Located in East Amsterdam, Javastraat is a bustling street that is home to various immigrant communities. The diversity of the restaurants and shops here is truly magnificent, with cuisines ranging from Yemeni to Turkish, Indian to Surinamese.
(Be sure to check out the video below for a one-minute video of MasMais Taqueria)
We were recommended by our Turkish colleagues to try out Ocakbaşı Çinar, a real authentic Turkish charcoal kebab restaurant. They specialize in kebab by bringing "Ocakbasi", which means grill restaurant with an open fire pit in the middle, to the Dutch capital. Intrigued, we decided to visit this place.
During our visit, we were a group of six people from all over Europe and Asia. We began our dinner with a bottle of Rakı, a high alcohol volume liquor made of twice-distilled grapes. The drink changes into milky white color when water is added.
Before the kebabs, we ordered mezzes and appetizers, including Humus, Haydari, Ezme, Padlican, and Icli Kofte. We found the Icli Kofte – fried meatball with minced meat to be the best among the mezzes, and additionally ordered cacik and salad.
Padlican (Large, 10.50€)
Eggplant with Yogurt, Garlic and Butter
Ezme (Large, 9.50€)
Grinded Bell Pepper, Tomato, Parsley, Garlic, Hot Peppe, Olive Oil and Walnut
(Enjoyed its spiciness and it was the group's favorite of the day.)
Haydari (Large, 9.50€)
Yoghurt, Garlic, Feta Cheese, Butter and Dill leaves
(My personal favorite)
Humuz (Large, 9.50€)
Chickpeas, Sesame paste and Garlic
(Rich and great!)
Icli köfte - 3 pcs (9€)
Stuffed meatball with minced meat
(THE ABSOLUTE BEST)
Cacik (Large, 9.50€)
Cucumber, Garlic, Yoghrt and Olive Oil
Salad
As our mezzes were served, the charcoal was set on fire on the mangal, which is the grill at the ocakbasi, and the meat was placed on it.
We were amazed by the skillful grilling of the BBQ meats, which were filled with charcoal flavor. The serving portion was quite generous, and the quality of the meat was excellent. The kebabs were very juicy.
My favorite kebabs were the minced lamb and chicken wing, while the lamb chops could have been a bit more tender. Overall, the kebabs were crazily good and authentic. We literally pigged out on the kebabs.
After the meat, we ordered Turkish tea, which was so good that we all had second glasses. We inquired if they had some more desserts other than baklava, such as kunefe, which is our favorite, but they only had baklava. However, we were pleasantly surprised by how delicious the baklavas were and ended up ordering another round.
Despite eating so much food, we only paid 30 Euro per person, including beverages. We found the price to be very reasonable, and the quality of the food was excellent. Overall, it was an enjoyable Turkish food experience in Amsterdam East, and we would highly recommend it for big group gatherings. We visited during Ramadan season, so there were fewer customers than expected, but we heard that it is quite busy during non-Ramadan season. Therefore, it is recommended to reserve a table in advance.
Ocakbaşı Çinar
Address: Javastraat 111, 1094 HC Amsterdam
Phone: +31 06 2089 2747
Thanks for reading.
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