July 9th, 2010 | ps Published in Activities, Shopping
istanbul.mydestinationinfo.com/en/carsamba%28wednesday%29-pazar-in-yesilkoy
| Pts 02 Arl 2002, 05:59 Yeşilköy Pazarı |
Situated outside the main centre of Yesilkoy at Yesilkoy Cirpici, this large market has 2019 stands selling clothing, food, electronics and glassware housed in separate areas. Carsamba Pazari is one of the easiest markets to reach from Sultanahmet.
December 27th, 2009 | ps Published in Food, Whereist Eminonu
Balık ekmek is another typical Istanbul snack, and pretty tasteful and safe when prepared fresh. It’s pretty straightforward – a grilled or fried fresh fish inside a large piece of bread. The best way to explore this snack is in Eminönü, left from the Galata Bridge.
You’ll see them prepare the sandwiches on the nicely lined up boats, after which they hand them to customers on the shore.
www.istanbultrails.com/2009/08/is-eating-istanbuls-street-food-a-wise-idea-or-living-dangerously/
December 21st, 2009 | ps Published in Food
www.timeoutistanbul.com/english/5077/provincial_foods_in_istanbul
Nicola Prentis goes on a tour of Turkey’s regional foods without leaving Istanbul.
In a country as vast as Turkey, with as long a history and, nowadays, seven borders, it is no wonder that the different regions have developed such distinct yet overlapping cuisines. Cuisines are shaped by what each area produces, which is a result of the geographical influence on agriculture and what is easily available. For example, harsh mountainous conditions in the Black Sea make raising livestock difficult so local dishes feature predominantly fish. Spices and dried fruits abound in South Eastern Anatolia cooking as it borders Arab countries and the Ottoman Sultans controlled the Spice Routes, while further North flavours are less complex. Even apparent anomalies can be explained this way. Adana, on the Mediterranean coast where fish might be expected, is famous for kebab. The Adana kebab takes its influence from Urfa, in a less spicy incarnation, as it is further from the Syrian border and not on the Spice Road.
Finding all this out on a culinary tour of Turkey could take years, cover thousands of miles and still miss some hidden local food but luckily some of the mountains have come to Mohammed. If you think about the massive influxes of Turkish people from all the corners of Anatolia, it’s not surprising that Istanbul has the best stocked larder with every cuisine represented and expert cooks to prepare it. In restaurants in the dishes’ hometowns, the regional specialties are often noticeable by their absence as, typically, women cook at home and families don’t tend to dine out. So, unless invited into people’s homes, the traveller can end up with major döner and pide fatigue wondering how Turkish cuisine earned its reputation as one of the world’s most renowned. To try regional cuisines in Turkey, the visitor might be best served doing a gastronomic tour right here. Here’s our guide to what to look for and where to get it.
The Trakyan region is north of Istanbul and goes up to the Greek and Bulgarian borders. It has a rich cuisine influenced by the Balkans and Greeks that migrated there after wars displaced them. Based on simple flavours and ingredients, the specialties are fried liver (ciğer), pelte (pudding of fruit juice thickened with starch), green beans and fried pastries.
Güveççi Abdullah
Aytar Cad 14/A, 1 Levent
0212 269 0809
In the family for three generations since 1944, is a congenial place to explore some elements of Trakyan cuisine with several types of stews (güveç), meats and köftes as well as pastries.
December 21st, 2009 | ps Published in Food
www.timeoutistanbul.com/english/5077/provincial_foods_in_istanbul
Nicola Prentis goes on a tour of Turkey’s regional foods without leaving Istanbul.
In a country as vast as Turkey, with as long a history and, nowadays, seven borders, it is no wonder that the different regions have developed such distinct yet overlapping cuisines. Cuisines are shaped by what each area produces, which is a result of the geographical influence on agriculture and what is easily available. For example, harsh mountainous conditions in the Black Sea make raising livestock difficult so local dishes feature predominantly fish. Spices and dried fruits abound in South Eastern Anatolia cooking as it borders Arab countries and the Ottoman Sultans controlled the Spice Routes, while further North flavours are less complex. Even apparent anomalies can be explained this way. Adana, on the Mediterranean coast where fish might be expected, is famous for kebab. The Adana kebab takes its influence from Urfa, in a less spicy incarnation, as it is further from the Syrian border and not on the Spice Road.
