On the morning of my departure I made one more visit to Hafız Mustafa, this time the Nuruosmaniye Street branch. It turned out to be much smaller and much less touristy despite its proximity to the Grand Bazaar. In fact, I happened to be the only non-local person when I arrived. Next to me was a company of three men drinking coffee and discussing something — in a lively but leisurely manner.
Not sure which of the many still untried desserts to go for, I asked the waiter’s opinion. On hearing me name the chocolate pudding (called ‘supangle’) among a few other options, he said that the staff get to have a free dessert every week and that’s the one he usually goes for. I didn’t regret following his advice — I’ve never cared much for puddings, but that was one of the best treats I’ve had in my life.
I also got coffee with gum mastic, a Turkish speciality I’d discovered on my previous trip to the country. At Hafız Mustafa they sell it in ground form too alongside sahlep and several varieties of tea, not to mention numerous sorts of baklava, lokum and other delights…
