TRY: Sultanahmet Koftecisi Selim Usta
Serving chewy beef balls since 1920!
This review on a famous eatery serving local grilled meatballs shall be the last one for this extremely hectic month. Established in 1920, the eatery somehow escaped my attention when I was doing a research prior to flying to Istanbul, Turkey. I discovered it from a travel guide while waiting for my friend to buy souvenirs at one of the gift shops around.
This review on a famous eatery serving local grilled meatballs shall be the last one for this extremely hectic month. Established in 1920, the eatery somehow escaped my attention when I was doing a research prior to flying to Istanbul, Turkey. I discovered it from a travel guide while waiting for my friend to buy souvenirs at one of the gift shops around.
Pardon Melon for not looking into the camera. I wonder what was she looking at? Haha... :P
Bread
The outer layer of the bread was a bit too hard for my liking, but the centre was soft and airy.
Fasulye Piyazi ₺6.00 (~S$2.85)
Taste: 8.5/10
Every table in sight had at least a plate of bean salad, so my BFF and I ordered one each for appetiser. The boiled beans were earthy, accompanied by fresh lettuce, onions and tomatoes. Quite a generous amount of lemon juice was drizzled over the salad, which made it refreshingly tangy.
Izgara Kofte ₺16.00 (~S$7.65)
Taste: 8.5/10
The star of the eatery, i.e. the grilled beef balls that weren't round, were seasoned minimally with salt. I relished the chewy texture and the robust flavour of the red meat, coupled with pickled green chilis and red chili sauce that wasn't overly spicy. Pika's advice: Not a fan of beef? Try their equally famous Kuzu Sis Kebap (lit. lamb skewer) priced at ₺26.00 (~S$12.45).
Ozel Irmik Helvasi ₺5.00 (~S$2.40)
Taste: 8/10
The semolina cake might not look that appetising for dessert, but it was pretty good. Even though I felt that it could have a higher moisture content, I enjoyed the mildly sweet goodness that was buttery and aromatic. I wonder what were those nut-like stuff interspersed in the cake. Any idea?
Ayran ₺3.00 (~S$1.45)
From my observation during the trip, confirmed by my sister who's currently studying in Istanbul, the locals do enjoy their buttermilk drink a lot. I can only say I don't really want to drink it the second time as it's oddly creamy and salty on my tongue. As it isn't a product of the eatery itself, as my usual practice, I'm not going to give it a score.
Melon's Rating
Taste: 8.5/10
Ambience: 5/10
Service: 6/10
Overall: 6.5/10
Do expect the squeezy environment with all the crowd, but I honestly think it wasn't unbearable when I was there for lunch. Prior to the lunch, I was having fun exploring the grounds of Topkapi Palace.
Sultanahmet Koftecisi Selim Usta
12 Divan Yolu Street
Istanbul
Turkey
(Daily: 10.30am - 10.30pm)
*Prices quoted are nett prices.
Have a nice meal,
Cliff(y)
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