wondering in isteklal street at around 10 pm, we wanted to din in on international food that we are familiar with and so dilek pastanesi could our attention. unfortunately, the international food was not up to our expectations.
? food: the portions were generous and the ingredients were fresh. we had:• cheese burger (18 tl = 4.6$): the burger itself was simple yet tasty. fries were extremely oily and not seasoned. in addition the fries’ portion was very small. • chicken tagiatelli (22 tl = 5.6$): this dish was a big disappointment. chicken was dry, spaghetti was overcooked, and sauce was bland. • fahitta plate (26 tl = 6.6$): this plate a unique mini fahita station. it comes with sauces and bread. unforyunetlly, this plate is overpriced. the meat was over cooked and rubbery, though perfectly seasoned and the amount of peppers beneath the meat is a lot compared the amount of meat.• pilic schnitsel (chicken escalope): (18.5 tl = 4.7$) the chicken bas perfectly fried and seasoned beautifully. the fries like mentioned before were oily, not seasoned, and poor in portion.• chicken wrap: this was our worst dish. chicken and sauce were extremely bland. • bread which was offered in the beginning was not cooked.• basterma rolls filled with cheese. the pastry was not crispy but the taste was delicious. (value for money: 3/5 - food taste: 3/5)
? service: being in a crowded and touristic area like taksim, you expect workers there to have a minimum english knowledge. we had a very hard time communicating with our waiters. all waiters were not around for help. taking into consideration that only 2 tables were filled and before our arrival, our order took a long time. our order came in all at once and took 30 minutes. (customer service: 2/5 - speed of service: 3/5)
? ambiance/presentation: entering this café you are required to go underground. as you arrive a beautiful fridge full of beautifully decorated cakes sits in the entrance of the café. this outlet offers both indoors and outdoor seating were both couches and chairs are available. the area, including wcs, was clean. the interior is nicely decorated with a cozy modern feeling. the food is nicely presented on white or wooden cutlery. (ambiance: 5/5 - presentation: 3/5)