Approaching the Grand Bazaar from the northeast you encounter the market’s “Nuruosmaniye Gate,” named for the nearby baroque Nuruosmaniye mosque, built in the late 18^th century. But to us, this will always be the “Kofte Gate” for its proximity to Nuruosmaniye Koftecisi, established in 1974.

Stepping inside this humble shop, sawdust underfoot, we were instantly calmed by a rhythm we recognized from any busy neighborhood eatery at lunchtime. Delivery orders were called out by the cashier who worked a calculator with one hand and cradled a phone with the other. Behind the cashier, we heard the constant pad of the waiter’s loafers hustling orders up the stairs to the tiny domed dining room above. Logjams of customers coming and going, paying and ordering formed instantly and were settled as quickly by the tight crew that run this place. This place was alive and a wonder to observe in action, particularly the man who held it all together, the griller.

The charcoal grill in the corner, loaded with short and stubby kofte were flipped and switched in different directions and angles by a deft hand, reminding us of a chalkboard with a lengthy mathematical proof in progress. Finally, our order, birbucuk porsiyon, an order and a half of meatballs, made its way through the equation and arrived still sizzling. Freshly chopped onions with parsley, a cool wedge of tomato and a hot pepper could be a salad to some or the fixings of a sandwich to others. A pyramid of fresh, sliced bread stood tall on our table beside a coffee mug filled with a piquant salça-based sauce. This was exactly what we’d expect to see at a neighborhood kofte joint, an expectation rarely met in this tourist zone.

Like many independent meatballers, Nuruosmaniye Koftecisi does not comfortably fall into any partiular kofte classification, though there is a striking resemblance here to the kind made in Tekirdag. The usta at the grill explained that this is actually a meatball of their own design with its own secret recipe, prepared on the premises and cooked everyday by him, therefore it is his meatball. Ten lira to sit in the personal workshop of a master of the culinary arts while he prepares a unique work for each customer? That’s more memorable than the overpriced kilim or handbag that most people come looking for around here, which should really make Nuruosmaniye Koftecisi a destination in itself. In fact, we wouldn’t be surprised if, among some locals, the Grand Bazaar is referred to as “Koftecide’ki pazar” – the market near the meatball shop.

Address: Vezir Han Caddesi 73, Cemberlitas
Telephone: +90 212 526 7169

(photo by Ansel Mullins)

After the initial surprise of stumbling on this little meatball shack, we quickly took a seat outside and settled into the rhythm of the hardware market into which it is tucked. Across the street from Cemal’s stands another tiny shop that sells nothing but black rubber washers, from the gauge of a car wheel down to that of a pencil. As we got ready to eat, a man who had been going shop to shop with a thick bolt in his hand asking where he might find more arrived at the restaurant. Hakki bey pointed down the street and slapped his forearm indicating a right turn ahead and watched the man disappear behind a colorful pile of rope coiled up outside of a shop that looked to be perfectly coated in axle grease. This is the stage upon which a typical lunch in the Persembe Pazari plays out.

Any corner tea stand in this market delivers such vistas, but Kofteci Cemal, of course, also has meatballs. Hakki bey hand pats them into loose nuggets, roughly the size and shape of the famous spoonmaker’s diamond in Topkapi Palace. These kofte are a precious commodity around lunchtime, when hungry shopkeepers come over for an order or call Hakki on his phone by the grill. Shot through with parsley and spiced with black pepper, these are a common form of kofte, but fresh off of the grill we found them uncommonly soft and as juicy as kofte can be.

Though lacking the secret sauce that got us hooked on Kofteci Huseyin’s kofte or an outstanding piyaz ala Kofteci Arnavut, Kofteci Cemal is still a destination meatball by our count. The meatballs are well above average, but we see them as an excuse to gain access to Hakki bey and his regulars who seem to have stepped right out of the black and white photos of Ara Guler. And like the long-gone gritty society depicted in those photos, there are rumors that this hardware market may be lost to another great urban transformation, the Golden Horn Marina project. We like to think that this little meatball shop would survive such a radical transformation, but without his regulars – men who wear cover-alls, not top-siders – Hakki is not likely to carry on. But, at least for now, the writing on the wall still says “kofteci”.

