Sinanation

Ca’d'Oro is a new upscale restaurant by the successful entertainment group, Doors. These guys manage anything from a nightclub to restaurant chains and in my opinion have been expanding close to a viral Starbucks-scale around the hills of Istanbul. Despite the common belief that chains lack the flavor and attention one gets at an original location, the doors group continues to maintain an over-mediocre customer satisfaction in all its establishments. The only problem I have with this vision is that it leads to great losses in originality. I am happy to know that I can expect the same good food I got in Bebek over in Nişantaşı. Yet, I am completely turned off by seeing the same furnishing and decoration in a neighborhood I think is different from the last one I visited. That is I believe a complete violation to the unique characteristics of all the different areas we get to wander around Istanbul.

So, I was a bit biased with my expectations when my friends told me about Ca’d'Oro. This place was not created to be turned into a chain and that lead me to think that like all the other “one-of-a-kind” Doors establishments (for example: the London’s Famous Japanese, Zuma in Ortaköy – brought to Istanbul by Doors) Ca’d'Oro would be painfully expensive. I was right about the wine list (cheapest bottle starts at 100 TL.) but mistaken about the food (with an average of 20 TL. per plate).

This place is inside one of the coolest and gallantly renovated buildings found in Karaköy – once belonged to the historic Ottoman Bank and now owned by the non-profit innovation organization called SALT. The entrance hall will take your breath away and make you forget all the degraded streets you pass through to make it inside. The restaurant found in the back is a completely modern, icy, fully-windowed, rectangle structure expanding into the ancient city. It looks too-dark-to be-cool inside, but the individual lighting found at each table takes the worries away once seated for dinner.

Focus on the appetizers. Order the fried goat cheese, the crispy tomato risotto, the cheese pide, the artichoke and the pizza. Yes, you won’t have any room left for the main course and that’s good thing. The flavor and thus the satisfaction is hidden in the appetizers and the rest of it (until the dessert) is nothing but disappointment. Get the chestnut merengue toopped with ice-cream for desert.

Reservations are a must at Ca’d'Oro.

Not much to say about this chalet-like calorie bomb factory. It might be a typical tourist attraction but still deserves a well planned Sunday brunch visit. Zip your mouths at breakfast and save all the room for this place. The pancakes are (unlike their American peers) much thinner but come as big as the size of a regular dinner plate covered generously in whatever topping you requested.

Simply yummy. The Pancake Bakery

Amsterdam should not be regarded as a food Mecca, but if you dig deeper you are bound to find some diamond in the rough. The city is obviously frequented mostly by the younger funky crowd looking to have a bit of fun and spend the least amount of money while doing that. So it shouldn’t be surprising to run into numerous cute but not so full restaurants all around town.

The quality food here consists of well cooked crustaceans and meat. Almost all the good restaurants will serve some kind of a filet mignon and/or lobster as the main ingredient in their dishes. For dinner we have tried 3 recommendations: Bo Cinq, BBQ Castell and Envy. Red Restaurant was also in our list of musts although we couldn’t make it there. Reservation is a must for all.

Envy is a must among all the other restaurants you will be recommended (despite its somewhat rude staff). Be aware that this is a 1 Michelin Star restaurant that well deserves the good points.The interior is a semi-serious full black corridor decorated with design lighting and neatly filled freezers. The open kitchen is right at the entrance next to the floor-to-ceiling window overlooking the canal, allowing the visitors to appreciate the art that is cooking on top of the sleek counters. The menu consists of tapas style fusion food inspired by traditional cuisine. The main ingredients are the classic meat and/or seafood, but the dressing and the display is genuinely unconventional and the taste is phenomenal. I recommend the chef’s tasting menu paired with a good pick from the extensive wine list.

Bo Cinq is that hip bar/lounge/restaurant the young residents are craving to stop by after a hard day’s work. Although the bar and the lounge areas are spacious and have somewhat of an intriguing decoration, the restaurant area is tough to like. It consists of separated dining rooms where nobody gets to see anything other than his/her companions. The food is influence by the African cuisine. I took the red beetroot julienne served with feta cheese in crispy kataifi dough with apple and orange dressing as a starter and greatly recommend it. For main course definetly go for the bocinq wagyu burger with panfried duck liver. On another note, we found out (a little late) that the owners of Bo Cinq followed up on their success with another venue called Lion Noir. The photos online display a much more interesting interior decoration and the menu looks equally impressive.

BBQ Castell is the steakhouse heaven of Amsterdam. The interior of this well aged legend resembles a comfy living room with comfy leather corner sofas and spacious coffee tables. Get the ribs as a starter and then the filet mignon. If you are looking to go into a food coma (which we did) order the ice cream with chocolate sauce to share.

Finally made it to this popular Karaköy restaurant a few nights ago after a visit to one of the most exhausting art biennales I have ever been to. I am glad I took the dinner here as it was the most delicious end to a gloomy exhibition tour.

The interiors of Lokanta Maya reminds one of the Fig & Olive chain in New York with its sleek modern look, icy marbles and organic coloring. It is a small place with a sophisticated crowd (at least when we were there). I reccommend you start with the impressive house special Mücver, octopus, grilled hellim cheese salad and the amazingly delicious oven-baked crispy goat cheese. We had the ribs with couscous and the chicken with a beet risotto as main dish. Both were delicious. The deserts looked equally impressive but unfortunately there was no more room for them (you might want to keep a tiny gap for the sweets). Despite the perfect food, the service at Maya still needs a little bit of an upgrade. The waiters don’t seem to be as attentive to the guests as the cooks are the to food.

