Another Week of Good Eats in Istanbul

Since I have Istanbul on my mind this week, I thought I would write another foodie post involving my last two trips to this magical city.

Though our travels always revolve around food, Turkish food is something that I miss and was more than happy to indulge in with our willing (and missed) friends. So here’s a rundown of some of the tasty places we tried for the first time or revisited for the umpteenth time in Istanbul.

Midye Dolması

In March, we introduced our skeptical American friend to eating midye dolması (stuffed mussels) off the streets in Beyoğlu. “Is it safe?” he asked us. To us, it’s just one of those things you MUST do in Istanbul, especially after you’ve had a few drinks. The street sellers will keep giving you more mussels until you tell them to stop. Then, you pay based on how many shells you emptied.

Turkish Etli Ekmek

Now, you don’t have to travel all the way to Konya to try this meter-long flatbread pizza. My friend’s Turkish husband, Kartal, treated me to a delicious etli ekmek at Ikonium in the Levent neighborhood. Of course, when I’m back in Istanbul, I must have an Efes beer too! Grab a friend or two because you’ll need them to help share this flatbread pizza!

Location: Aytar Caddesi Dilek Apartmanı No:28, Levent. 5-minute walk from Levent metro stop.

Turkish Grilled Meat

Our Turkish friend, Huseyin, loves good food as much as we do, so we had to try one of his favorite meat-centric places in Etiler. Before taking a seat at Nusr-Et Steakhouse, be sure to look in the meat showcase near the grill. Try the lokum (Turkish delight), spaghetti (thinly sliced beef) and sliced-to-order lamb ribs. The meat used comes from the Marmara Sea region. Accompany your meat with unlimited crispy fries and a salad. This fancy, crowded steakhouse is a place to be seen so don’t be shocked by your 100tl per person bill. (Note: we didn’t have any alcohol that night because local elections that day forbid it.) However, I think the experience is worth trying at least once!

Some of the best grilled rack of lamb I've ever had in Turkey!

And for dessert, don’t skimp on the pistachio baklava that is flown in fresh every day from Gaziantep and served tableside with a generous scoop of Maras dondurma. My mouth is just watering thinking about this heavenly baklava!

Location: Nispetiye Caddesi No:87, Etiler

Bosphorus Views on the Asian side

Once again, Kartal and his wife, Nicole, treated me to a special dinner at Del Mare. Half the fun was taking a free ferry boat from the Kuruçeşme Iskelesi (Pier) to the Asian side of Istanbul. This seafood restaurant is housed in a former 19^th-century factory and features a splendid, canopied outdoor terrace with beautiful Bosphorus views. 

The menu features the typical Turkish mezes and fresh seafood. And for dessert, don’t forget to order irmik helvası, which is semolina cooked with butter and sugar and served with vanilla ice cream in the middle. Delicious!

Location: Kuleli Caddesi No:53 / 4, Çengelköy

Literally next door to Del Mare, you’ll find an unique concept at Tapasuma Restaurant where Turkish and Mediterranean food is served as bite-sized tapas in a modern setting. It’s definitely worth checking out if want to dine by candlelight away from the hectic crowds of the city. The restaurant is housed in a luxurious boutique hotel (a restored former raki distillery) in case you want to stay the night and wake up to these beautiful Bosphorus views as well.

Tasty mini versions of Turkish and Mediterranean food at Tapasuma.

Last year, we even got to peak into the kitchen and meet the friendly Executive Chef Gökay Çakıroğlu and his cooks at Tapasuma.

Location: Kuleli Caddesi No:43, Çengelköy

Beer Break under the Galata Bridge

After you’ve been sightseeing for several hours, you’ll definitely want to enjoy a break under the Galata Bridge. Sure, this area is touristy. However, I still love sitting under the bridge right by the water, sipping my Efes beer and people watching. Just make sure the café you sit at actually sells alcohol as several of them now have signs that say “alcoholsuz” (no alcohol).

Turkish Breakfast at our Hotel

The Turks are well known for their Turkish breakfasts! Luckily, we had breakfast included at the Anemon Galata Hotel where we stayed for 3 nights for about $100 per night. The hotel offers a fantastic location right by the Galata Tower and a lovely view over the Golden Horn where you can enjoy your breakfast or a glass of wine later at night.

Group Dinner with Friends

Sometimes, it’s simply easier to organize a group dinner with friends when we’re back in Istanbul. We met our friends at Yüzevler Kebap, a restaurant originally based in Adana, that features traditional Turkish kebabs and meze dishes. We enjoyed a good dinner and even better conversation catching up with our friends. But at 100tl per person, we don’t think we’ll be coming back here as the food didn’t live up to its reputation.

Location: Nispetiye Cad. No:10, Etiler

Everyone Eats at Çiya (Old Post)

During my last three trips to Istanbul, I’ve made it a point to dine at Çiya. This last time, we tried a unique bulgur meatball soup and perde pilavi, a special rice dish from southeastern Turkey. The “curtain rice” as it is so called features a seasoned rice with raisins, pine nuts, almonds and chicken wrapped inside a crispy baked phyllo shell. It’s an uncommon dish, but one that I highly recommend if you find it on the menu.

