Wednesday, April 24, 2013

I've always been on the lookout for yabancı products in Istanbul.

Now, there’s another gourmet shop nearby in Nişantaşı with specialty products such as sesame oil, HP sauce, dulce de leche and most importantly, foreign cheeses, deli meats and beers.

Last month, Milano Gourmet opened up in a corner space formerly occupied by an expensive furniture store. I’ve been watching this space for awhile since I walk by here to get to the metro. Finally, the space is being used for something worthwhile.
 Inside, you’ll find a gigantic refrigerated section filled with tons of Turkish mezze items, Turkish cheese and deli meats as well as Parmesan, mascarpone, gouda, gruyere and Spanish manchego cheeses. (The shop’s selection is very similar to the items at Şütte, which is just a few blocks away.) 
At the far end, you’ll find a tiny section devoted to domuz – yep, pork products get their own corner. Skinny bacon, prosciutto and Italian deli meats live here. The sales guy smiled at me when I asked if the store had domuz.

In the beer section, you’ll find foreign beers such as Duvel, Peroni, Brooklyn Lager, Corona and a few others I didn’t recognize. My beloved Brooklyn Lager does cost 12.50 tl per bottle, but it’s the only place I’ve seen it for sale now. La Cave used to sell it, but doesn’t anymore.
I had originally posted this photo on Instagram when I found my beer.
 Downstairs you’ll find a wine cellar and a small wine bar. That part wasn’t open yet when I last popped into Milano. Looks like you should be able to enjoy a glass of wine or get a bottle to share with friends here after work.

Milano Gourmet also sells olive oils produced in different parts of the Aegean region, squid ink pasta, sushi rice, risotto and Jaime Oliver’s (complete) line of pestos and pasta sauces (which I found a bit odd). However, in case you haven’t heard, Oliver is set to open his first restaurant in Turkey, Jaimie’s Italian, at the mega complex of Zorlu Center in Istanbul later this year.

You never know what you’ll find at Milano Gourmet.

Afiyet olsun!

Location:
Şakayık Sokak, Çınar Apt. No:54/1A
Nişantaşı, Istanbul
Phone: 0212-233-1033

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5 comments:

Mike said...

I wanted to tell you that I found this same Brooklyn beer about 3 weeks ago in the Istenye Park shopping mall. The cost was only about 7.5 TL per bottle (a big difference from what you saw). I can't remember the name of the store, but it was a wine shop inside the "Istenye Pazar" in the mall.

Joy said...

@Mike, thanks for letting me know! I don't often travel up to Istinye bc of the distance and the fact that I don't really like malls. But I might for a beer. ;-)

jaz@octoberfarm said...

don't you just love finding shops like these. i just saw a shop yesterday, a tiny shop in a little run down town. it looked as cute as could be and had signs saying....Best Polish Kielbasa and Perogies. i was running late and could not stop but i will be heading back there soon!

BacktoBodrum said...

When there is so much basil, garlic, olive oil and pine nuts on offer, I can't think why anyone would buy a Jamie Oliver bottled sauce.

Joy said...

@Joyce, I do love finding random shops like this! I'd be curious to find out what the Polish place is like. Let me know. ;-)

@Annie, I know what you mean! I make it all from scratch too, but I know not everyone likes to spend hours in the kitchen like I do.