Are you a fan of Magnum? While I spent most of my teenage years in blissful ignorance having my ice cold sugary kicks with Cornetto, it was in later years, I discovered that Magnum is magic! Since then I have tasted all flavours from triple chocolate to almond to last summer’s limited edition champagne (which was particularly yummy!) So imagine my surprise when I found out, as an Istanbulite, I had not discovered the Magnum store in Suadiye, Istanbul.
Located on prime realty on Istanbul’s Baghdad Street (Bagdat Caddesi) – Istanbul’s Anatolian side’s answer to Oxford Street, Magnum Istanbul is gold – literally. You cannot miss the golden Magnum sign visible both on the store front and as you enter the shop right behind the cash register.
The way it works is simple – you tell the staff what flavour Magnum you’d like and choose three toppings out of a range available from rainbow chocolate balls to dried fruits. I opted for pistachio (never fails!), chocolate cookie crumbs and silver chocolate balls.
Then comes the choice of sauce – white, milk or dark chocolate. Once your Magnum is covered in toppings then it’s dipped in sauce. The end result? You can practically see the pounds pile on as you dig into your Magnum.
But before you do so, make sure you take a few Insta-worthy pics and post them on Instagram with the tag #BenimMagnumum and share with @MagnumTurkiye for your chance to be featured on their feed. Once your pics are done, bon appetit!
Being the inquisitive soul that I am I couldn’t help but search the internet for comments on Magnum Istanbul. I somewhat agree with the negative comments; while it feels stupid to pay a grand total of TL7,50 for a Magnum you can get in the shops for TL2,50-3 (which means three toppings and chocolate sauce add up to a whopping TL5); gimmick or not, having your bespoke Magnum made is an experience you don’t get to have everyday so might as well enjoy it.
Magnum Istanbul is minimally decorated with just about 10-15 seats and a few bars you can stand around, in a predominantly golden and brown palette with a touch of leopard print, which I suspect may appeal to the Arab clientele – we saw some sampling their bespoke Magnums on our visit. In summer, there is also the option of outdoor seating, mainly in the form of a bench and the steps leading to the store.
Maybe because of the scanty seating, the waiters were ever keen to clean our table as soon as we put our empty cartons down so you do feel a bit rushed, but once you’ve had your ice cream in about 2minutes, there is not much reason to loiter around as the only product on sale is Magnum.
While this gimmicky spot may be great for summer, I can’t help but wonder how they will do in winter. But before summer’s end, if you live in the city or are heading there anytime soon, I’d say, go and make your own Magnum for a magnificent experience.
