Thursday

AKO Adapazari Islama Kofte: Fellowship of the Drench

1 Comment June 9, 2011 – 9:00 am | Permalink |  Print This Post |

Students of Istanbul street food will recognize the “islama” modifier on this kofte and understand its relation with the oh-so-edible “islak” hamburger in Taksim Square. It is a fellowship of drenched bread. But while the wet burger is drenched in secret sauce and sent to steam in the burger hamam, islama kofte’s wide slices of village bread are dunked in kemik suyu, or, homemade beef stock, and grilled alongside the meatballs.

We asked Osman usta, who has worked the grill at AKO Adapazari Islama Kofte for 39 years, what the secret is. He replied, “No secrets. You just dunk [the bread] and grill it.”

The “and grill it” part of Osman’s instructions, we think, is the key to this dish though. Three slices of toasted, sopping bread covered nearly a dozen bite-size kofte. The bread achieved a real crunch and melt-in-your-mouth sop that we’ve only experienced in a good French toast. At other kofte places, we’ll never look at bread — sitting there undunked and untoasted — alongside kofte the same way.

Though the bread represents the luxury option package of the dish, distinguishing it from more common models, checking under the hood of this kofte reveals a meatball firing on all cylinders. Juicy and handmade, grilled perfectly over a charcoal fire, these meatballs need not hide under any bread. “Forget the bread, I’d come back for the kofte alone,” said someone at the table. Which side of this dish — the islama bread or the kofte — plays the lead seems a subject for debate, only to be resolved by another visit to this fine spot.

Address: Yasa Caddesi 11, Kadikoy (inside the bazaar area)
Telephone: (216) 338-7815
Web: adapazariislamakofte.com

(photo by Ansel Mullins)