Address: Yemenciler Sokak 16, Persembe Pazari, Karakoy

(photo by Ansel Mullins) 

(Editor’s Note: Over here at Istanbul Eats, we like to think of ourselves as kofte savants. While to the untrained eye kofte may look like nothing more than a grilled meatball, we like to discern differences in taste, texture and consistency in the different styles of this ubiquitous Turkish dish. Like coffee, tea and wine, we would argue that the concept of terroir be applied to kofte and its different regional interpretations. With that in mind, we invite to join us this week for an exploration of the many faces of kofte, with a look at five favorite spots in Istanbul.)

Köfte comes in many forms each with its own title – lastik köfte, inegol köfte, ev köfte and, like the ones at Recep Usta, tükrük köfte. The term tükrük, meaning saliva, comes from a slightly stomach churning popular urban legend that the street cart köfte vendors outside of Besiktas stadium spit on their hands before shaping their meatballs. All the same, köfte that resembles those street meatballs in size and shape – spit or no spit – are categorized as tükrük köfte, as do the fantastic kofte at Recep Usta….(click here for the full review)

In this picture, anything but fresh grilled fish would seem incongruous. But hop off the boat in Cengelkoy, for example, and you’ll find a very different culinary world in the backstreets beyond the dock. Among other things, you’ll find köfte. In fact, people in Cengelkoy seem to have been eating kofte, quite happily, at Recep Usta kofte since the 1970’s.

Köfte comes in many forms each with its own title – lastik köfte, inegol köfte, ev köfte and, like the one at Recep Usta, tükrük köfte. The term tukruk, meaning saliva, comes from a slightly stomach churning popular urban legend that the street cart köfte vendors outside of Besiktas stadium spit on their hands before shaping their meatballs. All the same, köfte that resembles those street meatballs in size and shape – spit or no spit – are categorized as tükrük köfte, as do the kofte at Recep Usta.

We happen to love eating tükrük köfte sandwiches outside of the stadium. It’s about the only part of a Besiktas soccer match that we do enjoy. So it was pleasantly surprising to see our old game day meal on a plate alongside a pile of onions and a dollop of red pepper sauce. But the resemblance stopped there. If Besiktas stadium kofte is the canned tuna fish of meatballs, then Recep usta is serving sushi-grade.

On the way out, we asked Yavuz bey, son of the founder Recep usta, how he’d categorize his excellent meatballs. “Recep usta köftesi,” he said, then and there, creating a new category of meatball (and cleverly avoiding any reference to bodily fluids). Smart move.

Address: Cakali Sok. 4, Cengelkoy
Telephone: (216) 321-4977

(photo by Ansel Mullins)

(Editor’s Note: Over here at Istanbul Eats, we like to think of ourselves as kofte savants. While to the untrained eye kofte may look like nothing more than a grilled meatball, we like to discern differences in taste, texture and consistency in the different styles of this ubiquitous Turkish dish. Like coffee, tea and wine, we would argue that the concept of terroir be applied to kofte and its different regional interpretations. With that in mind, we invite to join us this week for an exploration of the many faces of kofte, with a look at five favorite spots in Istanbul.)

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….(Click here to see the full review)

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)

(Editor’s Note: Over here at Istanbul Eats, we like to think of ourselves as kofte savants. While to the untrained eye kofte may look like nothing more than a grilled meatball, we like to discern differences in taste, texture and consistency in the different styles of this ubiquitous Turkish dish. Like coffee, tea and wine, we would argue that the concept of terroir be applied to kofte and its different regional interpretations. With that in mind, we invite to join us this week for an exploration of the many faces of kofte, with a look at five favorite spots in Istanbul.)

This classic Beyoglu spot serves what we refer to as “the Cadillac of Meatballs” — hands down some of the finest kofte in town. Click here to get the full review.

(Editor’s Note: Over here at Istanbul Eats, we like to think of ourselves as kofte savants. While to the untrained eye kofte may look like nothing more than a grilled meatball, we like to discern differences in taste, texture and consistency in the different styles of this ubiquitous Turkish dish. Like coffee, tea and wine, we would argue that the concept of terroir be applied to kofte and its different regional interpretations. With that in mind, we invite to join us this week for an exploration of the many faces of kofte, with a look at five favorite spots in Istanbul.)

