Grilled Meatball Restaurants of Istanbul - 5

Yazar: Erşen T. • 28 Kasım 2019 • Derlemeler

Paşa Köfte Karaköy – Karaköy

I went to this venue, which has, in my mind for a long time and I wanted to visit on a noon. It was busy when I visited. All the outer tables were full. Inner area was partly full. I ordered pasha meatball and blarney. It calls as menu 1. The venue has started to operation under the Kılıç Ali Paşa Bath during in the beginning of 2000’s. Its owner is Aydın Tunç. It has move to here in 2010 because of the long renovation process of the bath. It is not a new place but it has not drawn my attention until now. This situation might be result from its front façade was partly wall before. Later they converted all facade into glass. It might be remained as hidden also because of this. They put tables on the pavement after the arrangement of the municipality.
It has developed by adding döner, soup kind into its menu but its first appearance was with meatball. Six pieces of meatball served with rice, fries, pickle and hot sauce in meatball plate. Its weight is about 150 grams. It is a satisfying portion with the sidings. Rice was delicious but too oily. Meatball was better than I expected. It was not perfect but I have eaten worse ones. Its shape is like İnegöl meatball. Its braising was successful. Its outer layer was lightly hard. Its taste is not bad. They use only veal. They use not the specific parts of the animal but every part of it. Its mix is containing onion, salt, pepper and cumin.
Blarney was prepared in a very practice way. Grated carrot, beans and greenery placed separately without mixing. Tomato and parsley pieces put on top of it. There was olive oil and vinegar on the table. It has not mixed like classical blarney but the portion was rich. The consistence of the beans were also good.
It seems that their fridge is a bit small and untidy. All ingredients like fried meat, cheese kinds, raw meatballs etc. were side by side. It should be better to tidy up this. Service is very fast. They prepared my order although it was crowded. The staff is dynamic. It is open every day between 07:00 – 22:00 except Sunday. Meal and credit cards are available. #KanGurular Erşen T.

Taste: I cannot say that it is the best meatball I have ever eaten but I found it more delicious than I expected. You feel the deficiency of the coal fire.
Braising: meatballs cooked without burning and drying.
Portion Size: the portion consists 6 pieces of meatball, about 150 grams. It is satisfactory. Blarney is also serving as an ample portion.
Hygiene: I have not experience any boredom in respect of hygiene. They should keep the glass section more nitty.
Service: The staff should be used to density. There was no slowdown at the service despite the crowded customers. My order prepared in a short time.
Price: the price of portion meatball is 19,5₺. If you make a menu by adding blarney, its price is 26,5₺. The prices are very affordable.

Mirza Köftecisi – Bayrampaşa

Is it possible not to give place to Mirza meatball shop located in Bayrampaşa in meatball file? This sincere, family business venue has opened by retired police officer Saçir Kajeviç about 15 years ago in 2004. Their address seen as Yıldırım Neigbourhood in many resources has changed as Kocatepe, Avasköy Road No:67. I think their location has changed. Except Saçir Bey his children, wife and relatives are working in the shop.
When I have searched the Mirza Meatball shop from old resources, I saw that there was a wide menu including grill, salad and dessert kinds. This menu has shrunk in time. When I asked for the menu, “There is no menu. Only soup and meatball kinds are available,” said the shorthaired woman. We wanted to try all kinds of meatball as we were went as family.
Their meatballs are composed of mainly veal. They also use a little lamb meat. Their portions are 200 grams. There is a meatball kind like our Tekirdağ style meatball, cevapcici. It is serving with as spoon of rice, tomato and hot sauce. We also tried a flat meatball called pleskavica including dry meat pieces and spicy kobasita looks like sausage. Its portion price is 30₺. They use coal fire in grill. I wanted blueberry juice. Its glass price is 4₺. If you like spicy tastes like fresh soujouk, you like kobasita. It looks like sausage; its exterior layer is lamb intestine. The pleskavica I ate in a Bosnian restaurant in Pendik was very tasty with the smoked taste of dry meat. The portion of cevapcici (20₺), including 10 pieces of meatball, is very satisfying. I also loved their fatty breads. We tried the famous pepper pickle of Balkans with clotted cream. It is very salty but appetizing taste. We love it. People coming to here is mainly eat meatball or meat broth soup. After our meal, we stared at dessert. Waiter warned us “Our desserts are very little sweet. We ordered a caramel wafer, a baked rice pudding and homemade ice cream by Saçir Bey, from fresh village milk and eggs. All of them rate of sugar was very weak as the said by waiter. They did not appeal to us except homemade ice cream. Their working time is same on every day. 09.00-21:00. Credit cards are available. There is no parking lot problem. #KanGurular Fuat Ş.

