Istanbul Flowers - Restaurant Award Highly Commended

Turkish restaurant and grill on Sheikh Zayed Road 12 Reviews

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From Time Out Dubai Eating Out 2009

Istanbul Flowers is a standard, canteen-style eatery, with food that takes your breath away. While the menu lists all the pan-Arabic mezze faves, there were a few items that are specific to Turkey, in particular, the Ïskender kebab.

Few words give justice to this lush dish. Let’s just say, it’s the star of the show, the bee’s knees, the cat’s pyjamas… but more on that later. So, to start at the beginning, the waiter brings out a basket filled with thick, pillowy, quilted bread and a tray bearing baba ganouj, made sweet with chunks of roasted red peppers, fresh houmous and creamy moutabal.

As the meal goes on, it becomes clear that each sauce, dip and topping is not only made in-house, but made lovingly in-house. This fact screams true when the mutton Ïskender kebab comes out.

Large, sweaty morsels of tender meat top good-quality fresh yoghurt, and come doused with sprigs of coriander and a luscious, hearty tomato sauce. The combination is heavenly.

A drooling chicken kebab is similarly delicious. It’s an unassuming restaurant, for sure, but if you’re on a tight budget and want a high-quality feed, it’s certainly worth a trip to Istanbul Flowers.

By Time Out Dubai staff
Time Out Dubai, 17 March 2009

• Previous reviews
  • 20 October,2008- reviewed by Daisy Carrington

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Time Out reviews restaurants anonymously and pays for meals. Of course, we cannot guarantee the accuracy or independence of user reviews.

Posted by: IQ on 10 Sep ' 09 at 20:39

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• Would you go back to this restaurant? No

Went to this place with the family after reading the 'rave' review. I'd been looking forward to the Iskander kebab more than anything so arrived in anticipation. What a let down.

We arrived after Iftaar to be shoved onto a table for 4 when there were 5 of us, before being presented with a bottle of orange juice, water and various salads etc non of which we wanted or asked for. When I asked for it to be taken away were told it was a fixed iftar menu and we had to have it at dhs 40 a go!! Bamboozled We asked for a menu and ordered the Iskander without tomato sauce. 'Large sweaty morsals of tender meat' the review above said. Not here they're not! It was a Shwarma. When I asked what the difference between a shwarma and the Iskander was I was told..tomoto sauce.
Awful service (at one point the waiter walked away never to return when I was talking to him), bland cold food and expensive for what it is. We walked away after spending 200 dhs (2 adults - three kids) feeling very deflated. Do not bother.

Posted by: nese on 01 Sep ' 09 at 10:47

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• Would you go back to this restaurant? No

Prefer cooking at home rather than going there..!

Posted by: melike on 01 Sep ' 09 at 10:39

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• Best for: Business lunch
• Would you go back to this restaurant? No

So disappointing.. The food was cold and impolite staff.. Never ever go there again..

Posted by: Erum on 11 Aug ' 09 at 13:28

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• Best for: Family friendly
• Would you go back to this restaurant? Yes

The Iskandri, lamb chops and the lentil soup are highly recommended.

Posted by: Bugi on 10 May ' 09 at 11:17

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• Would you go back to this restaurant? No

Taste is never like real Turkish food.
Food served cooled down.
They charge you extra with salad, meze (they bring you without asking) and the water on the table that even you do not touch.
Value is high for two for such service and quality.

Posted by: Saeed on 22 Apr ' 09 at 04:43

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• Best for: Family friendly
• Would you go back to this restaurant? Yes

Excellent food.

Posted by: Tamara on 05 Apr ' 09 at 16:18

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• Best for: Family friendly
• Would you go back to this restaurant? No

I do not understand that this restaurant is highly recommended in the Time Out Restaurant Awards. We visited it in the weekend (on April 4), and were extremely disappointed. I expected some "real" Turkish food, but it just seemed to be another Lebanese food place, and one of the worst ones in town. The french fries were soggy, there was barely any chicken in my chicken kebab, and the service was horrible! Only the fattoush and tahine are worth mentioning.

Posted by: smithajosem@yahoo.com on 20 Oct ' 08 at 00:00

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• Best for: Romantic
• Would you go back to this restaurant? Yes

Posted by: smitha on 20 Oct ' 08 at 00:00

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• Best for: Business lunch
• Would you go back to this restaurant? Yes

Posted by: smitha on 20 Oct ' 08 at 00:00

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• Best for: Beachside
• Would you go back to this restaurant? Yes

Posted by: smitha on 20 Oct ' 08 at 00:00

• Best for: Family friendly
• Would you go back to this restaurant? Yes

Posted by: ilhan on 20 Oct ' 08 at 00:00

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