Kervan Orient Express Description

Kervan is a Turkish restaurant in the People’s Square area that has become the go-to spot for Shanghai’s Turkish residents and visitors looking for a taste of home. It isn’t hard to see why – Kervan’s Turkish owner has put thought in to the establishment and from the atmosphere to the imported ingredients to the preparation of the traditional Turkish and Mediterranean dishes, everything here has a fun and exotic authenticity.

The surroundings are what immediately sets Kervan apart – walk in and you are greeted by Turkish music, Mediterranean décor and the subtly aromatic hint of the smoke from the hookahs available from the first floor lounge. It’s up the winding staircase at the back though, on the third floor, that Kervan comes in to its own.

This is the spacious, vibrant restaurant floor, full of unique decorations and Mediterranean signifiers. Everywhere you look has something to hold your attention, right down to the colorfully patterned tables and chairs. The most eye-catching features are the huge hand-painted murals depicting Turkish culture, and the walls decorated with handmade Turkish blankets, intricately designed handmade plates imported from Işık, and a huge framed collection of Turkish jewelry.

The food feels just as far removed from Shanghai and just as imbued with authenticity. Members of Kervan’s kitchen team have spent time training in various specialties at prestigious restaurants in Istanbul, and some of the most important ingredients here like cheese and extra virgin olive oil are imported directly from Turkey. The menu is split roughly 40% Turkish and 60% more general Mediterranean fare, with the specialties largely coming from the former.

One of the best ways to start would be the Mezze Platter, pretty much a big taster set of classic Mediterranean flavors served with cucumber sticks and bread. It’s a fun way to start the meal and pretty much every part of it is delicious. The more recognizable elements are the crumbly, creamy feta cheese, the crisp salsa, the rich mint yogurt and of course the thick, heavenly hummus. The more unique elements of the platter are just as appetizing, too – the aubergine ratatouille and the aromatic grape leaves stuffed with pine nuts and mixed rice are real treats. 

Kervan’s Turkish pita, one of the restaurant’s specialties, is a thin-based and thick-crusted pizza, shaped as an oblong and sliced in to thin rectangular strips – perfect for sharing and generously topped with creamy imported cheese, it’s also available with extra toppings like juicy marinated beef.

The restaurant also offers a similar closed version topped with sesame seeds, crispy dough filled with tender pieces of marinated grilled chicken as well as some of that same scrumptious cheese, making it feel a bit more like a classic chicken wrap or Panini – which doesn’t make it any less delicious.

The chefs at Kervan also take pride in their meatier dishes – as you would expect, various types of skewer cooked kebab are also amongst their specialties. Of particular note is their Adana, a pulled kebab named after its place of origin in a city in southern Turkey. Portions are generous – over Turkish rice Kervan serve four strips of succulent hand-minced beef and lamb, seasoned with salt, pepper, sliced almond and just a dash of chili.

Kervan also do a great meat platter that comes in portions so large it’s almost hard to believe they are meant for one. Included are a hefty slice of grilled chicken, a juicy citrus-seasoned cut of beef tenderloin, a gamey, succulent lamb chop and an exquisitely seasoned lamb kofta.

If seafood’s more your thing but you’re still looking for a hearty plate, we would advise opening the menu straight to the Grilled Fish. Cooked over charcoal after being marinated in a mixture of imported Turkish spices, the de-boned flesh ends up juicy, firm and flavorsome underneath a crispy, orange-hued skin. Despite seeming a little otherworldly, there really is something for everyone at Kervan.