Seraf

Setting out to carry on the food culture of the geography we live in and to introduce it to the world, Sinem Özler and her team are, in the fullest sense of the word, working wonders in the kitchen. I have never found anywhere else the flavour of the boiled içli köfte I ate here. Serving mantı, keşkek and many other traditional dishes with real care, Seraf is one of those stops you have to make on a visit to İstanbul. Seraf has two branches in the city and both are very good; I usually go to the Vadi İstanbul one simply because it is closer to me. They are very good on wines to match the food, too. They offer a wide selection, weighted towards Turkey but drawn from different parts of the world as well. The wine list was put together with Sabiha Apaydın, one of the leading names in the business, and that care makes itself felt in every sip. To close on something sweet, I would strongly recommend their sütlaç, made with buffalo milk and cooked over a wood fire; simple, but a flavour that stays with you for a long time.

What to Order

• İçli Köfte
• Mantı
• Keşkek
• Hamsi Kuşu
• Altı Ezmeli Lüle
• Sütlaç
• Kavaklıdere - Cotes d'Avanos Sauvignon Blanc