Istanbul Iskembecisi

bellaphon

Istanbul Iskembecisi 13th August 2008

3 found this helpful

I only came here because of the reviews from both Kate Spicer and Charles Campion about the tripe soup. When one gets older the squeamish thing soon evaporates. Not quite offal rules, but hey, life's too short so give it a go. So the the raison d'être for this pilgrimage was the Iskembe (Tripe Soup). DIY seasoning of salt, vinegar, lemon juice, crushed chilli and pepper is placed on the table at your behest. It tasted...cowish or of the farm. I loved it anyway. I thought that the ceremony involving the seasoning of this course made it worthwhile. I also had the Shish Kebab served with rice & salad. I think the Turks have the edge over the Lebanese joints on Edgware Road, they sure know their seasonings and grilling technique. My dining companion had a rather strange pudding known as Tavuk göğsü that contained chicken; he thought it was rather moreish. £7.50 for two courses...no brainer. Service was excellent and friendly, however the ambience was rather dark and lost. Great place, authenticity beyond the realms.