Turkish Yogurt in Kanlıca (Old Post)

Another Asian-side place we like to return to again and again is the yogurt shops in the small neighborhood of Kanlıca. Again, half the fun is taking one of the water taxis from Emirgan, especially after visiting the Turkish lale festival in the spring, to Kanlıca. Pull up a chair outside, order some of the best Turkish yogurt with a side of powdered sugar and a glass of tea. Enjoy!

 

Turkish Staples

You’ll find several locations of Günaydın Restaurant throughout the city. The restaurants feature well-made Turkish kebabs and meatballs, but last time, I thought the prices were a bit more hefty then what they used to be. Still it’s a good place to enjoy some typical Turkish dishes and a sinful künefe for dessert.

Location: Suadiye Mahallesi, Kazım Özalp Cad.

After reading about all these Turkish dishes and restaurants, I hope you’re ready to visit one of my favorite cities!

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Top 10 Favorite Turkish Foods to Try in Turkey

When compiling my list, I realized how much I love Turkish cuisine and found it difficult to simply select 10 dishes.

Turkish food focuses on fresh ingredients and is packed full of flavor! Many of the dishes date back hundreds of years to the Ottoman era. Also, the variety of foods will vary from one part of Turkey to the next with the seaside towns focusing on seafood and garden-fresh produce; and the more central villages will have comforting, hearty dishes that center on meat.

The dishes I selected are typically found in nearly every city or village in Turkey. Whether you are going for a long vacation or late Turkey holidays, you will certainly discover a delicious meal here.

So here are My Top 10 Favorite Turkish Foods to Try in Turkey (in no particular order):

1. Throughout our travels in Turkey, the quintessential dining experience always involves Turkish mezes. Mezes are boringly labeled as ‘Cold Starters’ and ‘Hot Starters’ on most restaurant menus.

But, to me, mezes are really the star of the meal with the fish or entrée simply being an afterthought. You select several meze from a large tray that your server is presenting, you chat with your friends, you drink some Turkish raki and share in a good time together. Repeat for the next two hours.

Turkish mezes often consist of beyaz peynir (Turkish feta), cacık (yogurt with cucumber and garlic), hummus, olives, acılı ezme (a hot pepper paste mixed with walnuts), patlıcan salatası (cold aubergine salad), dolma (rice-stuffed grape leaves), olive oil dishes, hot or cold calamari, salads and more.

2. A simple grilled fish usually follows the mezes. You’ll find a variety of fish in Turkey, but the most common and my two favorites are Sea Bream (Çupra) and Sea Bass (Levrek). Try to stop by one of the lively fish markets on your travels.

 

3. Ahtapot (grilled octopus) is a somewhat seasonal dish, which is served with an herbed or spicy olive oil. Be sure to use some of your Turkish bread to sop of the delicious juices at the bottom.

4. Turkish cuisine, of course, focuses on plenty of meat dishes too. Adana kebab is a long, hand-minced meat kebab grilled on an open mangal with burning charcoal. This somewhat spicy kebab is named after Adana, the fifth largest city in Turkey, while the non-spicy version of this kebab is called Urfa after another city in southeast Turkey. Kebabs are served with charred peppers and tomatoes, an onion-sumac-parsley salad and lavaş (thin flat bread).

5. Köfte (Turkish meatballs) is another favorite in traditional Turkish cuisine. These simple, but tasty meatballs are made from ground lamb or beef or a mixture of both and seasoned with spices, herbs and onions. Children love köfte!

6. The Turks love soup! Look for Mercimek Çorbası (made from red lentils) on the menu. This soup is comforting, filling and a well-loved Turkish dish. 

7. Mantı (meat-filled Turkish dumplings) are traditionally boiled and topped with a garlic yogurt, melted butter and spicy red pepper flakes. One of my favorite places to eat mantı is at Ficcin in Istanbul.

8. For a quick snack or tasty appetizer, look for börek. Turkish börek are made from a flaky dough called yufka and are filled with cheese, meat, vegetables and/or herbs and then baked until crispy. I prefer the sigara böreği, which look like small, fried cigars and are stuffed with Turkish cheese and herbs.

9. Perhaps the most famous Turkish dessert is Baklava. This sweet pastry is made from layers of thin, buttered phyllo dough, filled with chopped nuts and soaked with a sugar syrup. Baklava is even more sublime when served with kaymak (clotted cream) or ice cream.

10. However, künefe is my most loved Turkish dessert! This sweet dessert hails from the city of Antakya in southeast Turkey and consists of a white cheese sandwiched between two layers of buttered kadayıf (similar to shredded phyllo dough). This sublime concoction is cooked in small copper plates, and then served piping hot in sugar syrup and topped with kaymak and pistachios. 

I’m sure you’ll enjoy these Turkish dishes on your next, or even your first, trip to Turkey! 

Afiyet olsun!

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