Fevzi Hoca Balık & Köfte – Ümraniye

Fevzi Hoca Balık&Köfte having one branch in Istanbul, located in Çırçır Forest, recreation area called Trabzon Park. There are many restaurants in here including the ones from Black Sea Region. Fevzi Hoca is also one of them. Due to its location is a very green forest, it reminds Black Sea partly. Therefore, it has a nice location. However, there is a disadvantage: If you come here by vehicle, you should pay 8₺ as entrance fee. If you park in front of the venue, vale fee is 10₺. You should consider it. Because of this situation, I preferred to park near entrance door and walked. It became a nice walking thanks to forest atmosphere. Fevzi Hoca is venue established by Fevzi Cimşit born in 1958. He has started this job in 1973 by selling fish and meatball as pedlar in front of Avni Aker Stadium. He continues to work in restaurant sector with three branches in 3 big cities and 150 employee.
As you can understand from its name here is not selling only meatball. They also service and cook fish (anchovy, horse mackerel, red mullet, whiting fish, scorpion fish). Fishes are coming from Trabzon as daily. Butter and cheese are coming from Akçaabat, burmalı dessert and Laz pastry are coming from Trabzon. Desserts baked and sweetened at branch.
It has a spacious open area. We settled a nice table towards the edge of the forest. Tables covered with white table clothes, neat and clean. We ordered one portion meatball and blarney. There is no open buttermilk. We preferred box buttermilk. As soon as you give order, pickle and kaygana (a kind of crepe) are coming to table. Pickle is not bad. I could not like kaygana in no way. I find it plain. Our main order, meatball came to the table. Portion is very big and satisfying. It serviced with grilled tomato, pepper and industrial fries. Meatball cooked done to a turn. According to me, it might be better if it grilled a bit more without drying. The texture and taste of it is nice. It is not slushy as some Akçaabat meatballs. If the meat were tastier, the taste could be high level. The portion of blarney was enough in respect of size and taste except plenty of greenery. Its beans are nice. Service without slice of boiled egg and black olive is a deficiency for me.
It is very joyous offering tea, burmalı and fruit when you ask the check. Tea is at normal level for a Black Sea venue. Ingredient of burmalı not very much. Fruits are fresh. The total cost was 45₺. The prices of meatball and blarney is high. The cost of meatball is partly balancing with offerings.We want to try the breakfast and fish kinds for next time. There is also playing area for kids if you visit here with your child. They are open between 09.00 a.m.-11.00 p.m. credit cards are available. There is no alcohol. #KanGurular Gültekin U.

Taste: The meatball is delicious. You can try it. Its texture is nice contrary to some Akçaabat style meatballs. If they increase the amount of beans, decrease the greenery and add slice of boiled egg and olive as topping, it might be successful.
Braising: It cooked without drying. It might be fry a bit more.
Portion Size: The size is enough. It is impossible not to fill thanks to offerings coming both before and after it.
Hygiene: There are some problems due to the tables are located in open area but the hygiene level seems enough.
Service: The venue was almost empty. Therefore, there was not any problem at service.
Price: The price of portion meatball (it is roughly 250 grams) is 30₺. Blarney is 10₺, buttermilk is 3₺, and water is 2₺. The price of meatball is very high.

P.S. Our meatball articles needs to take detailed information from venues due to they consist details related with venue and meatball content. The authorized person in this venue said that he couldn’t give information. Because of this, we cannot give some additional technical details.

Bakırköy Köftecisi – Bakırköy

Bakırköy Meatball Shop opened in 1987. It is still giving service from this date as one branch. Meatballs prepared from %100 local meats (Balıkesir and Afyon region) as Daily like it written at the entrance. It said that there is no soy and kidney oil as additives. A nice writing at the entrance %10 discount for students. A nice application congrats.
The venue is a typical neighbourhood venue. Entrance area is full of writings. It is generally booth but clean. A huge grill with glass separator. Cashier is opposite of it. The owner, Raci Bey is sitting on the cashier section. Wooden chair and tables, a long mirror on the wall and oil paint İstanbul pictures. There is İspir dry bean, chicken skewer and leg, blarney, salad and rice with butter except meatball. They very rely on their lentil soup they offers sponge pastry rolls as dessert. Deceased Tarık Akan was one of the regulars of the venue. We ordered meatball and blarney. Meatball is like Sultanahmet meatball style; a bit elastic. It is serving with grilled tomato&pepper. Its taste is not bad but I felt an ingredient providing elasticity very much on my palate. This situation dominated the taste of meat. Therefore, I could not pleasure totally from the meatball.
The bean of the blarney was tasty. Their olive oil is nice. When I poured this oil into blarney and squeezed lemon the taste of it was increased. Generally, the taste was a bit higher than average. If I visit here again, I want to try lentil soup and the dessert. The venue closed on Sundays. Open between 08:30-19:30 on other days. Credit and meal cards are available. There is also take away service.
Consequently, I thought that the meatball of this venue giving service since 1987 would more assertive but I felt some disappointment. Maybe it coincided just my luck. Therefore, I think to try its meatball again later. #KanGurular Gültekin U.

