A couple of weeks ago, I met with my childhood friends Queen Z and Mr. M for dinner. Tired of getting together at the same few places every time Queen Z visits from London, I thought I'd take a chance on Unter, upon which I had clumsily stumbled while walking in and out of abandoned industrial streets, for the sake of trying to find a place to enjoy a glass of wine.
Located at the up and coming neighborhood of Karakoy right across from Karabatak, Unter is an inviting, three-floor establishment, converted from the ruins of a building from the 60s. The exposed brick walls are left untouched on all floors, each of which has a different functionality. The ground floor with its wide bar and open kitchen offers a stylish yet relaxed dining experience. The second floor functions as a lounge, complete with laid-back couches, fireplace and a deer head that immediately attracks your attention. The top floor, "Unter Loft," centered around a big island overlooking the views of the church, sea and roof-tops, is reserved for private parties.
We had dinner on the ground floor on a particularly warm night with tall french windows wide open to the street. Just like the decor that is a mixture of marble, steel, wood and glass, the gastro-pub inspired menu is also a harmonious mixture of Turkish, Italian and American cuisines. While beef tenderloin and grilled octopus stole the show for us, we wanted to try everything that was passing us by on to other giddy tables. I'm especially curious about the twist on the street-food Kokorec. Brunch menu also looks quite promising.
What I loved most about this place though, was the natural ease it had. In a city where people go to restaurants more to be seen than to enjoy each other's company, Unter is filled with an enthusiastic youth and sweet genunity, reminding me of the old Williamsburg - New York, before it lost its unique charm to strategical hair-dos and torn skinny jeans. Similarly, although Unter is part of the Nu-people family, the overtly self-aware, street-watching crowds of other neigborhoods hasn't gotten to Karakoy yet. Right now, it is mostly curious tourists, adventrous art-lovers and Istanbulians who are sick of going to the same places. So before it loses its magic, I highly recommend that you check it out... which is right now!
Located at the up and coming neighborhood of Karakoy right across from Karabatak, Unter is an inviting, three-floor establishment, converted from the ruins of a building from the 60s. The exposed brick walls are left untouched on all floors, each of which has a different functionality. The ground floor with its wide bar and open kitchen offers a stylish yet relaxed dining experience. The second floor functions as a lounge, complete with laid-back couches, fireplace and a deer head that immediately attracks your attention. The top floor, "Unter Loft," centered around a big island overlooking the views of the church, sea and roof-tops, is reserved for private parties.
We had dinner on the ground floor on a particularly warm night with tall french windows wide open to the street. Just like the decor that is a mixture of marble, steel, wood and glass, the gastro-pub inspired menu is also a harmonious mixture of Turkish, Italian and American cuisines. While beef tenderloin and grilled octopus stole the show for us, we wanted to try everything that was passing us by on to other giddy tables. I'm especially curious about the twist on the street-food Kokorec. Brunch menu also looks quite promising.
What I loved most about this place though, was the natural ease it had. In a city where people go to restaurants more to be seen than to enjoy each other's company, Unter is filled with an enthusiastic youth and sweet genunity, reminding me of the old Williamsburg - New York, before it lost its unique charm to strategical hair-dos and torn skinny jeans. Similarly, although Unter is part of the Nu-people family, the overtly self-aware, street-watching crowds of other neigborhoods hasn't gotten to Karakoy yet. Right now, it is mostly curious tourists, adventrous art-lovers and Istanbulians who are sick of going to the same places. So before it loses its magic, I highly recommend that you check it out... which is right now!
Birkaç hafta önce çocukluk arkadaşlarım Queen Z ve Mr. M ile hep beraber yemeğe gidelim dedik. Her Queen Z Londra'dan geldiğinde aynı yerlerde buluşmaktan sıkıldığımızdan, bir kadeh şarap keyfi uğruna boş sanayi sokaklarından girip çıktığım bir akşamüstü sakarca önüme çıkan Unter'e şans tanımaya ikna ettim.
Geleceği parlak mahalle Karaköy'de Karabatak'ın hemen karşısında, 60'lardan kalan yığıntı bir binadan kurulan, sıcak, davetkar, üç katlı bir mekan. Tuğla duvarlar, farklı bir fonksiyona sahip her katta reserve edilmiş. Giriş katı, geniş barı ve açık mutfağı ile rahat ama stil sahibi bir yemek deneyimi sunuyor. İkinci kat ise konforlu koltukları, şöminesi ve dikkati hemen çeken duvara asılı geyik kafasıyla tam bir lounge havasında. Çatılar, deniz ve kiliseye bakan kocaman bir adanın etrafında dönen, ''Unter Loft'' olarak adlandırılan üst kat ise özel partilere ayrılmış.
Uzun fransız pencerelerinin sokağa açıldığı sıradışı sıcaklıktaki bir akşam, en alt katta yemeğe gittik sonunda. Mermer, demir, ahşap ve camın karışımı dekor gibi, gastro-pub ilhamlı menü de Türk, İtalyan ve Amerikan mutfaklarının uyumlu bir karışımı. Izgara bonfile ve ahtapot bizim için ön plana çıktıysa da, tepsilerin içinde diğer kikirdek masalara giden tüm yemeklerde gözümüz kaldı. Kokoreç'e nasıl bir versiyon verdiklerini merak ediyorum. Brunch menüsü de bir o kadar dikkat çekici duruyor.
Ama en çok hoşuma giden çabasız güven ve rahatlığıydı. İnsanların restoranlara keyiften çok görülmek ve ''gittim!'' diyebilmek için gittiği bir şehirde Unter, hevesli bir gençlik ve tatlı bir samimiyetle dolu. Bana, o benzersiz tılsımını yırtık pantolon ve stratejik saç kesimlerine kaybeden Williamsburg-New York'un ilk halini anımsatıyor. Neyse ki, kendisinin nasıl gözüktüğünün fazlasıyla farkında olup gözü hep başkalarını süzen karakterlerle dolu mahallelerin (hangileri olduğunu tahmin ettiniz) insanları henüz Karaköy'ü keşfetmemiş gibi. Unter, her ne kadar Nu-People ailesinden geliyor da olsa. Daha çok meraklı turistler, maceraperest sanat severler ve sürekli aynı yerlere gitmekten bıkmış İstanbul'lularla dolu. Bu büyü bozulmadan, tam vaktinde gidip görmenizi tavsiye ederim. Yani, hadi şimdi!
* 1) Photo via Unter 2) Photo via Dustjacket Attic 3-5,7) Photos via Unter
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