GAY PAREE IN BEYOGLU
Offering respite for those KO'd on kebabs or passed out on pilaf, a new swanky diner's opened its doors in the back streets of Beyoglu, ratcheting up the area's already trendy continental ambience.
La Brise, a brasserie launched in March by Teoman Hünal who brought the ridiculously popular British bar concept The North Shields to Istanbul, is set in the ground floor of a refurbished late 19th- century townhouse. Boasting all but 20 linen-covered tables set so close that going to the petit coin becomes a veritable obstacle course, walls of cherry wood pocked by ochre panels and mirrors reflecting the flicker of candles all add to the enchantment. And so do the sounds of Edith Piaf and Jacques Brel piped in over cleverly concealed speakers.
Crossing the dining room filled with a barrage of well-clad, iPhone-totting 20-something's to a corner table meant to accommodate two midgets, my 6-foot hubby and I--rather on the tall, healthy side as well, is all but an easy feat. Complying to our surroundings, we tuck in our frames and glance over a menu inspired straight from Alsace-Lorraine.
We order the rudimentary salade verte and steak, with a Chilean merlot that inspires me over the indigineous vintages I know will disappoint and the 200-lira Californian Mondavi I desire but know I can buy for less than 15 dollars at Trader Joe's in Los Angeles.
After breathing for 10 minutes, the claret does justice to a superbly dressed butter lettuce with fresh garlic, cherry tomatoes and filaments of green peppers. Next , a three inch-thick slab of entrecôte and thick frites stuffed in a metal goblet arrive. The meat lacks tenderness and deepens my craving for a Black Angus cut; the french fries are a sorry--hmmmm...soggy--accompaniment. But at 35 liras, it's a decent meal.
With musician friends from LA perfroming in less than a half-hour at Babylon just around the corner, we pass on the espresso and mousse au chocolat and proceed with the bill. At just 100 liras for my meal and the lackluster lamb chops over mashed potatoes my husband had, the tête-á-tête repast was quite affordable. Oh... And the ubiquitous cover charge for fresh bread and bottle water is just 5 liras per person. The black-vested garçons provide more than adequate service, although their knowledge of the food carte surpasses that of the wine list.
I'll be back to try their moules mariniéres.
ESSENTIALS
Address: Asmalimescit Caddesi 28, Beyoglu
Phone: +90.212.244 48 46
STRICTLY SPEAKING
Mussels = Midiye (pron. medeeye)
DYING FOR A GREAT TURKISH COFFEE
Sipping a great cup of Turkish coffee while in Istanbul's a must; finding a place that offers the ultimate cup of syrupy, foamy goodness may not always be easy.
The java nut that I am... Always up for a Latté, percolated, French press, Capp, Frapp, whatever, I've compiled a list of faves for the bean's every incarnation. The honor for awesome Turkish coffee has to go to Kuzguncuk's Çinaralti Kahve. A place so ingrained in the local psyche, a street address is just superfluous; Istanbulus just know where it's at. From the port in Uskudar, foreigners will have to find it by following the coastal road of Pashalimani north until the Asian enclave of Kuzguncuk, and look for the café behind the bus stop.
What awaits the patron is the traditional Turkish coffee service, with a cezve--a tiny bottle-necked, handled copper pot, specifically designed to slowly boil the grounds and water until a foam appears and the steaming mélange's ready to be poured. And an espresso-sized cup and saucer, of course. Meant to be sipped in tiny amounts through pursed lips, a late morning cup with friends is an institution among housewives, either at home or in a coffee shop.
The added bonus that Kuzguncuk lies on the coast means that enjoying a cup also means reveling in some pretty awesome scenery. And, if time allows, the quaint, historical village also offers a ton of sanctuaries and art galleries.
Tel: 0216/422 10 36
ORDERING COFFEE:
SUGARLESS: SADE (Pron. Saadey)
JUST A TAD OF SWEETNESS: AZ SEKERLI (Pron. Az Shekerlee)
SWEET: ORTA (Pron. as it sounds)
EVEN SWEETER: SEKERLI (Pron. Shekerlee)
PASS THE PASTRY FOR THE BUN
That's just what I did the other day. Out on my regular prowl to score some yummy-yet-mundane tarts for afternoon tea I passed on my usual providers-- Beyaz Firin, Morgan, Dilek, etc. for a new bakery/café/fave sip-and-sup WiFi spot that aims to reel in coastal Kalamis' young and artsy foreigners.
Sleek and modern, Joséphine's façade appealed, so I obliged. Ambling in, the heady smell of cinnamony bread instantly spurred my taste buds into over drive and I just had to try it all. Sure, they had samples, so I dug in with my pincers and popped a walnutty-chocoful eggy roll in my mouth. The results: Way too heavy to accompany a glass of tea, but great for breakfast with a strong doppio.
Surveying the showcases, tons of fruiy tarts and tartelettes, cakey standbys of every flavor, and, bread, loads of it. Some with nuts, some with fruits, braided buns, ciabatta, herby rolls, they had it all. A smart tactic if the aim is to appeal to bread-fancying Europeans. They'll surely prove to be hit with Turks, who constantly seek new hangouts and products. Turns out that in the one month the bakery's been opened acquaintances and family have made this spot a regular bread stop. Not an easy feat, considering that Turks don't go out for their loaf. The concierge usually delivers it.
Thimble-sized, Joséphine's got just a couple of tables inside but the patio 's ample, and surely will prove to be a neighborhood people-watching spot come summer. Also on the downside--and this may prove to be a blow if the joint's pandering breakfasty fare, their doors only open at 10 a.m.
All in all, and out of the more than half-dozen new cafés that have opened in the last 12 months, Joséphine's quaint and has what it takes to become a neighborhood culinary hotspot. Now, if they just opened early enough to quell the morning hunger of well-heeled joggers' .
ADDRESS: Ahmet Mithat Efendi Cd. 15, Fenerbahçe/Kadiköy
STAY TUNED FOR WEB FOR ADDITIONAL COORDINATES STRICTLY SPEAKING: Bread/Ekmek (Pron. just as it reads)