Kosinitza - A Tratorria in the Italian Tradition in Kuzguncuk

My husband and I are always in search of the next perfect meal.  Our search for new and exciting places leading us to anywhere from a hole in the wall joint to a diminutive gem of a place like Kosinitza on the Asian side of Istanbul. This was one of my husband's finds that came as a total surprise for me.

Kosinitza takes its name from the little Bosphorus town in which it is situated, Kuzguncuk.  It is a charming place that transports its diners to another world as soon as they walk in through its doors.  The food is luscious and  innovative, service exceptional, atmosphere warm and inviting.  The owner's warm greeting at the door and attentiveness as he took our orders and ensured we had a pleasant dining experience, gave one the feeling of dining at a friend's house instead of out at a restaurant.



Soup for two

 As he tells it, Ibrahim Ozyuruk , the owner of the restaurant, after years of encouragement from his friends, turned his passion for food and entertaining into a business at Kosinitza Restaurant.  What sets Kosinitza apart from other restaurants for me is the special menu for soup as well as the regular menu  for seafood. Since this was my first time, I let myself go and decided to try a bit of everything. Everything was excellent and my particular favorites were the Fresh Grilled Octopus and Calamari, Quatre Fromage Tagliatelle and the Jumbo Shrimp with garlic and butter... but the Bouillabaisse and Italian Fish Stew that came at the end of our meal were truly out of this world.  I would go back just to eat the Bouillabaise and nothing else the next time.  What is referred to as soup (a meal in itself actually) are supposedly for two people and have to be ordered ahead of time.  Chilled white wine accompanies everything on the menu perfectly and I was told the wine list was more than satisfactory. 
Our disappointment at realizing they did not have chocolate souffle soon turned into ecstasy as our palates were titillated with two types of Creme Brule, classic and with berries.

Our dining experience at Kosinitza, was a dreamy way of starting out the New Year.  They have a nice website, which, unfortunately is only in Turkish... but the pictures can give an idea of the interior of the six table restaurant.  The prices are typical of most seafood restaurants and the soups for two are in the range of 70 -95 TL but a meal in Kosinitza is truly a gourmet's delight.

Kosinitza Restaurant
http://www.kosinitzarest.com/

Icadiye Cad.
Bereketli Sok. No: 2/A
Kuzguncuk - Istanbul

Tel:  0216 334 0400