Insider Trading: Nigerian Food in Istanbul

I have been trying for years to find any sort of African restaurant in Istanbul. It certainly would seem that the immigrant population is high enough to support that sort of eatery, even if it does not interest locals, but time and time again I failed, excluding Habesha in Taksim of course. There are rumors though, secret whispers of underground cafes where one could find new tastes, should one know the right way to knock on the door. In the end, this is not far from the truth.

I found a guide, who said she had been to a Nigerian place in Kurtuluş. Great I replied, take me there! Walking down the hill from Taksim towards Dolapdere, then back up the next hill towards Kurtuluş, you will indeed find yourself in an immigrant neighborhood very different than commercialized Taksim, with call shops and signs written in Arabic and a number of other languages. Seems like the right place, but my guide is confused about which street we should be on, and of course there are no signs, since these kitchens are not, strictly speaking, open to the public, but rather part of a secret club. Solution? Let’s pop into a market and ask! Although a bit of a shot in the dark, it actually worked out perfectly. Our new friend Sol from the shop led us directly to an unmarked door, from which you should know which button to push, and ascend a stairway so compact you can hit your head on the stairs above you.

Inside is really just an apartment, with the bedroom converted into a dining room with four tables, and the living room with a couch and tv, where you can enjoy your meal and watch BBC. The proprietor explained that they will serve us Nigerian food, but there is no menu, so we should just say what we want. Easier said than done. We just went with whatever the owner and our friend Sol-from-the-store suggested. We ended up with some fried turkey wings with rice and spicy sauce. They make an excellent combination, and the sauce is deliciously fragrant with an undefinable array of spices, including anise, paprika, and at least two things I have never tasted before. The next course was turkey legs again, this time in an intensely goopy soup, about the consistency of snot. Again, flavors of which I have never tasted. This one came with a ball of boiled rice flour which you should make into small rounds and scoop the soup with. This one reminded me of plain, overcooked sushi rice. Sticky but without much flavor.

The night ended down the block at the “bar” which was again just a storefront with blacked-out windows and a few couches inside, with a beer fridge stocked up with Efes and Tuborg. I am told sometimes they get some African beers in but they always sell out quickly. For an experience and an unforgettable meal, be adventurous and pound some pavement until you find what you’re looking for!

Since this is an underground cafe, the owners asked that we not publish their address. But, there are a number of them in the area. If you walk towards Kurtuluş just up the hill from Dolapdere Cad., you can ask around and hopefully find someone to point you in the right direction. 

Insider Trading is our new column sharing expats’ secret finds in Istanbul. These recommendations are unsolicited and uncompensated. Have a place you want to share? Send us an email at editor@yabangee.com.