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PLANNING YOUR MEALS
Of course, it is the rare itinerary that includes a stopover, cross-legged on the living room carpet of a village family at dinnertime. What’s a traveling foodophile supposed to do? So here IÕve compiled a selection of my favorite Turkish restaurants, plus a handful of restaurants serving outstanding international cuisine (usually with a heavy, and pleasant, Turkish touch). I confess to have a soft spot for trendy openings and a bit of pomp, but take my word for it, these spots merit some advance meal planning. ISTANBUL Çiya Sofrasi Kadiköy, Asian Side (www.ciya.com.tr) Having done the legwork on this restaurant for Zagat’s Europe’s Best Restaurants, I knew it was time to get off my butt and go. And go I did. There are three, pseudo adjacent locations, and I chose the lokanta, where I could point at the food. But when the guy behind the counter indicated that I’d have to write down the names of the dishes I wanted, I knew I was in trouble. You see, Çiya is famous for serving its large variety of Anatolian dishes, many of which you just don’t see on a menu. The guy handed me a pen and paper, I pointed, he said the name, I wrote. Then I was seated, and my waiter took my little cheat sheet. All I can say is that when my food arrived into my mouth, my eyes literally rolled back into my forehead. I’d tell you what I ate, but that would spoil your fun. Köşebaşi Ocakbaşi branches in Levent, Nişantaşi, Fenerbahçe and Beylikdüzü (www.kosebasi.com) Having previously gotten the basics on this restaurant for Zagat, I was also a laggard at tasting what the surveyor’s had dubbed "a local favorite". Perhaps it was my lapse at vegetarianism that found me overwhelmed by the mixed kebaps, but my dinner companionÕs exploding tastebuds confirmed it: this was good stuff. And each plate that arrived featured an artistic or out-of-the ordinary touch, like the Toros ‒ chopped rocket, cress, green onion and green mint and presented with sour pomegranate syrup. Develi branches in Samatya, Kalamiş, Etiler, and Ataşehir (www.develikebap.com). Develi’s traditional Gaziantep menu is no longer the secret it was in 1999, the year of my first visit. Yet even though the seasonal al fresco rooftop now reverberates with a mostly English-speaking crowd, itÕs still well worth the trip for their ciğ köfte (raw spicy meat eaten rolled up in lettuce), spicy lahmacun and pistachio kebabs. If you really want a local experience, plan your meal to coincide with football/soccer match between Galatasaray and any other team, and sit in one of the rooms with TVs. Reservations required, Dress casual but smart. (Take the coastal road in the direction of the airport; in the neighborhood of Samatya, there’s a sign for the restaurant and parking/entrance on your right.) Asitane In the Kariye Oteli. Kariye Camii Sok. 18 (adjacent to the Church of St. Savior in Chora); Edirnekapi. Tel. 0212/534-8414; www.kariyeotel.com The East’s first real fusion food was created in the vast kitchens of the Ottoman Sultans, with strange and exotic ingredients shipped in from the far corners of the Empire. Asitane’s kitchen has managed to recreate some of these original and taste-tantalizing recipes. Reservations suggested, seasonal courtyard al fresco dining. Dress smart. Balikçi Sabahattin Sultanahmet (behind Armada Hotel). Tel. 0212/458-1824; www.armadahotel.com.tr The best fish experience this side of the Golden Horn. Splurge with the prix fixe, or splurge for the a la carte. Reservations required. Characteristic streetside tables or inside the restored Ottoman clapboard house. Dress casual smart. Doğa Balik Akarsu Yokusu Caddesi No: 44-46, in the Zurich Boutiqe Hotel, Cihangir. Tel. 0212/293-0604; www.dogabalik.com.tr A friend who turned me on to this restaurant, herself a committed foodie, didn’t steer me wrong when she said the food here was so good it made her moan. Appetizers number in the mid to high double digits, and are divided between succulent seafood salads and luscious greens that include nettles, feverfew, purslane and "goat food". Don’t miss the lentil balls or the monkfish salad. The fresh catch of the day (usually around four types) are almost besides the point. Almost. Mikla Meşrutiyet Caddesi 167/185; 0212-293-5656, www.istanbulyi.com With star chef, Mehmet Gürs, at the helm, it didn’t take long for Mikla’s star to rise or the average cost of a meal to skyrocket to prohibitive heights. It certainly helps that the restaurant enjoys panoramic rooftop views from atop the Marmara Pera hotel. The combination is winning. The kitchen is best known for its porcini soup, beef cheek ragu and almond paste soufflé; order plenty (which may require that you takeout a second mortgage), as portions are reminiscent of nouvelle cuisine. Hünkar Lokantasi Nişpetiye Cad. No: 52, Etiler, 011 90 212 287 84 70 Mim Kemal Öke Cad. No: 21/1m Nişantaşi, 011 90 212 225 46 65 Friends consistently tout this Istanbul institution as the quintessential Turkish restaurant. The restaurant, with two locations in town, prepares a menu of traditional and flavorful Ottoman home cooking. Top off the meal with their irmik helva (a sweet, semolina based dessert), served warm and creamy. More Istanbul food on the way... ANKARA coming soon! |
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