We had a very pleasant stay at Zalal's apartment. It is a steep, uphill 5-minute walk to Taksim Square, yet the street is quaint and full of local flavour. The apartment is a floor up from the street level (no elevator), with a living room that has a view of the street and two bedrooms at the back overlooking a small kitchen garden. The bathroom is a bit small but that is typical of the area. We didn't cook but the small kitchenette is adequate to whip up a quick meal. Green tea lovers can enjoy some unique and wonderful varieties of teas. Zalal is an artist and the artwork in the apartment adds to its character. There are plenty of grocery stores, cafes and local shops around.
PS: Both approach roads (about 50 metre stretch) that connect this street to Taksim Square were dug up when we arrived (December 2018), so hauling our luggage downhill in the slush was a bit of a challenge, but the construction of the road should be complete soon.