Asitane is a fine dining restaurant specialized in recreating authentic Ottoman cuisine. The restaurant’s location is quite out of the way. It’s right next to the amazing Chora Church (Kariye Camii) which is located at a working class neighbourhood. Clearly the restaurant is aim for tourists as it seems so out of place from the rundown surrounding. We took the bus there for lunch (along visiting the church) but it’s probably best to take taxi at night.
Tasty dipping for bread. The menu is on the higher price scale but not horrible. Entree are all above US $20. They compiled actual recipes developed from the royal kitchen at Ottoman palaces like Topkapi and Dolmabahce. The menu listed the year each dish was developed next to the name.
Mutanjene with Dani-i Yesil: Leg of Lamb braised with apricots, Rezaki raisins, almonds, served with green pilaf.
The description sounds more a lot more interesting than it taste. It was pretty good but a bit gamey.
Stuffed Melon: baked melon stuffed with a blend of lamb and beef, rice, pine nuts, currant flavoured with grape molasses.
Smells great! It’s interesting tasting, not as sweet as I expected (based on the description). Multi-flavors in every bite, it’s quite rich.
Overall we found the food interesting but can’t say they’re amazing, they do have a different palate from the usual Turkish food. We walked around the neighbourhood after the meal and it was quite a contrast in terms of vibe. It’s also a close walk to the Walls of Constantinople which is a fascinating sight in terms of history.
Asitane
Kariye Camii Sokak No: 6, Edirnekapı
Tags: turkish
