I used to think of Bebek as the place where one goes for just two reasons - to see and be seen. A sleepy village by the Bosphorus less than a century ago, Bebek has turned into one of the most upscale Istanbul neighborhoods. The rich and beautiful people living here could have helped the country to pay off its external debt if they were to team up and sell their cars and yachts parked right here to the delight of a passerby. If you can’t afford living in Bebek it is still ok to come here to splash on a meal, not necessarily so excellent yet certainly self-esteem boosting. Thankfully, things change, and now you can travel to Bebek for something more substantial than the Bosphorus view and feeling good about your purchasing power - one of the best cups of coffee in Istanbul.
Where to eat in Istanbul
The opening of Yeni Lokanta (literally - New Canteen) is undoubtedly a signature event for Istanbul. Not only because the city has got one more restaurant serving very good food, but also because this eatery may be the first robin of the culinary revolution in the city. We do have a few restaurants that had pioneered New Istanbul, if now New Anatolian, cuisine such as Mikla, Lokanta Maya, Kantin and others. And it is important that those places broaden culinary horizons of their eaters, but it is also critical that they teach their chefs to experiment so that some of those young chefs could continue their bold experimentation in their own restaurants and further popularize the idea of the New Istanbul cuisine.
After the recent vivid discussion on my Facebook page I feel relieved and not guilty any more to continue writing about Istanbul food. Because it will not be fare to say that while spending a lot of time at the barricades - physical and literal - Istanbulites have stopped eating and enjoying food. And it is not fair to miss the new places opening their doors to the hungry customers in the city itself and around.
Before my friend Marina, resident of Büyükada, the largest of the Prices’ Islands, left for Tokyo she took me around the island to show the culinary gems that start their full-fledged operation as the season kicks off on the island. And despite the common belief Büyükada boasts quite a few worthwhile eateries that justify a boat trip. A very early morning boat trip if you don’t want to miss one of the best breakfasts around.
Being a vegetarian on the road can be challenging especially in certain countries, and thank to its reputation as a kebab motherland Turkey may seem frightening to many vegetarian travelers. However, all those frightened could not be more mistaken. The abundance of fresh produce in any season makes Turkish cuisine one of the richest depositories of the vegetable-based dishes. And here is the guide that can help you discover and enjoy the vegetarian side of Istanbul food. [click to continue…]
A while ago I wrote about a vegetarian kebab at Kebabçi Iskender in Kadıköy. The post was not only received well by vegetarian eaters but also created an unexpected side effect: my low-carb eating friend said that now she’s ordering her inskenders on the bed of roasted eggplants rather than flat bread. A trick worth knowing for those eating gluten-free in Istanbul! So let’s continue talking about the kebabs sensitively prepared for the non-conventional foodies in Istanbul. Here comes another trip to the Asia side of the city where you will be heading out to Çiya, a little restaurant empire of Musa Dağdeviren sprawled around the Kadıköy market.
I confess: I used to misunderstand the Prince’s Islands. I felt nothing but exclusion every time I went: in winter the islands abandoned by holidayers are the place of the world’s solitude and the only signs of life can be discovered at the small taverns where phaeton drivers are drinking their days away. When days got warmer I felt as much solitude in the crowds invading the islands to stay for the whole summer, a weekend or just a few hours. But then my friend Marina moved to Büyükada, the largest of the islands and after visiting her a couple of times I started grasping the island life and ways to enjoy it.
If Turkish cuisine of which we still get to hear now and then is dramatically underrated then what can be said about Turkish wines? Turkish what? Yes, Turks do drink alcohol and grow crazy amount of grapes being in top5 of the world’s grape producers. That’s true that most of it goes into the making of pekmez, raisins and rakı – alcohol beverage many Turks swear by – rather than wine, but you get a sense of the potential. That’s also true that Turkish wine is expensive and often times easily forgettable. But there are many world class Turkish wines. And the world needs to know about them.
