OD Urla: Farm-to-Table Fine Dining

Over the past year, I’ve had the opportunity to explore a variety of destinations and savor diverse flavors. Among these experiences, OD Urla stands out as particularly special. It exceeded my expectations in many ways and offered a deep insight into the world of food culture. With its Michelin stars, OD Urla has captivated gastronomy enthusiasts not just in Türkiye but across the globe, offering unique flavors and exceptional service.

Before moving on to my experience at OD Urla, I would like to briefly mention OD Urla’s founder, Chef Osman Sezener. Born in Izmir, Chef Osman comes from an Aegean family that operates restaurants (Ristorante Pizzeria Venedik, Izmir, Türkiye). After receiving his university education in tourism in Türkiye, he attended to the French Culinary school in New York for training. After this training, he started working at different restaurants and contributed greatly to the development of the family restaurant. In 2018, he opened OD Urla with the principles of “farm to table” and “zero waste”. Preferring local products and producers when purchasing products, growing some products in his own gardens and launching new brands through different collaborations show that Chef Osman has an important place among those who contribute to the gastronomy accumulation of the Aegean and Türkiye.

I would like to share my OD Urla experience under three different headings: Physical Features, Service and Food. If it is enough to discuss restaurants under these three headings, I will continue like this. We will see together how this topic will take shape in the following articles.

The restaurant is located very close to the center of Urla and offers service in two areas, indoor and outdoor. As you walk along the road covered with trees and plants from the entrance, you first see the outdoor area of ​​the restaurant and then reach the indoor section, which is the heart of the restaurant. As soon as you step inside OD Urla, which offers a very stylish ambiance, you encounter an atmosphere that draws attention with its modern and elegant design. The distance between the tables is quite well arranged, which provides you with both an intimate experience and privacy. The bar table-shaped section is a very attractive place to both share the energy in the kitchen and observe the excitement of the food service. I had the chance to sit in this section during my visit.

When you go to a restaurant that has positioned itself in a prominent position with its menu, interior design and awards, of course you want to see a similarly ambitious level in the service. OD Urla is a very successful restaurant in this respect as well. From the manager to the reception staff, from the chefs to the waiters, all the employees try to do their jobs in the best way possible and they succeed. The professionalism and hospitality of the service staff make this sophisticated environment even more attractive.

Under this heading, I will briefly tell you about the meals I tried at OD Urla. Remember, these types of restaurants are living places and they refresh and change their menus periodically. Therefore, even if some of the meals I tried are no longer on the menu, this article will give you information about the restaurant’s general menu.

Calamari cooked in a wire basket over an open wood fire is served with chickpeas cooked in carrot juice (fennel seeds, coriander seeds, cardamom), aromatic oil prepared from fig tree leaves, pickled carrots and carrot sprouts. You feel the pleasant transition of flavors in this plate where the sea and the land meet.

Prepared with oven and grill cooking techniques, the octopus is served on a smoked puree made with Bozdağ (a small village in Izmir, Türkiye) potatoes. In addition, a baby potato, fermented pomegranate syrup, smoked paprika and crispy leeks complete this main duo. In this dish, both the sea and the land are presented together. The puree prepared with a local type of potato deserves an extra round of applause.

At the bottom is a vinaigrette sauce made from cucumber, accompanied by green oil derived from spinach. The fish, which has been dry-aged for two days in this combination of oil and sauce, develops an exquisite flavor. The addition of Aegean herb mayonnaise, along with a mixture of clover, green apple, and cucumber pickle in the oil and sauce, further enhances the dish. These green elements help to balance and soften the texture of the raw fish, creating a harmonious and refreshing taste.

A sorbet made with dill is placed on top of the crumble and oil made with dill at the bottom. Thus, a break is given in the middle that cleanses the palate and refreshes.

A beef tongue cooked over an oak wood fire served with cumin mayonnaise on brioche bread. Parsley, sumac and pomegranate are added to this main element of the dish. A delicious combination for those who love beef tongue.

A magnificent platter for quince lovers. Quince gratins on the left (sweetened with syrup made with different spices), a Turkish coffee sauce, jelly made from quinces and Turkish coffee ice cream. A delicious platter that shows how a fruit and coffee can pair beautifully.

As a result, OD Urla pushes the boundaries of creativity and taste in terms of gastronomy. While doing this, it blends local products with universal approaches. I hope that Chef Osman and his team always maintain this high energy and OD Urla always continues to exist in the gastronomy world. Before I forget; OD Urla also offers accommodation services in a small boutique hotel in its garden. Since I haven’t experienced it, I can’t say anything about this hotel.