Located on Top of the Ceylan InterContinental Hotel, City Lights Restaurant & Bar manages to combines a fine dining restaurant and a sophisticated bar in one elegant space. Upon entering City Lights, the first thing that strikes you is the stunning panoramic view of the Bosphorus. While there are many outstanding views of the Bosphorus, this one is particularly noteworthy for its unique angle, granting the viewer a whole new perspective. The venue has recently undergone a complete renovation and total makeover of the menu. The interior features a sleek and futuristic design by architect Iraz Kutlar - the ribbed wood design makes you feel as if you are inside a ship or maybe even a giant whale, and the black lacquered tables and modern furniture has all been custom made for the venue.

The menu is refined, offering haute cuisine, and it is clear that a lot of thought has been put into each plate. When it comes to the dishes, they are all beautifully plated, almost like works of art, and are all very well executed. I started my meal with the excellent Grouper Carpaccio with Vanilla. This dish was extremely well balanced, the Carpaccio was melt-in-your-mouth tender, while the vanilla flavour and accompanying herbs and yuzu sauce were all very subtle. Meanwhile, my companion started with the Goat Cheese with Tomato Confit, a rich dish with a ball of fresh and creamy goats cheese wrapped in tomato confit and served with caramelised beetroot and a balsamic vinegar sauce.

The main course options include Organic Duck Breast served with Damson plum purree, Jumbo Shrimp with pumpkin cream, Lobster Back and Medallion of Beef. While these are all very tempting, I could not resist another dish from the appetizer menu: the homemade lobster Ravioli, an indulgent dish with chunks of lobster in a rich and creamy sauce. My companion had the Lamb Rib Eye, a luscious dish reflecting a strong Moroccan influence with the over roasted lamb served with vegetable couscous, slow cooked apricots and aubergine cream.

After such an impressive meal, we could not resist dessert. There are a number of ambitious dishes on the dessert menu which includes Date Ice Cream, and Mascarpone Cheese & Raspberry Ice Cream and someunusual flavor pairings, such as the Olive Oil Chocolate Mousse. Certainly the most memorable was the Melon and Rakı sorbet, which had just the right combination of sweetness and tanginess, and was very enjoyable even if you are not a regular rakı drinker. With the combination of the superb view, excellent cuisine and sophisticated ambiance, a night at City Lights is truly a night to remember. City Lights Restaurant & Bar; Ceylan InterContinental Istanbul Asker Ocağı Caddesi No. 1 Taksim; P: (0212) 368 44 44