The Biggest Football Fan in Ataşehir

Trying to watch Notre Dame football games while living in Istanbul is an unpredictable, online mess. First there’s the time difference, which means the prime time games start around 2:30 or 3 in the morning. Then there is the question of: “Who is feeling generous enough to run a program that broadcasts this event to strangers for free and doesn’t expect me to download some adware?” Then once those two problems have been solved, there’s the personal dilemma of: where in Ataşehir will an establishment welcome a foreigner to cheer and make faces at a computer screen in the middle of the night for several hours while making minimal purchases? 

This weekend, the answer was the Pasha Sports Bar and Cafe and later the Şampiyon Kokoreç. Pasha is hidden in the back corner of the lengthy strip mall that parallels Ataşehir Bulvarı. If it weren’t for the live traditional Turkish folk guitar music, it would be unnoticeable. Fortunately, the bar serves the usual Efes, Bomonti, and Miller as well as cocktails past 4 am. Unfortunately, they (and the North Shield) have cornered the market on draft beer which means a 50 cl Efes runs 10 lira (versus 7 or 8 lira in Moda). But Pasha’s hospitality at least meets the Istanbul standard: quick service, company from the staff, if you like, and a bowl of mixed salted nuts. The owner spoke with me about his infatuation with American Football, especially the New York Giants, while a group of Gen X-ers sang along to Turkish tunes from a performer inside the lounge.

It was time to pack up at half time with the Irish up by one point and find a 24/7 WiFi destination with the Pasha closing up shop. Options went from few to fewer, but Şampiyon Kokoreç still had its grill running and the lights on. It is a franchise that specializes in the regional delicacy of lamb intestines, served either as a platter with fries, tomatoes, and salad, or more popularly for this time of night, as a sandwich. And if you can’t smell the booze on someone when they walk in, they’re probably just getting tea. But even though I felt stone cold sober, the smell of the kokoreç was starting to get to my stomach, especially since it had been 8 hours since dinner at this point. 

The kokoreç are cooked on a skewer so the meat is stretched out and cooked thoroughly. Then the meat is mashed up and fried a bit more. Diced tomato and oregano are added, a panini grill bun is pressed to the grill to warm it up and voila: a perfect late night snack to soak up some of the alcohol from earlier in the evening (or to fit in around here). The flavor is great in the meat and seasonings, and texture is like a sloppy Joe. The sandwich only costs 5 lira, making it a no-brainer compared to other possibilities.

As 5 am rolled around, the restaurant filled up more and more with twentysomethings who were making their last stop before turning in. The mood of the conversations seemed like typical nostalgia of “the night that was” around the restaurant. I was content to take in the rest of the Irish victory before heading home. I wouldn’t expect to eat many of these sandwiches for lunch or dinner, but for 5 in the morning it was just right.