Is This Bodrum’s Best Restaurant?
By
3 months ago
Ayla is the new eatery at Turkey's stylish hotel Maçakizi
Eva Ramirez samples the recently opened restaurant at hotel Macakizi, set on the Bodrum peninsula
Restaurant Review: Ayla at Macakizi
Boho is a hackneyed phrase, but in the context of Maçakizi, it genuinely encapsulates the free-spirited and unpretentious essence of the bohemian lifestyle. The hotel is tucked away in a private bay in northern Bodrum and feels like a true escape. It was founded in 1977 by entrepreneur Ayla Emiroglu and was the original boho bolthole, renowned for bringing international tourism to the area. The waterfront location, fun-loving vibe, and feeling of utter detachment attracted creatives, celebrities, and stylish travellers, all drawn by the allure and influence of the ever-chic owner.
Today, Maçakizi is managed by Ayla’s son, Sahir Erozan, who shares his mother’s effortless charm and sociability. Guests are drawn to his contagious energy. He’s often seen perched at the bar chatting with friends, both old and new, or rearranging the eclectic collection of art and books dotted around the hotel, all of which are personally sourced by him.
This summer, Maçakizi’s matriarch was honoured with the unveiling of a new fine dining concept, Ayla. It simultaneously complements and contrasts Maçakizi’s eponymous Michelin-starred restaurant, offering an experience that’s a little bit more sultry and refined. Every element culminates years of fruitful creative collaboration between Sahir and the hotel’s executive chef, Aret Sahakyan. Interior design, lighting, menus, serveware, and service have all been assiduously curated by the pair.
Embedded into the lush surrounding foliage, architecture and design seamlessly integrate with the natural landscape, with a stepped construction that mirrors the contours of the hillside. From the deck below or out at sea, various dining areas peek out amidst a forest of bougainvillea. The restaurant can seat up to 30 diners, so it always feels intimate.
Stepping in through giant wooden doors, I was instantly greeted by a striking display. Giant banana leaves peer above low-level drinks tables with chairs that resemble hardened caramel. Warm stone and wooden surfaces are punctuated by high-shine accents, metallic armchairs, and bottle-green vases, all glowing beneath butter-soft lighting. At the heart of Ayla is an open kitchen, with countertops framing the centrepiece: a tree encased in glass. I’m told it was perfectly preserved to minimise disruption to the surrounding nature while the restaurant was being constructed. Another eye-catching feature was an aging cupboard with whole, freshly-caught fish and local meat hanging in it. There’s also a 2000-bottle wine cellar with a tasting table, but I was swiftly taken to my seat and didn’t see it first-hand.
It’s the early evening – around 7pm – and the atmosphere at Ayla is magical, with uplit trees creating a treehouse feel and a deck that overlooks the Aegean Sea. A seasonally changing menu uses the freshest, organic produce, some of which is grown especially for the hotel on local farms. When the menu arrives, I’m pleased to see it’s a slightly shorter version of your typical tasting menu. I soon discover that quality outweighs quantity.
Dishes showcase Aret’s modern take on Turkish cuisine with dynamic plating and unexpected textures. I kick things off with two amuse-bouches, the first of which is something I’ve never experienced: all of the flavours of a typical shepherd’s salad, reduced into what looks and feels like a bite-sized ball of jelly. It bursts in my mouth with freshness and flavour. The second is a bite-sized combination of tuna, beef pastrami, and caviar. It’s an unexpected combination of flavours, but the salty, smokiness of it immediately wakes up my palate.
Starters follow: lamb sweetbreads with smoked potatoes, and warm carob bread served with Turkish olive oil. I’m taken aback by the serveware, each course delivered on a new vehicle. A small plate that resembles an iceberg, a ceramic pillow, a wine decanter that looks like a nautilus shell made from glass, and rose gold teaspoons that poke out of an egg. As achingly beautiful as it all is, Aret’s creations are what really steal the show. The grouper fish with bean plaki and nettle puree, or lamb loin with aubergine and muhammara could have been served in a polystyrene tray and I’d still have been as delighted.
As the menu for the evening isn’t suffocatingly long, I’m not intimidated by dessert, which is often the case with tasting menus. Revani, a Turkish cake made from semolina, is dressed in chili chocolate ganache and sits alongside kefir, and peppermint ice cream. Sweet, spicy and refreshing – the perfect end to an exquisite meal.
