FACT Review: Journey through the seven regions of Anatolia at Rüya London

Can the Dubai-born restaurant win over London diners?

London is home to marvellous Middle Eastern restaurants, from the high-end eateries in Knightsbridge to the casual cafés on Edgware Road. If you’re looking for a brand that has made its mark from Dubai to Doha, then Rüya London is worth its salt – it’s by the same group behind the region’s popular Salt Bae’s Nurs-Et, after all. 

Rüya London opened in 2018, and suffered from Dubai-bashing. The brand has had a culinary journey, and created a fan base across the world. Rüya was originally in Grosvenor House Dubai, and got a new lease of life in JW Marriott Grosvenor House London, then it returned to Dubai and opened in The St. Regis Dubai, The Palm. Plus, there are branches in Cannes, Doha and Riyadh.

Rüya London is located off of Park Lane (aka the most expensive place on the Monopoly board). The restaurant is near Hyde Park and the world-famous shopping hub, Oxford Street. So, it’s the perfect place to visit after a spot of sightseeing or shopping.

Rüya London is a sleek, sophisticated restaurant with brown leather chairs, bright blue tables, stylish banquettes and patterned cushions. The décor boasts understated Middle Eastern touches. Look out for the painted plates, blue and white tiled pillars, and gold Turkish pots lining the shelves. Great for groups, there are long tables, circle tables and a private dining area. 

On our visit, we were seated by the kitchen and watched the chefs at work, bringing freshly baked bread out of the wood-fired oven. Plus, we spotted Middle Eastern diners, who were lapping up the food.

Rüya London prides itself on creating Anatolian cuisine, and the menu is inspired by restaurateur Umut Ozkanca’s Istanbul heritage. The menu covers hot and cold meze, bread oven dishes and larger plates. The options range from kofte to kebabs and steaks to seabass. If you have a specific dietary requirement, you don’t have to miss out on the foodie fun. There are special gluten-free, vegetarian and vegan menus.

Rüya London’s dishes are spot on for sharing, and come in good sized portions. We started with the Karpuz Domates salad with watermelon, labneh cheese, tomato and pine nuts. The salad is a brightly coloured, juicy delight, and included red cherry tomatoes, chunky yellow tomatoes and extra effort had been made with the charred watermelons. 

The Truffle Cheese Pide arrived fresh from that oven with an egg yolk, which was then smeared on top by the server. The egg and cheese gave this comfort food vibes, and the truffle added a touch of class. While it was a little tough to cut into and on the salty side, it elevated the humble pide. 

The mains included a Grilled Seabass Zeytinyagli Pirasa, which was served on a bed of leeks, carrots and rice, and Whole Baby Chicken, which was served with a paprika walnut sauce and chilli butter. The fish’s soft texture was topped with pistachio crusts, and the chicken was cooked to crispy perfection.

For dessert, the Hazelnut Balkava was a crunchy yet creamy combination of whipped kaymak, peanuts, sesame and caramelised milk sorbet. Make sure you leave room for the Çikolata ve Türk Kahvesi dessert – it’s like a work of art. Chocolate is threaded around a scoop of ice cream, and it is topped with salted caramel, a flower and gold flakes, of course.

If you have time, pre or post-meal, stop off at Rüya London’s bar, as it is a stunning spot. The drinks menu includes an impressive list of Turkish wines. The signature cocktails range from a Taksim Blush with gin, raspberry and lemon, to the Violet Breeze with gin, elderflower, lemon and Prosecco. Plus, there is a good selection of non-alcoholic cocktails. 

Go, enjoy this Turkish delight. 

GO: Follow @ruyalondon on Instagram for more information.