Address: Divanyolu Caddesi 12
Telephone: 212-520-0566

(You can find yesterday’s entry here.)

(Editor’s Note: Over here at Istanbul Eats, we like to think of ourselves as kofte savants. While to the untrained eye kofte may look like nothing more than a grilled meatball, we like to discern differences in taste, texture and consistency in the different styles of this ubiquitous Turkish dish. Like coffee, tea and wine, we would argue that the concept of terroir be applied to kofte and its different regional interpretations. With that in mind, we invite to join us this week for an exploration of the many faces of kofte, with a look a five favorite spots in Istanbul.)

Perhaps it’s the proximity of the waters of the Golden Horn or the weathered wood interior, but we get a distinctly maritime feeling at Köfteci Arnavut, a tiny köftejoint in the historic Balat neighborhood.

The members of the Iştay family, who opened the place in 1947, seem to think the same thing, running the place with ship-shape efficiency. Seventy-six-year-old father Ali is constantly sweeping the floor and wiping down the Formica-topped tables, like a sailor dutifully swabbing the decks. Daughter Mine, meanwhile, stands by the front door, issuing clipped, urgent orders to the hustling grillmaster and waiters, as if she were the captain of a tanker navigating particularly treacherous waters.

Of course, we’re talking köfte here – and in Turkey, grilled meatballs are serious business. In Istanbul, like in other Turkish cities, every neighborhood has several small restaurants serving köfte, usually for a demanding lunch crowd that doesn’t forgive any missteps or badly prepared food. There really is little room for error. Of course, with so many köfte restaurants competing against each other, how does one place distinguish itself from the others? (Click here for the full review)

(Editor’s Note: This week, Istanbul Eats hops on the bus and heads west to sample the Thrace region’s most famous köfte in its native environment.  Guest writers Sherri Cohen and Alex Hallowell, Fulbright English Teaching Assistants at Namık Kemal University in Tekirdağ, have run the gust-busting gauntlet to bring you their top choices for Tekirdağ köftesi, the meatballs that have are their namesake town’s claim to fame.)

Although Tekirdağ’s city limits start at the standard blue sign at the edge of town, countless highway-side restaurants and truck stops advertising “meşhur Tekirdağ köftesi” fool the novice traveler into thinking she’s entered the small city of 130,000 long before that.  The lure of the spicy meatball draws visitors far and wide to this hilly seaside town (equally famous for its rakı) about two hours west of Istanbul. Since most home cooks rarely undertake the mixing and spicing process required to make this kind of köfte, it is a dish best eaten out.  The more motivated can buy pre-mixed beef and lamb at a local kasap (butcher) for home grilling, but with multiple köfte shacks beckoning on every street, there’s no need to.  Each köftecisi offers the same lineup (beef meatballs, sometimes mixed with lamb), piyaz (white bean and vegetable salad dressed in oil), çorba (usually lentil soup), and ayran (salty yogurt drink), but too often you’ll end up with a mushy, greasy meatball in a ketchup-y sauce. We’ve been leisurely expanding our waistlines for 4 months in pursuit of the perfect meatball; here are our top choices.

Köfteci İbrahim is the first quality restaurant you’ll see on your way into town.  By night, the towering hilltop building bears more than a passing resemblance to Psycho’s Bates Motel.  Luckily, unlike Mother Bates, İbrahim is alive and well and has been grilling köfte in this warm family spot since 1974. Don’t try to distract him from his duties, though; after a quick nod of acknowledgement, he’ll return to flipping the köfte. Start your meal with the thinner-than-average but satisfying mercimek çorbası, but avoid the piyaz, whose colorful fresh carrots and tomatoes hid a sea of white beans drowning in bland salad oil. The köfte offered a satisfying first bite through a well-grilled exterior; roll it well in the thick red pepper sauce for the full flavor experience. The accompanying plain rice cooled the palate after a spicy bite. Service was prompt, though lacking a bit in warmth. Head here during the summer months, when the outdoor patio overlooking the Sea of Marmara makes up for any meal slip-up; our table by the nearly floor-to-ceiling windows made us long for summer breezes.