Taste: I could not eat a tasty meatball because of an ingredient repressing the taste of meat. Except that, its texture is nice. Blarney was not bad thanks to olive oil and lemon. If they add slice of boiled egg and olive it might be a successful blarney.
Braising: Meatballs have cooked without drying.
Portion Size: Portion might be enough. But you should support it with soup or blarney if you want to satisfy.
Hygiene: Cleanliness was enough but when we entered the shop about noon, the lights were off and inside was dark. They turned on the light later.
Service: The venue is generally empty. There did not any failure in service.
Price: Price of portion (approx. 200 grs.) meatball is 17₺, blarney is 8₺, soup is 5₺, dessert is 8₺. The price of meatball is affordable. Other prices are average.

Altı Üstü Kırk Köfte - Üsküdar

I ran across a meatball shop having an interesting name; Altı Üstü Kırk Köfte when I continue my search on meatball shops. The different way of this meatball shop is they are making Bosnian style meatball but the owners are not from Bosnia. Serkan Bey is from Bayburt and have an inquiring interest about gastronomy. After he ate meatball in Bosnia-Herzegovina, he understood that he has eaten very different and nice thing from the ones ate in Turkey. He is chasing up to the secret of this taste. Of course, nobody wants to share this secret with him. So he has started to trying by asking yourself the question “If I were a Bosnian what kind of things I add to this meatball?” he has reached the best recipe for himself by spending tones of meat and trying hundreds of recipes. I said he spent the meatballs but actually, he did not spent them. They use them in stews in a tradesmen restaurant also belongs him. The name of the venue has already emerged from these trying. Serkan Bey realized that a detail in the people who he made meatball recipes tried. Palatal delights of people are very different over forty years aged with under forty years. The point liked by one of them do not liked by other group. The group over forty years aged like classic, family style presentation. The group under forty years aged like more wet and soft presentation. He has tried to develop a recipe appeal to both groups.
I order mixed meatball plate. So, I tried all kinds of meatballs. The total weight of the plate is 270 grams. It is definitely a satisfying choice. There are cevabi, Mostar and pljeskavica meatballs in this plate. It is serving with potato salad, onion and pepper pickles. They give a bread made from yellow wheat. Mostar meatball became my favourite. There is a mixture in it composed from Hatay cheese and pastrami without fenugreek. It was much better meatballs with kashar. The shape of cevabi was not cylinder that I used to see. It was flat like classic meatball. It is its original shape. The recipe of pljeskavica adapted for Turks. They did not add smoked meat in it due to the customers do not want. The texture of all kinds of meatball were elastic and soft. Their tastes were also good. I just found them a bit oily for me. It depends the oil rate of the meat using in it. The meat could be high or low fat according to the season. The meat is coming from Balıkesir. They used only the meats from leg and near the ribs. Meatballs, cooking on coal fire, are consisting only veal. They do not add lamb meat definitely. Because adding of lamb meat affects negatively the chemical structure of meatball. According to Serkan Bey, meatball should be compose only lamb or veal. Actually, he said, “I do not like meatball, I am a meat lover.” When I asked why he entered to making of meatball job, he said, “If I transform the thing that I do not like very much into a shape I like everybody will like it
The hot sauce is also different as siding. Normally they make 7-8 different kinds of sauce. The ingredients of the one that I ate were eggplant, celery, artichoke, chilli. It had a moderate bitterness. Serkan Bey converted classic blarney into a kind of salad inspiring from Gaziantep due to he found it tasteless. There is no boiled egg in it but it has a juicy and yummy taste.
One of the most different things I tasted here became the beverage called meatball syrup. There are many different herbs like tamarind, carob, hibiscus in it. All the herbs are natural. He added it to the menu by inspiring from wine-food matching. They used the herbs using in making of carpet. It was an easy drinking beverage not to sour or sweet.
I tried semolina halva serving in casserole as dessert. Hazelnut pieces are topping on it. Lovers of this halva should definitely try it.
A framed ashtray, hanged on the wall drew my attention. It is an indicator of success showing that this restaurant has reached master level on making meatball. A community like our Ahi-order in Turkey is working in Bosnia-Herzegovina with the name of Sipad. This indicator transferring from master to apprentice has given via this community. An apprentice, tasted meatball in this restaurant has felt the taste of his deceased father’s meatball and decided to realize the will of him. He decided to give the indicator to a deserving venue.
The mother and siblings of Serkan Bey have also joined food sector. Sister of him has even started to open restaurants in USA. There is no open buttermilk in the venue. Credit cards are available. There is also take away service. It is open every day until 09.00 p.m. except Sunday. #KanGurular Erşen T.

Taste: It is a successful meatball in respect of taste except being too oily.
Braising: Meatballs have cooked without drying. They were juicy.
Portion Size: The weight of mixed plate is 270 grams. It consists two pieces of cevabi, one piece of Mostar and Pleskavica. It was a satisfying plate with sidings. Blarney is serving without boiled egg but sauced. Its portion size is normal.
Hygiene: Generally, I have not experience inconvenience in respect of hygiene.
Service: I visited here for dinner. The venue was not so dense. Service pace was enough.
Price: the price of mixed meatball plate is 31,50₺. Portion prices of cevabi, Mostar, Pleskavica are respectively 22, 24 and 22₺. Price of blarney is 8₺. Prices are very affordable according to weight.