth a visit...



We walked past it a few times and were disappointed by how quiet it was. On Saturday we saw the owner having a coffee on his own and we thought maybe it was past its best.

But we went back on Monday for our last meal in Istanbul and were delighted to see it full of local workers on their lunch break. Our menus arrived on vintage vinyl record covers. Every detail here is quirky as fuck.





It's so much fun. I loved it the moment we sat down. And loved it even more once I had been to the loo!

The walls are covered in black board paint with chalk supplied so that visitors can do doodles and leave notes... Somebody must have had serious tummy issues to give them enough time to draw the entire film stills for the Pink Panther and a great drawing of Jessica Rabbit.





I spied an unusual dish on the menu called "steak with basil and peanut sauce" and couldn't resist! Cowie went for a very tasty stir fried beef dish which was delicious. But I think mine won! Cowie massively disagrees!





I absolutely loved Lokal. What an awesome concept. The kind of place I wish existed just around the corner from work on Marylebone High Street. In fact it's the kind of place I'd like to run and make my own. It'd be the ideal place to introduce my novelty condiment dispensers.

If you are in Istanbul and like things quirky and artistic. Make sure you pay Lokal a visit and make the most of their incredible loo!

What a loo!