It may have taken a while to reach my mouth, but I’m happy to say that I’ve finally discovered the best Thai Food in Istanbul! Çok Çok Thai, located just off of Istiklal street brings the vibrant flavors of Thailand to your plate.
Recently, Yabangee contributor Devanshu Bawa and I were fortunate enough to receive an invitation to Çok Çok Thai to experience the fantastic world of Thai cuisine. Decorated with a life size standing Buddha statue at the entrance, the atmosphere is warm and cozy, complimented by dim lights and a wooden interior. Jazz music playing in the background gives it an elegant touch.
A charming Thai waitress in authentic Thai clothes approaches us as we check out the decorations with curious eyes. She accompanies us to our table and hands us the menu with two hands, a gesture symbolizing respect commonly practiced in Asia.
As we glance through the menu, the first thing we realize is that Thai cuisine is very diverse. In this regard, Çok Çok Thai does not disappoint its guests, offering so many enticing options, that it can be difficult to choose. If you have never tried Thai food before, fret not. The menu has an extensive array of appetizers, soups, salads, main dishes, desserts and beverages, including Thai Jasmine Tea and homemade cocktails.
With such an extensive selection, you might be surprised to discover the two things absent from this restaurant – bread and knives! “In Thai culture, a knife symbolizes violence. Meanwhile, bread is not a typical staple of Thai meals.” explains Mr. Bekir, the owner of Çok Çok Thai and its sister restaurant Az Çok Thai.
The start of his journey into Thailand’s culinary culture dates back to his former life in London, where he resided for over 15 years. Realizing the lack of options for ethnic cuisine in Istanbul, he set out to introduce the quintessential Thai aroma to Istanbulites. In doing so, Bekir’s restaurant distinguishes itself by importing all ingredients (including spices and sauces) from Thailand, creating the most authentic Thai food in Turkey.
”In Turkish cuisine similar tasting ingredients are combined to create a dish, whereas in Thai cuisine it is all about bringing the separate elements with disparate flavors together to form a dish that keeps the taste buds guessing during the whole experience.” says the chef, Mr. Erol.
A typical Thai meal includes four main flavors: salty, sweet, sour and spicy. In fact, in a typical dish, combining two or three of these flavors at the same time is not unheard of. My understanding is that Thai cuisine works with layers. It’s a complete experience consisting of an appetizer to start with, some sour and spicy soup to soothe and refresh the stomach, a curry dish for the legendary herbal kick, fragrant Jasmine rice on the side or the iconic Thai style fried noodles called Pad Thai. And finally, it’s time to top it off with some homemade spicy ginger ice cream, a flavor that is not easily forgotten.
We followed the recommendation of the chef and ordered a starter platter with fried spring rolls and fish cakes, served with the classic hot and sour sauce. We quickly learned that hot and sour sauce is the number one ingredient that differentiates Thai cuisine from Chinese cuisine, which tastes mostly sweet and sour. Next, we got two types of soups called Tom Yam Kai and Tom Ka Kai. Tom Yam Kai is the traditional hot and sour chicken soup prepared with kaffir lime leaves and oyster mushroom. Tom Ka Kai, however, is a chicken soup made with coconut milk and fresh herbs. It was a good pair to order together as Tom Ka Kai’s distinctive smell reminds you of exotic perfume, while Tom Yam Kai’s hot and sour taste screams ”Thailand”.
For the main dish, we opted for the restaurant’s most appreciated food, Pad Thai. Did you know that Thai natives often eat it with sugar sprinkled on top? We also sampled a dish with yellow curry. Being the most spicy curry Thai cuisine has yet to offer, some can’t get enough of it, while some can’t handle it.
To finish our meal on a sweet note, we went for the green tea cheesecake with homemade spicy ginger ice cream and fried bananas with chocolate flakes. The Thai Jasmine tea came in a glass pot and slowly opened its leaves as it brewed.
The menu offers many dishes suitable for various diets such as vegan, vegetarian, gluten free and low calorie. But also each item on the menu can be adaptable to these specific dietary requirements.”There is a wonderful versatility about Thai cooking, where adapting a dish for Vegans & Vegetarians does not necessarily mean compromising the flavor. It solely reflects the availability of ingredients, the season and the preferences of the cook.” explains Mr. Bekir. The common allergens, such as nuts and dairy, are also mentioned with a color code next to the dish on the menu.
The quality of Çok Çok Thai is certified by “Thai Select’’, a program implemented by Ministry of Thailand granted to Thai restaurants overseas that serve authentic Thai food.
For more information about Çok Çok Thai, please check out the official website. To keep up to date for promotions and special menus make sure to follow Çok Çok Thai on Facebook and Instagram.
Address: Meşrutiyet Caddesi 51/A Beyoğlu, Istanbul
Phone: 0212 292 6496
Working Hours: Tuesday to Sunday from 12.00 to 23.45; Mondays from 18.00 to 23.45
Photos courtesy of Devanshu Bawa and Çok Çok Thai.
There’s a lot of superlatives in this article – have you been to Pera Thai? I found that one much better.