i had high hopes for veranda pera. i was warned, however, to wait for warm weather as the view outweighs the food. dubbed by its staff as a "modern meyhane" concept, veranda pera offers nice decor and a cool vibe. to my dismay, i was not able to score a balcony table so we were stuck at the main floor. we arrived early and definitely first. the staff, trying to get ahead of the evening rush, tried to convince us to order everything at once. sorry veranda, strike 1.
the mezes were decent. fresh and with their own twist. the assyrian wine for 120tl was amazing and well recommended by the staff. this, to be honest, saved the entire meal and kept veranda pera from a 2-star rating. the real trouble came with the hot dishes, or i should say dish. i don't pretend to be an octopus aficionado by any means. i do love it though. in my head, i judge most restaurants by the quality of the ingredients and the way it is prepared. veranda pera struck out on all these factors. this was an inedible octopus with 3 different sauces, one being pomegranate. the octopus was tough and drowned in different flavors. sometimes with food, you just need to take the taste for what it is. this might have been a modern concept, and i am sure people love it, but i was not one of those people. it was the first octopus dish i have ever sent back.
with this, all said, the waiter, who defended the taste, took it off the bill. all in all, i get the appeal. nice balcony in warm weather with decent food. as an overall expereince, i could see taking guests who are visiting istanbul here. but to be honest, with all the competition right on that very street, not sure it is in the cards for me next time.
that is your 3-star review.