I invited my family to Cafe Istanbul for Mother's day after I found it to be the best mediterranean restaurant on city search. Even though it's a definite value restaurant, the ambience was not cut out for Mother's day. My order, stuffed eggplant, as well as my husband's chicken kebab turned out great. But my poor parents who love Koofteh (they are persian) were sadly dissappointed to find their beloved koofteh was not really koofteh at all! Koofteh is supposed to be juicy meatballs, theirs was more like dry tasteless meat patties. When we asked the waiter, who was very nice and friendly, whether they had any other form of koofteh he said no. However, the friendly atmosphere and the best belly dancer I've ever seen made it a wonderful experience. I would still go back, but my parents will never go there again.
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