Turkish cuisine is a colorful, historically rich, and undeniably delicious cuisine. Despite being a niche cuisine, for Shanghai at least, there are quite a few options to explore, including Pasha Turkish Restaurant on Nanchang Lu.
And Turkish food is more than just kebabs! Read on for grilled meats, comforting dumplings, marinated sea bass, and roasted bone marrow.
About
Pasha Turkish Restaurant
Pasha first opened as a hole-in-the-wall on Nanchang Lu in 2009, serving mostly kebabs. It relocated in 2018 just across the street to a much bigger venue, an entire lanehouse with rooftop seating. That’s when they expanded the menu to include a whole host of Turkish dishes, as well as steaks and burgers.
The space is stylish and feels a touch upmarket, but that's mostly due to the white tablecloths and glimmering stemware. It's actually pretty easy-going and smart-casual.
The cavernous dining room seats 80, and extends backward to also accommodate a private room for up to 12 guests. That said, it's a good destination for large groups. During the warmer months, seating nearly doubles as they open up their rooftop terrace for al fresco.
The Food
What's On The Menu
Turkish cuisine is abundantly rich with
influences from the Byzantine to Ottoman eras. The menu at Pasha is
large and features many iconic dishes, all executed under the expertise of Turkish head chef Mehmet.
Dishes include cold and hot
meze (appetizers) from refreshing herbed yogurts to roasted bone
marrow. And of course, there’s a lot of meat, served grilled in the form of
kebabs, koftas, shish, and steaks.
Here's what to order:
Bread, an indispensable part of every Turkish meal. This complimentary breadbasket comes with puffed up pitas and
thick triangles of flatbread, served with olive oil and balsamic.
Haydari
(¥78) – Homemade strained yogurt with herbs, fresh mint, and garlic.
It’s quite thick, a little less dense than cream cheese, and brightened
with freshly squeezed lemon and herbs. Scoop it up with the breads.
Levrek
Marine (¥88) – Poached sea bass marinated in a bright, zesty mustard-lemon
sauce. It’s not much to look at, but a cold-dish to try if you like
dishes with a sour profile. One of my favorites.
Ahtapot Salad (¥108) – Cold octopus salad with pickles, dill, lemon, pickle juice, and extra virgin olive oil.
Roasted
Bone Marrow (¥158) – Bone marrow. It’s like butter, but beef-flavored and of the gods.
It's an extremely rich dish of roasted bone marrow that’s served tableside,
mixed with a salad of parsley, raw onion, and capers, seasoned with
salt, chili flakes, and herbs.
It’s all spooned onto a soaked roll. Oh-so sinful but heavenly.
Manti (¥88) – Homemade Turkish beef dumplings
that are finished in butter with lashings of yogurt and chili oil. These
comforting dumplings are no bigger than a thumbnail and have a chewy
texture that’s similar to gnocchi.
My favorite dish is the Beyti Kebab (¥155), named after its creator Beyti Güler, who was inspired to make the dish in 1961. It's lamb and beef wrapped with cheese in lavash bread, baked, and doused with a buttery tomato sauce and yogurt. Served with pilaf, blistered green peppers, and tomatoes.
There are plenty of large cuts and platters that are great for groups. The pièce de résistance is the Steak Mixed Plate, a platter with five cuts of steak, including tomahawk, t-bone, New York, fillet, and a rack of lamb,
weighing in at 2.7kg for ¥2,394.
Tomahawk Steak (¥1,188) - Good for 2-3 to share.
Pasha Mixed Plate (¥298) –
Then, there's the house signature platter, which features seven kinds of meats and kebabs,
including chicken, lamb and beef kofte, lamb chops, wings, beef, and two
kebab and eggplant links. The cover lifts, and you swoon at its scent.
The
highlight of this platter is most certainly the spice-crusted lamb
chops, followed by the fluffy kofte. It also comes with medium-spicy
blistered chilies, flatbread, and pilaf. Available in a larger size
suitable for four people for ¥588.
Dana Saslik (¥228) – Marinated beef kebabs (250g) charred on the grill and served with steamed vegetables and seasonings.
Lokum
(¥258) – Sliced beef filet (250g) drenched in butter with bone marrow
and bread. A good option to share if you want a taste of steak and bone
marrow with minimal commitment.
Tomahawk Burger (¥168) – Pasha
also does burgers. This one has 250g of thin sliced rib-eye cooked
medium rare, stacked with cheddar cheese and the usual trappings. Served
with fries and pickles on the side. A beast of a sandwich.
Baklava
(¥68) – A rich, sweet pastry made with filo dough, filled with chopped
sweetened nuts, held together with syrup. It’s a lot of sugar in one
small square of flaky pastry.
Künefe (¥68) – I prefer the
Künefe, though I doubt it’s any better in terms of calories. It’s made
with shredded filo pastry that’s been cooked in butter, layered with
soft cheese, and then drenched with syrup. Served here with a luscious
goat’s milk ice cream.
Turkish Coffee (¥40) – Turkish coffee is
made by boiling extremely fine grounds, and is poured, grounds and and
all, into a small cup similar to that of an espresso cup. You’re meant
to slowly sip it, allowing the grounds to settle.
There’s a whole culture
behind fortune telling with coffee grounds, too. Look it up.
As for drinks, Pasha prides itself on their Turkish-only wine selection. Wines by the glass from ¥60, bottles from ¥238. Simple mixed drinks, classic cocktails with a twist, beer, and mocktails are also available.
I
end up at Pasha at least twice a year, usually for a massive birthday
table overflowing with food. But most times, I’m enjoying
vine leaves and koftas via delivery in the comfort of my home. And I
always have a great experience. The dishes with lamb never fail, and my
favorites (levrak marine, beyti kebab) have always been consistent.
I
highly recommend it if you’re craving Turkish food, or if you’re looking
to discover something new.
Deals
Nomfluence Readers Deals
The deal below is valid from now until December 23, 2022 for Nomfluence Readers when you book via the QR Code below!
*Deal applies to food and drink for dine-in only. Does not apply to on-going promotions.
Pasha Turkish Restaurant
📍 125 Nanchang Lu, near Ruijin Er Lu 南昌路125号, 近瑞金二路
📞 64712288
🕒 Daily, 11am-11:30pm
Read More:
Where To Watch The World Cup in Shanghai
Tap that LIKE & WOW and share the love!