Asitane Restaurant

NileGuide Expert tip:

"Vine leaf wrap with sour cherries" and "mahmudiyye" are hard to resist; so is the heavier "piruhi" -a type of Turkish ravioli-

Description:

• Housed in a 19th-century Ottoman mansion (now converted into the Kariye Hotel), the Asithane Restaurant is big diversion from the mainstream Turkish and Ottoman Cuisine Restaurants in Istanbul -a.k.a kebab houses or doner / tacos buffets as the stereotypical Turkish food. Asitane Restaurant is a highly recommended restaurant to get a feel of the real historical taste of the Turkish culture. The menu changes seasonally - although some typical dishes don't, such as almond soup, stuffed calamari, seasonal salad with beetroot and hibiscus, hassa böreği (aged skin bag cheese from goat's milk, yogurt, green olives, walnuts and tarragon wrapped inside wafer), muntancana (stewed lamb served with pearl onion) and mahmudiyye (chicken flavored with honey served with almond, apricot, cinnamon, dried grape and flavored rice). Asitane Restaurant has a gorgeous summer terrace and an aromatic rose garden overlooking the Chora Church (Kariye Church). Enjoy your şerbet and / or wine, whilst sampling the small dishes (hot and cold appetizers). Go for sharing everything - as there is so much that is so good. The staff is overly well-behaved, kind and they speak very good English. Share your appetite with them and they will arrange your meals' size such that you will get to taste everything you want. 
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