Holiday Inn Dhaka City Centre has just launched a new restaurant, The Ilish. A delightful dining experience where you can explore the many culinary delights of the Mediterranean. Ilish is a word every Bangladeshi is familiar with. Its significance and prominence in our country's rich history are now going to be synonymous with the great tastes and delights of the Mediterranean. The main aim of The Ilish is to explore the common roots between Bengali and Mediterranean culinary cultures.

"We want the name of ilish to be recognisable all over the world. When people think of exotic fish, they often think of something like salmon, we wanted to take this idea and use it to make our national fish ilish a name to remember," said Sahidus Sadeque Talukder, the Director of Operations, Holiday Inn Dhaka City Centre.

The main influences of the restaurant come from predominantly Mediterranean locales such as Turkiye, Morocco, Greece, and many Levantine countries as well. There will also be some inspiration from French, Spanish, and Italian food. The main aim here is to give people a truly authentic dining experience of the Mediterranean.

The way The Ilish sets themselves apart from other restaurants in this category is through their crew of specially trained chefs who have lived and worked in Mediterranean countries and restaurants and are highly skilled in bringing that original flavours to Bangladesh.

They have a delectable menu consisting of a variety of dishes that were handpicked by their chefs to highlight the best flavours of the Mediterranean. Some of the notable dishes are the 'Mediterranean Harira Soup,' a Moroccan lentil and chickpea soup that is a delicious vegetarian dish, the classic French 'Bouillabaisse' an amazing seafood soup and the 'Beef Koobideh & Adana,' a combination of the two most famous Mediterranean kebabs, where you can get beef and mutton on the same platter.

Along with the mouth-watering dishes, the restaurant itself is very spacious and breathable, capable of seating 60 people. The interior has a very tasteful Mediterranean-inspired decor taking in elements from Spain, Morocco, and Turkiye.

It takes your dining experience to the next level almost as if you are right on the shores in Santorini or Venice.

"We want patrons to have a true Mediterranean experience from the moment they enter the doors and sit down to eat," stated Mayeen Uddin, the Assistant Food and Beverage Manager.

The Ilish is located on the 16th floor of the Holiday Inn Dhaka City Centre, 23 Shaheed Tajuddin Ahmed Sharani, Tejgaon, Dhaka – 1208.

Essentials

For reservations, dial +88 01324-717025 – 26.

Photo: Holiday Inn Dhaka