Branches of world-famous restaurant brands have been opening recently in Istanbul, one of the largest metropolises in the world. It is worth noting that both of these restaurants serve international celebrities and even royalty. One of the most important of these brands recently opened its doors in Istanbul's Swissotel. Madhu's, the British royal family's choice for Indian cuisine, began serving Istanbul customers on Sept. 29. With its impressive presentation, sumptuous decor and distinctive flavors, Madhu's Istanbul promises a special fine-dining experience with its Indian cuisine.

Arjun Anand, the grandson of the founder Mr. Madhus, is looking after the restaurant's guests as the restaurant gets up and running and tells its story firsthand.

Madhu's prides itself on being a family-run business that has been at the heart of the family for four generations.

It all began in Nairobi, Kenya, where Bishan Das Anand opened a catering business in 1935. He later opened the legendary Brilliant Hotel in 1957 and established himself as a successful name in the industry.

Inspired by their grandfather's work, Sanjay and Sanjeev Anand opened Madhu's Brilliant in 1980 at the ages of 17 and 16, respectively.

The name Madhu's was derived from their father Jagdish Kumar Anand's nickname. Their mother Krishna Kumari Anand, also a chef, was instrumental in the success of Madhu's Brilliant. In 2004, the company changed its name to Madhu's.

As a leader in the Asian catering industry, Madhu's also enjoys an unsurpassed reputation for the highest standards in event planning, service and fine cuisine.

And now Madhu's, which has locations in London's famous neighborhoods of Mayfair and Richmond as well as in Hertfordshire, has chosen Istanbul as its first overseas location. The restaurant has joined other popular eateries at Istanbul's Swissotel. The food at Madhu's Istanbul is topped off with gorgeous decor and ethnic house music that adds dynamism to the atmosphere. The restaurant is open seven days a week and can seat 260 people, as well as a private area for 16 people.

About the food: The family's secret garam masala mix, one of the most important components in Indian cuisine, which consists of 22 different spices and gives the dishes their soul, is guarded by a few people. The menu, created by their award-winning chef with traditional spices and special touches, includes many signature dishes such as Masaledar, Chicken Masala and Punjabi Samosas (Indian fritters). The Robata Chops (lamb ribs with pepper and lemon sauce) from the restaurant's three-tier grill are a must. Also, the Royal Thali, a tasting platter of the restaurant's specialties created for King Charles III when he was a prince, is an ideal choice for a first visit. The Indian thali is a wholesome meal that packs an assortment of food items on a single plate. Thali refers to the metal plate on which a thali meal is served. Thali is a popular way of serving meals in South Asia. The idea behind a thali is to offer all six different flavors – sweet, salty, bitter, sour, astringent and spicy – on a single plate. These plates are specially designed and manufactured by each restaurant – so the eye always eats with you.

Never forget that when they say spicy in an Indian restaurant, they really mean spicy. So make sure there is always a good balance to offset the heat. For example, raita is a yogurt-based dish. Unlike related European appetizers, such as Greek tzatziki, Turkish cacık or even Bulgarian tarator, raita is based on a more flexible composition of ingredients. Thus, although cucumbers or garlic are often used in raita, tomatoes, carrots, mild and hot peppers, onions, and sometimes pickled vegetables and spices such as cumin or turmeric are also used in various proportions. Madhu's bar and garden area is also a great place to experience the ambiance with signature cocktails and dynamic ethnic music late into the night.

After this tasteful journey into royal-approved Indian cuisine in Istanbul, it is now time to take a little trip to Italy just 100 steps away.

Giulio Mongeri, the grandson of an Italian Levantine family that immigrated to Istanbul in 1849, was influenced by the palaces of Milan, where he studied at the Brera Academy, when building the Maçka Palace in Nışantaşı.

After 173 years, the most famous Italian has now moved in, combining the heritage of Italian architecture and Italian cuisine.

Anyone who has traveled extensively and is familiar with the wanderings of the great and the good knows the name Cipriani.

The mere mention of the name immediately conjures up images of beautiful people living a beautiful life in timeless classic Italian elegance.

From its humble beginnings as Harry's Bar in Venice, Cipriani has done more than any other restaurateur to reshape the image of Italian cuisine abroad and export the fine sensibility of European luxury.

Today, after almost a century in which the Cipriani empire was popular with the most glamorous diners around the world, staples such as carpaccio (invented by Cipriani for Countess Amalia Nani Mocenigo, who was only allowed to eat raw meat on her doctor's orders) and bellini (created by Giuseppe Cipriani in 1948 from Italy's abundant white peaches) have become part of the Nusr-Et restaurant chain. Nusret Gökçe, also known as Salt Bae, has gained worldwide fame and gone viral on social media several times. After the famous Italian restaurant Cipriani announced a partnership with Nusret Gökçe, the Istanbul branch has now been opened with a grand ceremony, following cities such as New York, London and Venice.

When you talk about this Italian restaurant, all you hear about is its fame and ambiance. But at the end of the day, it's all about the food. The hardest thing about Italian cuisine is that you can't eat everything in one sitting.

Let's take a look at the food to get an idea of what you can eat. First of all, the tasty Italian cuisine at Cipriani is unique in Istanbul. It offers classic starters such as tenderly sliced veal with tuna sauce (Vitello tonnato), homemade gnocchi with rich and herb-rich tomato sauces, pasta, risotto, and freshly grilled fish and seafood – a diverse selection of the best of Italy.

Portions are generous (in keeping with the size of the price tags), but it's refreshing to find an upscale restaurant that doesn't skimp on portions. With Cipriani's signature homemade mayonnaise whisked with Worcestershire sauce and a drop of milk, the carpaccio, a dish of thinly sliced raw beef, goes down easy. Unlike the usual rich carpaccio.

For some, gnocchi "Alla gorgonzola" is the most significant task in Italian cuisine. The pillowy dumplings are sinfully creamy, a cheese lover's delight, but the ordinarily characteristic blue cheese is subtle and not too intrusive. The main course, a veal chop "Milanese," is lightly breaded, fried and pounded millimeter-thin into a circle so perfect it would make a geometry professor proud. Tender, salty and paired with a simple rocket and cherry tomato salad, it probably seems undressed to many non-Italians – where's the accompanying spaghetti or sauce? – but this is the traditional Italian version of the dish and stays true to the Cipriani philosophy of serving simple, good food.

At the end of the day, it's just Italian food but well prepared outside of Italy, with an ambience that makes you feel like you're in 1970s Hollywood.

One last recommendation: ask what is fresh and get that.