Hi guys!!!!!
It‘s been a minute I know. I could apologize, and say a number of things, but I don’t think that’ll be necessary. Life tends to happen to all of us, so I’m sure you guys understand.
There’s a slew of blogposts incoming on the blog, as I have a ton of content to work on, but before we get into all of that, I wanted to share that I’ve decided to make my blog a little bit more personal. It’ll still be a travel and lifestyle blog, (for now) but I do want you guys to feel a little more connected to me.
Now don’t expect any sort of scandalous tea, or anything like that. Lol those days are long gone, and those blogs are still up for a reason. I don’t know if my personality can shine through these written pages, but there’s always YouTube and real life for that you know.
I wear a ton of hats as an individual. I pursue my creative passions, run my businesses, as well as work a few jobs here and there. Nothing fancy at the moment, and nothing that most people like, but some of them afford me certain perks and luxuries, because they’re God given. On one of such jobs, God blessed me with a really generous client, who was very comfortable with me blogging while I worked. God bless him.
Anyway let’s get into this post, shall we?
Zorlu center is a luxury mall and apartment complex that’s smack in the heart of the city of Istanbul - in the Besiktas area. It’s one train stop from Mecidiekoy - Istanbul’s city center - on the M2 train, and also accessible by metro bus, making it one of the more accessible malls in the city. One of the first malls I fell in love with in Istanbul, and where I met one of my really good friends that’s been instrumental in changing my life, Zorlu holds fond memories for me, and now they’re even fonder. You’ll see why in one of my next few posts.
I love malls. I find them interesting and a place that you can go to just stare, get inspiration, watch people, and the good ones have great food joints too. Then there’s the clothes and the fashion. That’s my favorite part, seeing all the wonderful stores, full of beautiful garments. Whew! Love it!
Cantinery is right between the Prada and Burberry shops at Zorlu, and we visited it at night for a pretty late dinner. In fact it was about an hour and a half to 10pm when they close, so I did have to go back to take photos of the exterior on another day.
A quaint little space, with beautiful lights, simple wooden tables, stylish and elegant chairs, a fully stocked bar, and these pan decorations that I found fascinating and cool. I particularly liked the ceiling. The wood design paired beautifully with the lights, and everything came together to create a really intimate space, that’s perfect for date nights, and dinners.
The outdoor section of the Cantinery tells another story however. Usually bustling with activity, it provides more of a lunch and brunch with the girls type of vibe. There are 2 seating sections. One right outside the doors that spill to the sides of the restaurant and another that’s a lot like an enclosed cabana or gazebo. If you’re someone who likes to see and be seen, this would work perfectly for you.
We started with drinks, and I ordered a cocktail called the Chili Loco, and my client ordered the Rush Hour. I’m a spicy cocktail kind of girl, so I usually order some sort of spicy margarita if it’s on the menu, which is why I went for the Chili Loco, but my client didn’t like his drink, so we switched. Shade whom I was working with on the job ordered a mocktail, but I don’t think I tasted that.
The Rush Hour had a very sour taste to it, which is why my client wasn’t feeling it much, and the basil was quite prominent too. It also had a spicy kick, but I’m not certain if that was because I had tasted the Chili Loco prior to drinking it. It wasn’t extra strong, but it was good enough to get you just the right amount of buzz.
For my starter, I ordered the Spicy Steak Tartare which turned out to be a splendid decision. First of all the portion was huge, especially for a starter. Now I’m a Nigerian gal, and you know that means I want all the spice. This didn’t disappoint in that regard. It was covered in black pepper, and had the spiciest kick. It was served cold per usual with potato crisps dusted with Parmesan. Oh my! Just thinking about it again, has me almost moaning.
Unlike the Steak Tartare that was served cold, Shade’s meatballs came sizzling hot, and a little bit dry, especially for Turkish standards. Meatballs in Turkey are usually referred to as Köfte, and are a household staple in most Turkish homes. They’re one of my favorite Turkish things to eat, and can be found any and everywhere in Turkey. The meatballs came with fries, but the ketchup was nowhere to be found, although Shade didn’t want any. My client was hungry, so he ordered the Alfredo main as his starter, and I don’t remember tasting any of that.
For my main, I ordered the Risotto. Now I’m quite adventurous with food, if I may say so myself, but sometimes I just want a good comfort meal. My favorite comfort meal is the KFC single person box that comes with a drumstick, some wings, a few chicken strips, and most importantly a biscuit, but you can’t go wrong with risotto if you’re looking for something hot, delicious and comforting.
As an aside, Risotto reminds me of something else that’s called Banga Rice where I’m from. It has the same creamy, mushy consistency, but is made a little differently. It’s one of my favorite meals from the Delta State region in Nigeria where I’m from, and is usually sold in makeshift food carts, or even wheelbarrows. If you’re ever in the area, you should definitely ask a local to get you some, and then thank me later.
The risotto was so good. It wasn’t as spicy, but the creaminess of the sauce, and that distinct taste of seafood was a delicious pairing as usual. My favorite thing about Cantinery is how generous they were. The seafood was abundant. I found a tiny bit of octopus in my risotto and that was a pleasant surprise. I didn’t necessarily taste any tomato in it, but I think it had some, because of the color. The chili peppers in it were sweet not spicy.
Shade ordered the seafood linguine, and it was way less creamy, but made in a similar tasting sauce to my risotto. The seafood was once again plentiful and the portion was generous too.
My client ordered the steak for his main, and as far as good steaks go, I wouldn’t class this high up there, but it was really juicy. It just severely lacked salt, which is to be expected, because once again I’m Nigerian, and points have to be ducked for presentation. It could have been done better.
Y’all know I’m a dessert girl, so this is obviously my favorite part of this review, and maybe my favorite part of this entire dining experience. Now if you ever visit Cantinery and you don’t get nothing else, get the Tiramisu! Y’all I’ve really never had better tiramisu in my life, and it’s one of my go to desserts.
The tiramisu made me say oh my gosh out loud. It was the creamiest, most delicious thing. And it wasn’t excessively creamy in the way that sometimes cheesecake can be when it’s not done perfectly. It was light, tasted very fresh, and quite frankly just really great. The sponge was barely there and the bitter hint of the coffee/cocoa provided the perfect balance. I loved the bowl it came in, because it showed thought and intent like it was carefully made not drudged up from some fridge at the back of the restaurant. Once again the portion was extremely generous, and I certainly couldn’t eat it all by myself. Especially not after a full meal.
Our second dessert was the Pistachio Oreo Tart. Something different especially as I’ve never had it before, but it was really something else in the best way possible. The Oreo base gave it some texture, kind of like a chocolate cake sponge. The caramelization on the exterior was particularly delicious and crunchy, while the pistachio filling was creamy, fluffy and delicious like you’d expect a good cheesecake to be.
The service was decent, although sometimes it took a little effort to get the attention of a waiter, but they had a waiter that spoke good English especially by Turkish standards which is always a plus.
Overall I would definitely recommend Cantinery, especially after a full day of shopping, and mall activity, and if you do visit, give me a shout, or leave a comment.
NB: Our entire meal cost about 1,600TL including tips which amounted to a little over $100.
Until next time…
Love, Yoma.
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