Inspired by the Mediterranean coast, Santorini by IKtitchen offers an amazing experience and delectable food from Greece, Italy, Turkey and beyond.
The menu offers a wide variety of Mediterranean dishes, including shish tawook, shrimp saganaki, pastitsio, and lamb kofta, all crafted from recipes originally curated by a Michelin-star chef.
“We had a Michelin-star chef curate the recipes for us before opening, and we have tried to recreate the experience of being in the cities by the Mediterranean sea through our food,” said founder Romi F Ahsan.
Food
Our Mediterranean feast began with the chef's special buffalo mozzarella salad. From the first bite, the freshness was unmistakable. The mozzarella delivered a thick, creamy texture, with a distinctive sweet flavor that delighted our palates.
The salad was complete with a luscious beetroot sauce and cherry tomatoes to bring in an earthy sweetness, and some watermelon and pumpkin seeds that brought in some nuttiness and crunch, elevating the texture of the dish.
Next, we had the royal santorini scallops. The pan seared scallops were soft yet meaty, seasoned well, although we thought they err on the side of being a touch too salty. A gorgeous pea puree accompanied the scallops right at the centre, the sauce itself was sweet and subtle, and went exceptionally well with the scallops.
For the last of the starters, we had the shrimp saganaki, which featured two king prawns over a thick house-made tomato saganaki sauce complete with olives, feta cheese, and jalapenos. The sauce was well seasoned, but it was just short of having a spicy kick to it. The king prawns itself was well-cooked and tender.
The prawns immersed in the sauce made for a boisterous flavour explosion on our palate, while maintaining the balance between the umami sweetness of the shrimp and the seasoned, flavourful sauce.
For the mains, we tried the chicken shish tawook, and this was the perfect kind of shish tawook. The chicken was melt-in-your-mouth soft, yet retained its meaty texture. When we took the first bite, we couldn't help but smile at the mere perfection we had just tried.
The tawook was served over a pita bread with a side salad on top. From the tawook to the side salad, everything was masterfully seasoned. The fresh salad brought in a slight tang and zest to the otherwise meat-heavy dish.
We followed the tawook with some Lamb kofta, served over lettuce, pita bread, and a simple side salad. The cook on the lamb was masterful, slightly charred and tender. While pita bread was served with both the chicken and the lamb, the proteins and salads stole the show in both dishes, as they should.
For desserts, we had the decadent chocolate lava cake with vanilla ice cream; the lava cake was a stunning dessert to look at, and the taste lived up to the visuals. The gooey molten chocolate goes beautifully with the airy, moist cake, served warm. The classic chocolate lava cake with vanilla ice cream and a side of nuts works like a charm.
Our last dessert of the day was the creme caramel, which was an equally gorgeous dessert with a sugar tuile right on top of the pudding, well-balanced, the pudding was sweet and slightly scorched, and doused in caramel. Our only suggestion would be to have the pudding before you eat the cake, so you can fully appreciate the creme caramel.
The price range for a meal at Santorini by ikitchen is Tk3,000 to Tk5,000 per person.
Ambience
Located in Gulshan 2, Santorini by IKitchen features both indoor and outdoor seating and has an outdoor pool.
“We wanted to get as close to the Mediterranean coast vibes as possible; we have a pool to recreate that experience,” said Ahsan.
The interior is complete with off white and royal blue hues, creating a calming atmosphere.
Challenges
The Santorini by IKitchen opened on April 25, 2025. This is still in its soft launch phase, currently open just for dinner, and has taken up authentic Mediterranean cuisine itself as a challenge.
“We like to take a risk and make it work. That is what I am doing with Mediterranean cuisine. We are constantly working on improving the food,” said Romi F Ahsan.
Talking about the price range, Ahsan said that the price range is definitely on the steeper side.
“A lot of the ingredients are imported, and we have no other option because we can't compromise on quality. So, the price reflects that effort.
Ahsan said there are dishes that he could have added to the menu, but he did not because he knew that they may not suit the Bangladeshi palate. There are still dishes on the menu that are authentic to Mediterranean cuisine that people have not taken to.
“We could have added moussaka, but we did not because I doubted it would work well, though we do have mutabal, which people here do not like, but I love it,” he added.
Ahsan aims to have a niche customer base for Santorini.
“I want to initially aim for a niche clientele because I want to focus on giving them an intimate and private experience that the customers can enjoy,” Ahsan said.
Verdict
From the shish tawook to the shrimp saganaki, everything was thoroughly enjoyable and a must-try, and that’s rare. You must visit Santorini by ikitchen at least once, it’s totally worth it.
