As one of the fanciest areas in Kadıköy, Moda has so many great places to eat and socialize that it’s really hard to surprise people with something brand new or especially awesome there. However, thanks to French chocolate sommelière Sandra Kati, I recently discovered Rumeli Çikolatacısı, a chocolatier shop/café on Bahariye Street.
Currently, Sandra is on her Cacao World Tour, and in each city where she stops she finds the best chocolate shop. While in Istanbul, she chose Rumeli Çikolatacısı as a place to hold her introductory chocolate-tasting session, which I attended with a bunch of other chocolate lovers.
At the session, Sandra told us about the origins of chocolate and the processing of cocoa beans. We also learned a few steps of a classic chocolate-tasting technique. The practical part of tasting started with dark French chocolate produced in Vietnam called “Erithaj” and continued with five different types of chocolate from Rumeli Çikolatacısı. Well, after eating so much sweets in a short period of time and trying to actually taste it, I’d say being a chocolate sommelière is not as easy as it seems.
There is quite a big assortment of chocolate at Rumeli suited to any taste. Plus, they serve drinks. But when you’re there, ask for “Mutluluk” (and they say happiness can’t be bought) — fresh strawberries in milk chocolate. This treat received the most praise from the public that evening.
Rumeli Çikolatacısı is located right at Moda Meydanı. It immediately catches the eye with its traditional Ottoman ornaments in front of the building, bright flowers on the windowsills and predominantly turquoise and red colors. It also has a collection of nostalgic toy trams, small fountains with rose water inside and tiny chairs that belong at a kindergarten. Altogether, they make it so cute that if Roald Dahl lived during the Ottoman times, his Chocolate Factory would look just like Rumeli Çikolatacısı.
Rumeli Çikolatacısı
Caferağa Mah.
Bahariye Cad. 81/24 Kadıköy
34200 Istanbul
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