When the team behind Taksim hired him, Gribble says they had a concept in mind but trusted him with the freedom to improvise. Butter poached king shrimp ($18)—an exceptional start to the meal—was an existing recipe. The chef took that concept and asked, “How can I make this work as fine dining?” Originally, the recipe called for crunchy fried shrimp. The chef thought about how he could incorporate Turkish ingredients. Instead of breading it, he wrapped the shrimp in kadaif, which is similar to phyllo dough and often used in desserts.
“I said, ‘How does kadaif bake? Will it crisp?’” Gribble discovered it would crisp up with butter so he wrapped the shrimp in thin, noodle-length strips, taking care in designing a pleasant presentation. The end result is elegant, plenty crispy and precise. He made a pretty pattern out of pomegranate molasses, looping it around the plate. The shrimp were perfectly poached and tender against the knife.