April 2, 2024
Pandeli
By noon, I felt slightly disorientated after a long flight and a morning of sightseeing, but my attempt to locate the entrance to Pandeli proved trickier than anticipated. Finally, I asked a security guard at the main entrance for directions and he pointed right next to where I was standing; it turned out I had been circling around the restaurant’s entrance. Named after the founder Pandeli Çobanoğlu, the son of a Greek shepherd who moved to Turkey in the late 1880s, the restaurant moved to its current location as compensation from the government after Çobanoğlu’s previous venture was looted during a pogrom in September of 1955. After shutting down briefly due to financial issues in 2016, the third generation brought in outside investment to reopen the restaurant.
Walking up a staircase flanked by the restaurant’s iconic turquoise tiles, I was the first person to arrive for the lunch service and I took a table in a side room facing a window with a clear view of the Galata Bridge. This setting alone explains why this restaurant has been a tourist magnet for so long. Still, even though most websites suggest reserving beforehand, the restaurant was only about 30% full this afternoon with all the tables taken by non-Turkish speaking diners.
Unsure what to order besides a green salad and a bowl of tomato soup, I heeded my server’s suggestion and went with some of chef Abdullah Sevim’s favourites. The signature eggplant pie consisted of a buttery phyllo crust on the bottom; in the middle was a layer of creamy, smoky eggplant puree mixed with a small amount of hard Turkish cheese called kaşar; a thin slice of döner kebab rounded out the recipe. The middle filling was baked until the top formed a crispy crust. Barely warm, the pie wasn’t as flaky as I had hoped, but the rich filling and the gamey lamb kebab were a delicious combo.
Another pairing of lamb and eggplant, the Sultan’s Delight (Hünkâr Beğendi) was made up of two parts; a bed of smoked eggplant puree first cooked over an open flame and then mixed with olive oil, Béchamel sauce, and kaşar cheese; and on top, slow-cooked lamb in a thick cumin and tomato sauce. What immediately stood out was the puree’s charred aroma which was much more pronounced than the previous dish. While the meat was also quite tender, the two dishes shared too many similarities and I wouldn’t recommend having them back-to-back.
The bill was around ₺1,100. The service by the white-jacketed crew was passable, about what would be expected at a touristy joint like Pandeli that delivers solid traditional recipes at slightly elevated prices in a convenient location.
Recommendation: 6.5/10
Address: Rüstempaşa Mahallesi, Balık Pazarı Kapısı Sokağı No:1/2, Mısır Çarşısı İçi 1 D:2, Eminönü/Fatih, Istanbul
Opening hours: 11:30 – 19:00, closed on Sunday
Şehzade Cağ Kebap
Not satisfied, I walked ten minutes east towards the Sırkecı tram station where a popular cağ kebab shop called Şehzade was located two blocks away. Originating from Erzurum in eastern Turkey, cağ kebab is sliced thicker than the typical döner and is grilled horizontally with the meat impaled on large skewers called cağ. This method is said to allow the meat to baste in its own juices.
The menu was straightforward — ₺300 for a kebab served with lavash or in a wrap. Sat at an outdoor table close to the indoor grill, I watched the chef continuously rotate a rotisserie and trim off the charred surface layer of the meat. The lamb kebab, without being overly seasoned like the few others I tried in Istanbul, had a crunchy surface while the centre remained succulent. With a dearth of quality dining options around the Grand Bazaar, Şehzade Cağ Kebap is a good place to take a breather from the chaos in this area.
Recommendation: 7/10
Address: Hoca Paşa, Hoca Paşa Sk. No:6 D:4, 34110 Fatih/İstanbul
Opening hours: 10:30 – 22:30, closed on Sunday
DL's Travels 