Menna Jameel - Istanbul

Quiet and small in size, but it is filled with handicrafts, ceramics, cutlery, and French household antiques, the Café "Balat House" which the viewer sees from a distance and thinks it is a store of antiques and antiques, or a special drawing of its owners until he approaches and finds the word "open the door" written in French.

Everything from the outside and inside is linked to France, the noble life and the fine class, in the "Balat House" café, which is run by the Turkish lady Nurai Mikhailoglu, the visitor moves in moments to two different worlds, the first is a popular Turkish that resides in the streets, neighborhoods and houses of the famous Palat neighborhood, and the other is packed with details Nostalgic artwork, photos and paintings, components of the Manzil Palat Café.

Turkish Lady Nurai Mikhailoglu (Al-Jazeera)

This cafe was opened four years ago at the initiative of the son of Nurai, the architect Genk Mikhailoglu, 30, who decided to create a world of his own and his mother, adding magic to the popular Turkish quarter.

"My son has always traveled to France, and one day he decided to bring French products, antiques and artifacts and display them in a place inspired by French culture and life, so I designed and opened this cafe," Nurai told Al Jazeera Net.

Although the small café is overcrowded with artifacts, caring for it and its exhibits is entirely Nurai's responsibility, as it preserves each piece and knows its history and home by heart.

"The oldest exhibits are here ... an eight-year-old sugary sugar serving kit, which my son brought from France when we opened the cafe, and for me it is a luxurious and unique piece."

One of the pillars of the café crowded with old French artifacts (the island)

According to Nurai, the price of exhibits inside the cafe ranges between five and ten pounds for old photographs and souvenirs up to five hundred and eight hundred Turkish liras for antiques and famous French porcelain dishes.

And she continued, "The latest of what we now buy is original French porcelain cups, the price of the cup and its dish is about two hundred pounds."

She also pointed out that her son brought hats with leather and natural fur from the French market, and prices start from 150 pounds.

Treasure guard

Nurai describes her work in the café as caring for the children. Everything must be observed with great precision. These artifacts, in her view, are a treasure for her son while she is guarding him.

Aside from working as a keeper of French culture and life in Balat, Nurai serves Turkish home-made food, especially the famous Turkish breakfast, tart and manti (a type of pasta in Turkey).

Porcelain pieces and ceramics, some of which are more than 100 years old.

And about the absence of French food from the cafe menu, "Nurai" justified the matter that coming to Turkey usually loves to try local food.

But whoever visits “Palat’s House” will not feel that his companions have nothing to do with French culture. The songs that are frequented by French singers, the phrases written on glass and walls are French, even the tables of a French character.

And Nurai added to Al Jazeera Net, "This cafe makes me get to know a lot of cultures, I do not forget the day when a Palestinian girl visited me with her friends, so I do not forget that they asked for a drink of hot chocolate. I am grateful for this place because it introduces me to people I will not be able to meet with them. In my regular life. "

Instagram world

Nurai believes that the account her son created on Instagram for the café contributed greatly to his definition.

"My son runs everything related to the cafe on social media, and I find that he managed to create a brand for us despite the newness of the place," she said.

The abundance of artifacts and exhibits in the café make passers-by think that it is an antique store and antiques (Al-Jazeera).

But she pointed out that the large number of artifacts and exhibits in the café makes passers-by in front of him think that it is an antiques and antiques store and not a cafe they can go to and experience the drink and food in it.