64 PUNCHMAGAZINE.COM {food coloring} Step into bustling Barbayani Greek Taverna in Los Altos and find yourself transported. The blue shutters and faux balconies brimming with bougainvillea recreate the seaside homes of Santorini—while wicker chairs and woven pendant lights enhance the Mediterranean atmosphere. A bust of Poseidon, god of the sea, watches over guests dining on linguine with lobster cooked in ouzo. Outside, on a patio etched in string lights, an occasional burst of flames appears as orders of saganaki with kefalograviera cheese are pan-fried at tables. At the heart of this getaway from the everyday you’ll find Allen Isik. The taverna’s executive chef/ co-owner (and interior designer) circulates the dining room alongside his servers. “I make sure everything is okay in the kitchen, then I’m jumping on the floor and going to every single table, asking about their experience,” Allen says. “That way, I’m seeing who is finishing their plate.” If someone’s food is barely touched, “I can change it right away… I have to make sure everybody leaves this place happy!” This commitment to hands-on hospitality embodies the spirit of this establishment’s namesake: Barba Yani (Uncle John, in English), whom the restaurant’s website describes as a “black-bearded innkeeper with a smiling face. From hearth to bedding, he tended to every need.” ). To breathe life into this concept, Allen teamed up with co-owner Dino Tekdemir. The partners in hospitality oversee a dining trifecta that includes Anatolian Kitchen in Palo Alto as well as Naschmarkt, with locations in Palo Alto and Campbell. “Three years, three restaurants,” Allen says with a sense of wonder. Barbayani, the newest addition to the family, is a throwback. As it happens, Allen’s parents inherited a Greek taverna from his grandfather in Istanbul. Growing up around the kitchen—a world of sizzling stovetops and spinning dinner plates—taught Allen
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