Ailsa Whyatt takes a tour of Türkiye that is packed with flavour at Yedi – Le Royal Méridien Doha.

Le Royal Méridien Doha lies nestled into the side of Lusail’s Place Vendôme. At the hotel’s very grand entrance, we are greeted with stunning chandeliers like suspended oyster shells and pearls. There is much to see en route; columns twinkling with lights, touches of greenery, cavernous ceilings and sparkling marble surfaces are the serene welcome you can expect.

The cultural attention to detail is just as evident when we arrive inside our destination for tonight – Yedi. Turkish culture is rich, diverse and both influenced and enhanced by its neighbours, and this is no less true of its cuisine. We are welcomed in by Chef Esat himself, an Anatolian chef from Izmir in Türkiye, who has devoted his career to perfecting dishes from across the seven regions of his country. It therefore comes as no surprise to us when he translates the word ‘yedi’ for us; the Turkish word for ‘seven’.

We are seated on the terrace outside, which overlooks the canal, but have a good look around the inside as well – there are touches of Türkiye everywhere, from glass and earthenware, to huge tea samovars, Turkish lamps and even a special Turkish ice cream cart for some lighthearted entertainment – you will get your ice cream…eventually!

Assisting us this evening is Assistant Restaurant Manager, Halil. Passionate about the food from his home country, he is both eager and excited to show us the best of what Yedi has to offer. Luckily, we came hungry as this is a feast from which I will continue to feel full for some considerable time after we have left!

Whilst the starters are being prepared a loaf of sourdough bread is brought out, served with a quenelle of kashkaval cheese, and drizzled with pomegranate purée. A traditional dish found in the mountains of northern Türkiye, it is warm, fresh and perfectly cooked. We have not long started when the most glorious mezze tray I have ever seen arrives. It is simply named Classics, and contains a daily selection of six mezze from across Türkiye. Girit Ezme is my personal favourite – a stunning blend of fresh basil, pine nuts, cow and sheep cheeses, and sprinkled with pistachio shards. Also delicious is Cauliflower Tarotor – a blend of labneh and cauliflower, with a sweet roasted pepper purée sitting at its centre, dusted in beetroot powder – and Muhammara, in which roasted pepper has been blended with walnut, breadcrumbs, olive oil and a secret bit of mild heat. It is sweet, rich and exotic. I love it.

Before we move onto mains, we take one (or perhaps I should say, many) for the team, and sample a selection of Appetisers, Oven and Hot Mezze. We must do our homework thoroughly, dear reader! Balik is a sashimi of seabass marinated in orange, mustard, sugar, lime juice and zest, and olive oil, which sits on a bed of sea asparagus (samphire) – harvested fresh from the shores of Qatar when in season – and pickled shallots, avocado, a few herbs and an emerald-green plankton oil. The plankton is blanched to no more than 40˚C then blended with olive oil. Sea fresh and full of the colours of marine life, it is a wonderful and very tasty palate cleanser. Wild Mushroom Pide is a pizza-like dish made with shitake, Portobello and dried porcini mushrooms, oozing with aged kashkaval and sprinkled with herbs. Incredibly moreish but I urge you to pace yourself as there is much more to come…

If you eat nothing else before your main course, I would highly recommend Yedi Kibbeh – a specially designed flat lamb kibbeh, served with a very artistic ‘splat’ of sour cherry sauce. The tartness from the cherry complements the meatiness of the lamb, and the presentation is beautiful.

My star of the show this evening, however, is Levrek. Grilled seabass marinated in lemon juice and herbs, served on a bed of artichoke cream, which is slowly cooked with olive oil, carrot, turmeric, potato and garlic, with fresh spinach and locally sourced purslane stirred through it. It is fresh, light, and a perfect blend of flavours. Also delicious are the Kaburga – these beef short ribs are cooked for 24 hours; you can taste the vegetable, veal stock and dates that make up the marinade and contribute to the wonderful meaty flavours. After a brief dalliance with Yedi Mangal (a ginormous plate of traditional mixed grill – the beef striploin shashlik alone makes this worth ordering), we heave ourselves in the direction of desserts. Must.Find.Room…

We are treated to Saffron Kunefe and Nitro Pistachio Baklava. The Kunefe is glorious. Crunchy wisps of angle hair, a perfectly balanced blend of honey and cheese, complete with delicate strands of saffron. For a new take on the traditional, the baklava has been infused with milk and sugar, rather than the classic water and sugar blend. The result is a filo pastry saturated in creamy milk, sprinkled with chocolate curls and topped with pistachio crumbs. How decadent!

The concept of Yedi’s cuisine is charming – you can settle in one region, or you can visit them all: from mountains to the coast, and dry lands to forests. The food is traditional and produced with pride and love. A beautiful setting, a warm welcome and a whole lot of Anatolian food. There is much to explore – we shall just have to come back! ✤

GO: FOR MORE INFORMATION OR TO MAKE A RESERVATION,
CALL 4141 6000, 3100 3370 OR
EMAIL DOHMD.FBRESERVATION@LEMERIDIEN.COM.