A Cozy Meal in Istanbul

It is probably quite telling that I include so many posts about eating. Here's just a quick posting, mainly, I suspect, to distract me from grading final exams. Here are three pictures of a wonderful little meal that I had at the Cozy Cafe in Istanbul, right around the corner from the Hagia Sophia (about three doors down from Starbucks). It was such a great meal that I went there a couple times. Great food and wonderful, friendly service - everyone spoke impeccable English and could not have been friendlier. I just asked them, "what do you think I should eat?", and they took that as a personal challenge.

I especially liked the beans, which look really plain, but which were fantastic. Apparently it's a staple dish both in Turkey and in Greece. It was advertised as kidney beans, but I believe it was butter beans (as my good friend Kelly Thomas observed). It was just butter beans cooked in olive oil, garlic and thyme. Combine it with Efe, a nice Turkish beer, and you have a lovely meal.