We had already been to the Fatih headquarters twice prior for my partner's appointment, and today was my turn. I woke up nervous and jittery. But since we were taking the 45 minute bus ride to Fatih for my residence permit appointment, we thought we could capitalize on Fatih's concentration of spicy food with a Middle East twist.
Fatih is also one of the newfound homes in Istanbul for the many Syrian refugees living outside of the Turkish camps. While many of these refugees are struggling to make ends meet, there are equally as many who are resourceful and making the most of what they have (like opening a restaurant or bakery featuring the tastes of home). We were excited to try Syrian food, and found a location online, only to arrive and find that it was closed.
We promptly ordered two dishes to split: tavuk shish (roasted chicken kebab) and a kasarli pide (a Turkish cheese pizza). One of the men brought us freshly baked flat bread sprinkled with black sesame seeds, and we all too quickly gobbled it up while we waited for our entrees. No more than 10 minutes later our dishes arrived, smelling of grilled goodness. It was all delicious, satisfying and enjoyable. I would certainly recommend others who must make the same trek to try this little restaurant on Molla Gürani Caddesi.
*We still are hopeful to locate another delicious Syrian restaurant be it in Istanbul or on our adventures throughout Turkey! Stay tuned.