Shorba İstanbul

The name “Shorba” literally means “salty water” in Persian and is, in fact, the root of the Turkish word “çorba” (soup). As you can probably guess, the menu focuses heavily on soups. The restaurant, which is below street level in the middle of Bağdat Caddesi, is designed to be stylish yet serious. Gold leaf mirrors, corduroy couches, crystal light fixtures, dark wooden tables, dusty-rose coloured walls, all give the place a royal feeling. The soups, which are all prepared with fresh vegetables and natural ingredients, are served with different varieties of bread. Among the 24 types of soup offered are classics such as French onion, işkembe (tripe), trotter, and goulash, as well as more unusual options including tandoor (beef, black-eyed pea, beans, yoghurt and sauce), pumpkin with almonds, ribollita with gremolata, Thai fish soup (seabass, herbs and milk), and oxtail (with wine and herbs). Also, during summer, cold soups are added to the menu daily. As far as main courses go, tajine, ossobuco, orange beef tenderloins, chicken tikka and tandoori, and mantı are among the choices. Weekend service also includes breakfast and features everything from the Ottoman eggs with onions, to French crepes. And don’t forget to try Ottoman sherbet during summer.