Old Ottoman Cafe & Restaurant

I highly recommend this affordable, comfortable and friendly place. Many of the staff speak English and are interested to tell you about their culture. I asked our waiter how long Turkey had been producing wine and I received a very informative answer including how the Sultans drank wine, but the people never knew. Turkey has been producing wine at least since the Ottoman Empire!

This restaurant is down a very quiet alley. Normally my husband won’t sit outside – noise, exhaust from cars, smells from garbage trucks… never his choice. But we’ve eaten here twice and sit at a table in the tiny alley, free of the smells of anything unpleasant. Both visits we ordered two courses, different each time, and everything we ate was delicious and perfectly prepared. They start you off with a basket of warm flatbread, and black olives dusted with a slightly peppery red spice. I hesitate to call it chili (probably was) because it was so mild and palate provoking.

The kebab/kebab in the clay pot, the buttered shrimp casserole, the chicken, the vegetable curry – everything was delicious and well balanced with flavors. Nothing too spicy, nothing too bland.

I can’t stress enough the accommodation and care of the staff. A real find.