Semolina is a labor of love. Hulya and husband Fevzi opened in January 2012 with the goal of bringing to Istanbul a cozy, Italian bistro that serves authentic pastas at affordable prices. To that end, they choose only the freshest and most authentic of ingredients, in season, and have recently invested in their own pasta machine so that all of their noodles are made in house. They’ve expanded their repertoire from pastas to chocolate mousse and extravagant breakfasts including pancakes with real maple syrup. My wife puts love into this place, Fevzi says. For years she worked at a bank and hated it. So we made a decision. We pooled all the money we got at our wedding and put her through the Academy of Culinary Arts she had always been a good cook. After she graduated, it was difficult to find a job so we decided to open our own place specializing in Mediterranean cuisine, her favorite. (In addition to Italian, Semolina sports a few French, Turkish and Greek dishes as well.) The results? Well in the words of one customer, A warm home away from home, not to be missed.’
