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the stress from work at that kebab joint,” says Sakarya.“ Somehow, we became regulars. At one point [ at Nicole ], we had this lamb brisket that was slow-cooked for 24 hours. We brought it there, had it placed on the grill, wrapped it in flatbread and began to eat it,” Sakarya explained. They quickly realized this would be the foundation for an excellent dürüm( kebab wrap) and that is where the inspiration for the Basta Street Food Bar— which opened in 2016— originated.
In no small part due to the reputation of Sakarya and his co-founder Derin Arıbas, Basta quickly became renowned for its refined take on the dürüm. The menu features three options: a wrap of lamb rib cooked at a low temperature with paprika yogurt sauce, roasted onion, parsley, lettuce and harissa; one with smoked beef rib, honey and mustard mayo, lettuce, pickles and purple cabbage; and a vegetarian option made with hummus, roasted asparagus, cabbage, pumpkin and a mix of herbs.
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MAHIR LOKANTASI WHERE EVERYTHING IS GOOD
Mahir Lokantası opened a decade ago in Istanbul’ s Osmanbey district, a bustling area in the center of the city. Its namesake comes from owner Mahir Nazlıcan, who hails from the southeastern province of Diyarbakır, one of Türkiye’ s most crucial kebab cities— particularly celebrated for its excellent grilled liver, often eaten for breakfast alongside fiery peppers. Mahir’ s menu includes a number of home-style dishes and stews that come from regions all over Türkiye, and their ovens produce some of the best lahmacun( flatbread with minced meat and spices) in all of Istanbul. They also have a stellar kebab menu and, like Zübeyir, use only the highest-quality lamb and beef. My favorite is the Mardin kebabı, which comes from the province of the same name, next to Mahir’ s hometown. It’ s similar to Adana, but rather than pure lamb, they use a mix of lamb and beef that is, of course, sliced with a zırh. No machinery involved here.
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Clockwise from above: Galata Bridge across the Golden Horn; Sarma beyti wrap at Mahir Lokantası; Mahir Nazlican |
images: awl images; Selenay Kocer; Ulas Engin. illustration: emma kelly |
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