Ingredient appreciation — what makes Dolma special

What sets Dolma apart is the handling of sumac. In lesser versions this is treated as a background note. Here it's central and the warmly spiced and complex result shows it. I've started buying it to cook with at home after this experience.

the meze tradition of small shared dishes predates the main course. The an Istanbul meyhane tavern atmosphere was right for this kind of food. I had pomegranate juice as recommended and it matched well. If you want to understand what makes this cuisine distinctive, Dolma is the place to start.