Kapali Carsi and Dinner with Hasan and Alican at Kosebasi

We are sitting around getting organized, trying to decide what to do. We have dinner with Hasan this evening but that’s about it. We just returned from the Kapali Carsi, and it’s about 2:30, having left around 10:00. Traffic was terrible going, as we sat and sat, especially between Ortakoy and Kabatas for some reason. It took us about 45 minutes to get to Kabatas. Then, the tram, which is usually reliable and quick, stopped in Kadikoy. We talked with some cute students, and it appeared we were going to have to get off because of an emergency; we all starting getting off, then they announced no problem, so got back on and made it finally to the Bazaar. It was much more fun this time, as we seemed more relaxed and interested in shopping and moving around. We picked up our rings from The Brothers, had a cup of tea and went shopping. If you show any hesitation, the totes stop you, want you to come in for coffee, and see their wares. We did find a shop that had the dervishes we had admired at Ates’s house and ended up getting three for $20.00 a piece and we also picked up some boxes for the girls. We also bought an evil eye tee shirt…we will have to see what it looks like after washing. We then shopped a bit more but were worried about traffic coming home, as the IMF or some version of it is in town, causing traffic problems as well. We stopped at a little lokanta off the main street, used mostly by locals because the prices were good, had some lentil soup, rice, and eggplant stew, all three which we quite good. Forunately, the buses and trams, were easy, so we got home much earlier than expected, around 2:30. When we arrived, I called Umran about the TV and a repair man was her within ten minutes at the most. We are going to relax this afternoon, take a walk around 4:30 and get ready for our dinner with Hasan, who will pick us up around 7:15.
About 3:30 we walked to Bebek, as it was a beautiful clear day, windy, so everything was clear and precise, perfect for taking pictures. We had tea in the famous Bebek coffee house, right on the water, a hang out for students, the famous, the rich forever. We had the ubiquitous tost sandwich and tea, then walked back to the village, and stopped at another café, just on the village side of the road, so as you sat, you looked out over the highway and promenade to the water. Interestingly, there is water between the highway and the café, so the highway much be above the water on pylons. There we a number of men playing tavla, sipping tea, and we liked the place. We headed home about 5:00 in time to get ready for dinner at 7:15. It is supposed to be the best iskender kebab place, according to Hasan. Faruk called, to say hi, and wants us to call him when we get back from our trip so we can get together again. What a guy.
Hasan and Agop, two RC students class of 73’ and took us to Hasan’s favorite restaurant called Kosebasi, a very class restaurant in Levent, perhaps the best we have visited. From the moment we arrived, we were treated like royalty, with the waiters and manager hovering over us, making sure everything was to our liking, ensuring that they had a surprise for us. Hasan had obvioulsy called ahead, reserved a good table, and told them what we wanted. It was a meal to remember, no doubt, beginning with various mezze, as usual: eggplant salad, a wonderful salad of mint/parsley/tomatoes with pomergranite vinegar liberally used as well as olive oil; mini lamachuns, with seasoned tomatoes and onions with red pepper, the cig kofte, a combination of raw meat, bulgar, and red pepper; we wrapped each kofte in lettuce leaves; next was hummus with strips of fried pasiirma(a dried meat); next, slices of doner served alone and hot…Hasan said it’s the best anywhere, so eat it while it’s hot; next were little pieces of shish kebab grilled and served on pide; next medallions of the lamb loin, and we ended up with Hasan’s surprise: grilled chicken wings. Wow…what a feast. We then had desserts, the best ever, a kadiife called Konife(shredded wheat with cheese in the middle covered with sugar syrup) and then a dollop a kaymak is added on top. We then had a small cake we shared of semolina helva with ice cream---wonderful. We ended with fruit…pomegranite seeds, pears, peaches, apples and black grapes. We finished with cappucino. As we were drinking up, I noticed the waiter hovering by the table, want to talk with Hasan; he finally got Hasan’s attention to tell him the meal was on the house. It must have been at least 2-3 hundred dollars, with wine, and everything. Hasan merely said he and the owners were very good friends, and that he had helped them with some ‘things.’ I don’t think I have ever felt so full and I know Evie felt the same way. We rolled home around 10:30 and watched some CNN before falling into bed, stuffed still and exhausted. It’s tough leading such a ‘good life.’