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One thing is for certain, as soon
as you enter the fine carved front door and gaze down the large
and rather dangerous looking staircase (you could make a painfully
dramatic entrance onto a mosaic fountain below!), you know that
someone paid the decorators a lot of money. There's a palpable
attention to detail.The meze came in many little earthenware dishes:
the tabouleh was excellent, dark green with parsley and mint.
There was a delicious aubergine (eggplant) dish, neither quite
Baba ganoosh nor Imam bayildi, more a lush combination of both.
The cous cous and chargrilled vegetables was particularly good
- flavoured with some very good olive oil.Our guest had a tender
piece of chicken on a bed of aubergine and tomatoes (more Imam
Bayildi - I can't get enough of it!) These were all interesting
dishes that had been put together with thought and care. As for
their authenticity - so what, it worked! - it's not meant to be
Bach on original baroque instruments for God's sake!Located on
the eastern banks of the Bosphorus, the Bosphorus Pasha Hotel
was once the holiday home of the grand vizir of sultan Selim III.
Entirely restored in the Ottoman style, today is is the most perfect
example of this rich tradition. Each room carries the mark of
the Ottoman architectural style and each detail reflects the wealth
of the Eastern civilization. In the restaurant, formerly the ancient
boathouse, enjoy Mediterranean cuisine and Turkish specialties
to the sound of waves lapping.
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