We stumbled upon Nefis Tat Kofteci on a cold, snowy Thrace night. We hesitated at first – the restaurant has the unappealing vibe of a fast-food joint, with garish lighting and soda-combo meal deal photos above the dessert case — but we were frozen and they were the first köfte spot with hot soup. The mercimek corbası thawed out our faces with its thick, stick-to-your-ribs pureed lentils, and the piyaz didn’t disappoint. We slowly began to forget the awful weather as a cadre of waiters, with few guests to serve on a Monday night, hovered over our table. We were split on the köfte analysis, though, with one of us rating them only slightly above average and the other raving over the expert grilling and spicy tomato-red pepper sauce. Either way, Nefis Tat was a pleasant respite from the great outdoors, and it’s been serving hungry Tekirdağlis since 1961. Its central location across from Tekirdağ’s city hall and near the main town square add to its curb appeal; visit on a sunny day and see if the meal holds the same magic for you.

Head further into the city center and you’ll likely pass right by Tadim Tavuk Doner ve Köfte  Salonu. The spinning chicken döner, trays of cooling lunch specials in the window, and unassuming storefront do little to differentiate it from other cramped salons and lokantas on the street. But there’s no better place in town to people-watch, and owner Ali will make you feel like an instant member of the lunch crew. He’s been grilling his fresh (never frozen) köfte for 35 years and over that period Tadim’s become a place for city regulars, where everybody knows your name and the butcher shakes your hand after he delivers the midday meat. The young waiter (shouldn’t a 12-year-old be in school?) promptly appeared with the mercimek çorbası, whose wan color and think texture were disappointing. While our suspicions were raised when the piyaz was magically delivered from next door, the lettuce, carrots, and beans were dressed with the fruitiest, lightest olive oil we’ve tasted yet. Ali’s köfte was softer than the norm, and presentation wasn’t his strong point; a half-portion came accompanied only by some salad-from-a-bag. But the leaner, less greasy köfte, when rolled around in the sweet-tasting hot-chili sauce, was perfect when matched with restaurant’s full-bodied homemade ayran, and with pleasant conversation with our neighbors, we kept hoping our lunch break would never end.

Ask Tekirdağ locals for a köfte recommendation and most will unhesitatingly answer, “Özcanlar.”  With three restaurants, a factory, and a butcher shop within Tekirdağ alone, it’s easy to pass its good reputation off to ubiquity. Except we agree: Özcanlar reigns supreme. Bypass the waterfront location and its big-box, overlit impersonal atmosphere for an upstairs table at the cozy city center location. While the mercimek çorbası is better than average, Özcanlar’s piyaz is the real winner: crispy carrots and juicy tomatoes mixed in equal measure with well-marinated, firm white beans; a slice of hard-boiled egg is an unlikely but welcome garnish.  Save room for the full portion of köfte, though. Özcanlar’s meatballs are so expertly spiced only a quick dab in the brilliant, rich red pepper sauce is necessary. But what really makes this location special is the service: from the attentive waiters to the jovial, booming cashier who talked our ear off, we immediately felt like part of the Özcanlar family. It’s the first restaurant we ate at in town and the one we bring our friends and guests to as the Tekirdağ köftesi par excellence. Skip the desserts, though, and head to nearby Sar Patisserie for the town’s most tempting sweets, including Tekirdağ’s famous fluorescent yellow peynir helvası. They’ll have to roll you back to Istanbul afterwards, but it’ll be worth it.

Köfteci İbrahim
Address: Nasrettin Hoca Sk. No: 47, Tekirdağ
Telephone: 0282 293 12 56
Web: www.kofteciibrahim.com.tr

Tadim Tavuk Doner ve Köfte  Salonu
Address: Peştemalet Cd. No: 30, Tekirdağ
Telephone: 0282 260 1015

Nefis Tat Köftecisi
Address: Kolordu Cad. Belediye Iş Merkezi Karşısı, Tekirdağ
Telephone: 0282 264 08 44

Ozcanlar Kofte
Address: Eski Cami Geçidi No: 7, Tekirdağ
Telephone: 0282 260 16 33
www.ozcanlarköfte .com/