Last week I met Umut Özkanca at his restaurant Masa in İstinye Park to talk about the family business. For decades the Özkancas have pioneered Istanbul’s fine dining scene with ventures including Loft, Borsa, and now Masa. After an hour long talk, he invited me to be his guest at his father’s restaurant Borsa in Harbiye the next day. Even after weeks of huge meals, there was no way to prepare myself for the bounty that would arrive at our table. For three hours, dish after dish arrived, each meticulously prepared and plated. At the end, four desserts were served, including tavuk göğsü, chicken breast pudding. This dish is probably best consumed on a somewhat emptier stomach but I voraciously devoured the whole thing. What a strange combination, shredded chicken and a thick rolled up pudding burned on one side. It’s definitely weird, but I love it.

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Categories: Istanbul, Turkish Cuisine