Kunefe @ Hafiz Mutafa, Taksim Sq, Istanbul, Turkey

Buttery, crunchy, and stuffed with cheese and topped off with nuts. Sounds like heaven no? I am not too sure, but it was definitely tasty. If you have yet tried kunefe, then you owe to yourself to try one. I do pride myself to be a some sort of food expert. Even though so, there is still so much to know, learn and taste. And kunefe was off the radar, until now. 

Inside the premises

There are many places that sell this sugary delight. The most common one, and most popular is Hafiz Mustafa cafe. A very popular dessert and cake shop, it is located in most shopping streets around Istanbul. 

Look at how it shines!

Its prizemaker is their baklava, which is sinfully sweet and looked like jewels. Aromatic and buttery, it was very indulgent. And I sort of like it. But, after tasting a few samples, I had to back down as I feel a sugar overload coming. 

A gorgeous array

Speaking of sugar overload, the premises sell lokum, or more familiarly known as turkish delights. There was a dizzying array of types, shapes and flavours. Indeed a spectacle of colours. I was also tempted to try them all, but they are not cheap. Well, at least over here. 

Such colour. 

Not to be outdone, there also puddings and cakes in store as well. Each dessert was arranged like a piece of precious artwork. Colourful, vibrant, and explosive with flavour (and glucose), everything looked impressive. The chocolate cakes and fruit puddings do look interesting. But I would probably get a similar version back home. Gotta try something local no? I did not just fly 11 hours just to have something I had before eh?

Behold

What is a kunefe exactly? Its is some sort of a pancake, but not quite as it is made out of the crushed strands of noodles. It is fried with alot of butter and is stuffed with a mild cheese in between. Sugar syrup is then added in and nuts like cashews,or pistachios are then placed on top to finish it off. It is indeed as decadent as it sounds. It is a staple dessert in kebab shops and dessert cafes. Due to it being a laborious morsel and you need a big fire, like a kebab grill, it is not something that can be done easily at home. 

A close up. 

The dish took quite a while to prepare, and I waited for about 20 minutes. As mentioned, it is pretty laborious. But this was worth the wait. Once it was laid in front of you, you can smell the nutty aroma of burnt butter. And the sight was indeed something to behold. Golden on the outside, with a shimmering gloss covering its crunchy exterior. The nuts were also striking, with a hint of green to give it contrast. 

Cheesy. 

Going though it was also like exploring contrasts. The outside was crunchy, but the inside was soft and chewy. It was slightly salty too, being cheese. The butter was really pronounced and if you like dairy, this is the thing for you. The nuts also gave it a savoury contrast and an extra dimension to the texture. The cheese was decadent too. Stretchy and gooey, it fought hard before the strands gave up and broke loose, ready to be munched upon.  If you like pizza, this may be right where the money is. And speaking of money, this was TL 15.50. 

Look at those layers! 

The sugar content, like most Turkish desserts, is very high. So if you are a diabetic, proceed with caution. And it was surprisingly filling and being loaded with cheese and butter, it is heavy. This, my friend, is something worth sharing. You can be ambitious in finishing it off on your own, but your stomach may not thank you for that. I still enjoyed it though. 

Caffeine to finish things off. 

I ordered a cup of Ottoman coffee on the side. I was thinking, perhaps I was a little to harsh on the coffee I had a few days back. But alas, it was again a slight let down. It was good coffee. Woody, a bit of deep ash aftertaste. But nothing to spectacular. And it was not cheap too. It was TL9.50.

A picture of the founder. He has a great mustache tho. 

Perhaps, putting the coffee aside, this is one dessert that needs to be in your must eat bucket list. There are many Hafiz Mustafa branches out here and most good restaurants with a kebab grill will sell them. There are many dessert shops that prep them outside their compounds too. Just let your nose guide you and if you smell that sweet buttery and nutty hint in the air, you are pretty close. 

Front of the house. 

If you however, would like to try this from the specific shop I have visited, the address is below. Note of caution though. As this is located in Taksim Sq, it will be very crowded regardless of the time of the day.

Gümüşsuyu Mahallesi, No:, Sıraselviler Cd. No:7, 34437 Beyoğlu/İstanbul, Turkey