Elena's Review:

Potiri Meyhane at Levent Marina: A Greek tavern meets Turkish generosity

One of the newest additions to Izmir’s gourmet scene, Potiri Meyhane boasts perhaps the most interesting location a sea-lover can find. The restaurant sits on a small manmade peninsula in the heart of Levent Marina (next to Uçkuyular Ferry Station), and almost anywhere you look, you are surrounded by deep-blue sea. This week, EatInIzmir had a chance to evaluate what Potiri has to offer.

The Food

With the offer of a prix fixe menu only, Potiri Meyhane surprised us with the abundance and the quality of the meze (cold samplings). Miniature green olives have been imported from Greece, the bread and salads came fresh, and a spinach fava, which was the first of its kind I saw in Izmir, was delicious and added a lovely touch to the meal. On top of this, we tasted six warm dishes that also come with the offer, including a cheese meatloaf, tenderly cooked lamb shish, fried liver seasoned with pepper and onions, and grilled mushrooms in cheese-covered sauce. All this went well with our choice of a Turkish rakı, although wine and soft drinks are also served.

The Atmosphere

We were unable to evaluate the atmosphere fairly because the original location, the peninsula, is currently being prepared for the winter. The restaurant was temporarily moved to the shore and thus felt traditional, although we were assured the peninsula will be ready by next Monday. Live music is usually played at Potiri (especially fasıl style). The restroom was, unfortunately, outdoors.

The Service and Prices

The service was decent with one exception: our request for an extra lemon had to be repeated, even though the meyhane was not crowded. We were too impressed with the food, however, to count this against the restaurant.

Prices were another aspect of Potiri Meyhane we really liked. The prix fixe menu is 40 TL per person, and the alcoholic drinks are reasonably priced considering the recent tax hike in Turkey.

Overall Impressions of the Restaurant

There are two other restaurants at Levent Marina, including a branch of the popular La-Cigale, as well as a bar, a lounge, and a caravan of colorful outdoor “kitchens” serving such Turkish “fast-food” classics as mussels, kokoreç, and kumru. If you visit any of those, please share your experiences with us. But for the food, the sea, and the music, I see myself returning to Potiri.

My rating: 4.5/5.0

How to Get There

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Address: Levent Marina, Haydar Aliyev Bulvarı No:4 Üçkuyular – Izmir
Tel : +90(232) 259 70 70
Fax : +90(232) 259 70 14
E-mail : info@leventmarina.com.tr

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