Located within the famous restaurant complex Nu Pera and owned by Chef Maksut Aşkar (aka Max) and architect Sema Türker, LilBitz is an innovative restaurant offering an extraordinary culinary experience in a small yet vivacious space.

I recently had a chance to try their tapas-style dishes that are packed with intense flavors. Max, the hyper-talented cook of Istanbul’s culinary stage, plays with unexpected ingredients and creates dishes that catch you off guard and delight you.

The concept here is to sample small portions of fine food without compromising your budget. The dishes are 1/3 of a regular portion—another reason to try all of Max’s creations at one go!

The menu changes every month and, once you’ve tried Max’s inventive food, you will be compelled to come back and try his new creations. You will find, as I did, that discovering the harmony of a gamut of ingredients is an experience in itself. I was personally intrigued by the creative and experimental nature of the chef and tried most of the mains from his December 2010 menu. I have to admit, the surprisingly delicious combination of the salmon & pear pizza still lingers in my mind.

It was not just the food that was memorable from LilBitz. Designed by the adorable Sema, the interior was just as gripping. The asymmetric shelves of the bar, the map-like ceiling décor, the blend of emerald-green with wooden-pieces create a dynamic and cozy atmosphere.   

After midnight, LilBitz turns into a lively club featuring different DJs on different nights. The music is not confined to one genre; you will dance to pop, hip hop, house, the 80s, and some Turkish music (usually played towards the end of the night). To get you going, I strongly recommend Max’s apple-ginger vodka cocktail. Trust me, you’ve never tasted anything like it before and you will, I promise, keep coming back for it.