I wasn't too happy to read this Istanbul Eats post. Inci Pastanesi, a veritable Istanbul institution and a perfect stop on a weekend stroll down Istiklal, is getting the chop, or rather the wrecking ball. In the same building as the now defunct (*tear*) Emek Sinemasi, it looks like everyone is losing the fight against whatever ridiculous shopping center is going up on this block.
Inci Pastanesi is famous for their tasty profiterole, which goes down perfectly with a glass of their tasty lemonade. The interior really gives you a feeling for what Istiklal used to feel like, and they can wrap up all their treats in candy boxes that haven't changed fashion for decades. They are often so busy you can't find a chair, and have to down your chocolate-smeared cream puff standing at the counter. Maybe you can tell from the picture in the Istanbul Easts post that the guys who run the place have a very specific character...a sign in the window proudly proclaims "Başka şübemiz yoktur" - We have no other branches. They've held out against the developers until now, but it sounds futile.
Emek Sinemasi was a beautiful old theatre, which just closed in April of this year. They didn't play the best films, but going there was never really about the film playing. The usher was always wearing his near ancient uniform, jingling coins in his hand when he showed you a seat. You had to pay for the toilets, which was always good for a laugh when some cinema goers thought themselves too good for this and started an argument with the bathroom attendant. And even better, the sound quality was so bad that your eyes can't leave the Turkish subtitles because even YOU can't understand what's being said in English. But it was all worth it as the heavy red curtains opened and closed across the screen.
İnci Pastanesi BİZİM! :(
No comments:
Post a Comment