Lokanta is the Turkish word for a neighbourhood restaurant. It’s a passion project and a long time coming from Tugay Görgülü, formerly of Mama Manoush, and Ali Besener, who has spent time in the kitchens at Nomad, Wally’s and Rumi. The new spot brings together Melbourne’s inner-north wine-bar culture and Istanbul’s tavern-style food, delivered through a changing set menu and a rakı list you’re going to want to get to know.
For now, Görgülü and Besener’s project is sticking around for a good time, not a long time, but Besener says there are already plans in the works for what Lokanta looks like down the line. Here he is now with what’s hot at their Fitzroy pop-up.
Which dish best captures the Lokanta vibe?
It’s difficult to choose just one, but the house pide with Tulum cheese butter and fava bean dip is here to stay for sure. The fava bean is an iconic meze that’s fresh and light and pairs incredibly well with the pillowy bread. We’ve also had great feedback on our dessert from our first few weeks of service – hibiscus-poached quince with goat’s-milk Maraş ice-cream, supplied by our friends at Cuppa Turca.
You’re serving up plenty of rakı along with your set menu. For the uninitiated, what’s it all about?
Rakı is Türkiye’s drink of choice! It’s a grape-based spirit that is distilled with aniseed. It’s drunk with water and ice, and once water is added to it, it becomes milky white, like ouzo or pastis. It’s very anise- and liquorice-forward, and pairs well with melon and feta.
What sort of dishes usually kick off your set menu?
The citrus-cured sea bream with a honey-mustard emulsion and currants is a light and flavourful start. We’re also doing rotating olive oil-braised vegetables: orange and saffron celeriac, leeks or borlotti beans – recipes that pay homage to Ali’s mum’s famous braised dishes.
How about if we want some tasty food but don’t eat animals?
If we get a heads up, we can do vegetarian alternatives for everything. Ali’s mum is the queen of vegetarian meze and a huge inspiration to him. To name a few, we’ve got dolmades, rich tomato-braised green beans and bell peppers stuffed with herbed rice.
What if we really want to go big and go crazy? How are we doing it at Lokanta?
Our set menu is known for being generous. If you made it all the way through the main course – congratulations to you. Our main staple is barbecued lamb done three ways on the hibachi grill. Currently, we’re doing slow-cooked lamb ribs finished on the fire, Adana kebab and çöp şiş – our marinated lamb skewer – with sumac onions, bulgur pilav and salad on the side. If you want to go big, definitely try the Arnavut ciğer – flour-dusted and shallow-fried veal livers seasoned with Aleppo pepper. The Arnavut ciğer goes hand in hand with Beylerbeyi Göbek rakı, a triple-distilled rakı with a silky-smooth texture.
P.S. Turkish coffee is on us.
And if we miss out on a seat at the table this round, can we expect Lokanta to pop up again down the line?
At this point, Lokanta at 191A is a five-week project, but we won’t be stopping there. After a short break and a sneaky trip to Türkiye, we’ve got some one-off collabs and perhaps some residencies in the pipeline, all to be announced via our socials at @lokantamelbourne. We are beyond excited to give more to Melbourne.
Lokanta, 191A Smith St, Melbourne, limited bookings available here, @lokantamelbourne