Reservations are recommended for lunch and/or dinner.

This corner steak bistro is within walking distance to my office and one of the quickest and most delicious lunch spots around Nişantaşı. If you are around the neighborhood, I say stop by for a light bite. I recommend the selection of Köfte (Turkish meatball) (even the chicken one is great), the 200 gr. Bonfile (sirloin) and the walnut & roasted pepper salad. Everything is served with a small side of  delicious homemade spicy tomato paste. Walk-ins are welcome and the prices are well below average.

This place, for me, is the second best lunch spot in Istanbul after Mia Mensa in Kuruçeşme. Great interior with lots of light and comfy chairs and a perfect terrace for the warm weather. Such details surely make it a good spot to frequently visit, but the main ingredient for my obsession with Den is hidden in its menu.

The best mini cheeseburger, the most fulfilling chicken teriyaki salad and the most refreshing basil lemonade in town. You don’t need a reservation for lunch or dinner hours. Just show up with a good mood and a big appetite.

PS: I get the lemonade with a splash of sparkling water and the chicken salad with grated feta cheese on top.

Den Cafe & Bistro at Vali Konağı Cad., Çiftçiler Apt. No. 12/1D Teşvikiye Nişantaşı

Drink the Bellini until you can burp no more! Venice is where this heavy-in-volume, light-in-alcohol mashed peach puree Prossecco drink was created. Harry’s Bar, opened in 1931 by the bartender Guiseppe Cipriani with the 90,000 lire gifted to him by a rich American guest, has the original recipe. Definitely stop by after walking around San Marco.

Have lunch on the terrace of Gritti Palace. This place has great view and delicious food. I recommend the Burrata to start with and then the lobster salad or the black ink risotto as the main course.

Have dinner at PG’s Club Restaurant. Luigi Fracella, the head chef at Palazzina Grassi, is a pro when it comes to Italian food. He is originally from Puglia, the region where all my favorite Italian friends are from. This food-master is one of the most down-to-earth and friendly famous professional I have met in a long time. He has been in the food business for more than 15 years and worked at restaurants such as Locanda Locatelli in London and Zuma in London and Tokyo. He was handpicked to prepare the sushi for the Indian billionaire Lakshmi Mittall’s son’s wedding in Venice during our stay at Grassi. Luigi is known to infuse traditional comfort food with modern flavors. Through his kitchen, I have eaten the most delicious prawn served on top of a toast and the most fulfilling veal infused ravioli. On top of all, I owe him big time for an amazing hangover seafood pasta al dante splashed with the most delicious spicy tomato sauce (prepared so delicately at 3 am in the morning!).

Have lunch at Locanda Cipriani on the island of Torcello, 10 km out of St. Marks Square on the northeastern side of the Venetian lagoon. This inn/restaurant is a sight to see and savor. Although Torcello island has played a major role in commerce and welcomed a large population centuries ago, today it survives as a quiet place with amazing botanic gardens and a few monuments to see.

Locanda Cipriani was opened in 1935 and became extremely famous after Ernest Hemingway wrote his book “Across the River and Through the Trees” right here. This must be the only place in Venice that serves amazing Italian food surrounded by an incredible rose garden.

Have dinner at Da Ivo, a tiny hearty restaurant stuck in the corner of a tiny street and a canal. It was opened in 1976 by Ivo Natali from Tuscany. The specials change regularly. Make sure you stick by them!

Çiğ Köfte (raw meat patty) is one of the most favored appetizers in Turkey. It is most common at the kebab houses and could also be served as a nibbler at cocktails. You can simply treat it as the Turkish steak tartar.

The best way to have çiğ köfte is to spread a lot of lemon juice on top and  wrap it inside a fresh lettuce leaf. Here is a short description of  how this traditional Turkish wonder is prepared:

Bulgur is kneaded with chopped onions and water until it gets soft. Then tomato, pepper paste, spices and very finely ground beef are added. This absolutely fatless raw mincemeat is treated with spices while kneading the mixture, which is said to “cook” the meat. Lastly, green onions, fresh mint and parsley are mixed in. One spice that is associated with çiğ köfte is isot, a very dark, almost blackish paprika, prepared in a special manner, and which is considered as indispensable for an authentically local preparation of çiğ köfte.

Thanks to one of our gourmet clients at Mikroteks, I was directed into this tiny shop in the Fatih region of Istanbul. Bezirgan was established in 2000 and has been since serving the most delicious çiğ köfte I have ever tasted. You can order to go or eat at the cafeteria. The place is a little out of the way considering all the hip shopping neighborhoods, but it is definitely worth the visit if you are up for a little traffic.

Bezirgan is located at Sarigüzel Cad. No: 30/D, Fatih, Istanbul

Sunny Saturday. On the edge of Bosphorus. Veal shnitzel with a side of penne with pesto. Extra lemon juice, ground pepper and shredded parmesan on top. Ice cold bottle of Rose.

In Istanbul, Kuruçesme. At Mia Mensa. An amazing lunch. Great friends. Simply perfection.

On a lightly pressed warm wrap, you would pour in a scoop of snowy white steamed rice (of course without cilantro) and then toss chunks of spicy beef tenderloin accompanied by chilled sour cream, chopped lettuce and a splash of cheese ready to melt away.

You would tuck all that mouth-watering Mexican into a toddler shaped burrito and wrap it with your special sparkling aluminum foil.

Yes Chipotle. I miss you a lot. These cold winter lunch hours and my empty stomach are longing for you.