Baklavastory, San Francisco
What a delightful and delicious day in San Francisco!
Entering a nondescript storefront on the edge of the Mission District, identified only by a well-aged petite sandwich board sign labeled “Baklavastory,” I was eagerly introduced by my longtime friend, fellow Baker/Pastry Chef Jim Dodge, to Chef Tolgay Karabulut, the owner and culinary baklava wizard.
Greeting us with great enthusiasm, he said, “You MUST try my baklava!” Then he proceeded to lift, with glove-covered fingers, from a beautiful tin, two petite, still slightly warm squares of walnut baklava, delicately glazed just so with honey syrup.
And you think, well, baklava is baklava, but in this instance, you would be SO wrong.
It is SO fresh, the handmade phyllo made and baked daily, and those little squares of crisp, moreish goodness are NOT floating in sugary syrup. At Baklavastory, one can taste the crunch and flavor of fresh local walnuts, featherlight phyllo, and whispers of honey syrup. I learned something else from Tolgay: hold your baklava treat upside down when taking a bite, so there’s no floating phyllo flake debris!
Tolgay is endlessly and cheerfully creative and always working on new ideas.
Organic sheep’s milk yogurt
After the baklava tasting, Tolgay reached into the multiple-shelved fridge behind him and said, “Please, would you taste this—I really want your honest opinion.” He placed a small bowl, 2 spoons, and folded paper towels in front of us. Jim and I lifted our spoons and tasted the most marvelous organic sheep’s milk yogurt. The layer of cream on the top and the flavor were gentle and welcoming; needless to say, I’ll be back for more!
Tolgay asked repeatedly to Jim and me, “What do you think? Here, taste this — is it missing something?” Those types of passionate, curious questions are music to the ears of people in the food biz. We search out colleagues and customers for honest opinions to make our product, dish, packaging, or plating that much better and more saleable.
We believe that word of mouth still wins over viral trends in the long game.
Read more about Chef Tolgay Karabulut and his remarkable approach to baklava in “One man’s fanatical quest to make the best baklava this side of Turkey” from The San Francisco Standard, and visit Baklavastoryfor more information.
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Chef Jim Dodge, Natasha & Tolgay Karabulut.