Finding all this out on a culinary tour of Turkey could take years, cover thousands of miles and still miss some hidden local food but luckily some of the mountains have come to Mohammed. If you think about the massive influxes of Turkish people from all the corners of Anatolia, it’s not surprising that Istanbul has the best stocked larder with every cuisine represented and expert cooks to prepare it. In restaurants in the dishes’ hometowns, the regional specialties are often noticeable by their absence as, typically, women cook at home and families don’t tend to dine out. So, unless invited into people’s homes, the traveller can end up with major döner and pide fatigue wondering how Turkish cuisine earned its reputation as one of the world’s most renowned. To try regional cuisines in Turkey, the visitor might be best served doing a gastronomic tour right here. Here’s our guide to what to look for and where to get it.
A La Rase
Yeşikler Sokak 6/2, Çiftehavuzlar
0216 368 0466
Light and healthy food from Iskenderun and Antakya. Special dishes include bulgur and yoghurt soup, köfte with spinach bulgur, fish with tahini, künefe.
December 21st, 2009 | ps Published in Food, Whereist Beyoglu
www.timeoutistanbul.com/english/5077/provincial_foods_in_istanbul
Nicola Prentis goes on a tour of Turkey’s regional foods without leaving Istanbul.
In a country as vast as Turkey, with as long a history and, nowadays, seven borders, it is no wonder that the different regions have developed such distinct yet overlapping cuisines. Cuisines are shaped by what each area produces, which is a result of the geographical influence on agriculture and what is easily available. For example, harsh mountainous conditions in the Black Sea make raising livestock difficult so local dishes feature predominantly fish. Spices and dried fruits abound in South Eastern Anatolia cooking as it borders Arab countries and the Ottoman Sultans controlled the Spice Routes, while further North flavours are less complex. Even apparent anomalies can be explained this way. Adana, on the Mediterranean coast where fish might be expected, is famous for kebab. The Adana kebab takes its influence from Urfa, in a less spicy incarnation, as it is further from the Syrian border and not on the Spice Road.
Finding all this out on a culinary tour of Turkey could take years, cover thousands of miles and still miss some hidden local food but luckily some of the mountains have come to Mohammed. If you think about the massive influxes of Turkish people from all the corners of Anatolia, it’s not surprising that Istanbul has the best stocked larder with every cuisine represented and expert cooks to prepare it. In restaurants in the dishes’ hometowns, the regional specialties are often noticeable by their absence as, typically, women cook at home and families don’t tend to dine out. So, unless invited into people’s homes, the traveller can end up with major döner and pide fatigue wondering how Turkish cuisine earned its reputation as one of the world’s most renowned. To try regional cuisines in Turkey, the visitor might be best served doing a gastronomic tour right here. Here’s our guide to what to look for and where to get it.
Antakya is a small area with a huge contribution to make. Situated on the Syrian border and also known as Hatay, its food is an incredible balance of spicy and sweet tastes not found elsewhere in Turkey. In Istanbul this is probably the least well represented but with a directly inverse reward. It is served with a spicy kind of lavaş, a flat unleavened bread, that is also not common anywhere else.
Antiochia
Asmalımescit Mah, Mınare sok. No: 21/A, Beyoğlu
0212 292 1100
Excellent restaurant and showcase for Antakyan produce. A plate of very different mezes is only 15ytl (20% discount at lunchtime). Recommended: muammara, thyme salad (kekik salatası).
December 21st, 2009 | ps Published in Food, Whereist Beyoglu
www.timeoutistanbul.com/english/5077/provincial_foods_in_istanbul
Nicola Prentis goes on a tour of Turkey’s regional foods without leaving Istanbul.
In a country as vast as Turkey, with as long a history and, nowadays, seven borders, it is no wonder that the different regions have developed such distinct yet overlapping cuisines. Cuisines are shaped by what each area produces, which is a result of the geographical influence on agriculture and what is easily available. For example, harsh mountainous conditions in the Black Sea make raising livestock difficult so local dishes feature predominantly fish. Spices and dried fruits abound in South Eastern Anatolia cooking as it borders Arab countries and the Ottoman Sultans controlled the Spice Routes, while further North flavours are less complex. Even apparent anomalies can be explained this way. Adana, on the Mediterranean coast where fish might be expected, is famous for kebab. The Adana kebab takes its influence from Urfa, in a less spicy incarnation, as it is further from the Syrian border and not on the Spice Road.
Finding all this out on a culinary tour of Turkey could take years, cover thousands of miles and still miss some hidden local food but luckily some of the mountains have come to Mohammed. If you think about the massive influxes of Turkish people from all the corners of Anatolia, it’s not surprising that Istanbul has the best stocked larder with every cuisine represented and expert cooks to prepare it. In restaurants in the dishes’ hometowns, the regional specialties are often noticeable by their absence as, typically, women cook at home and families don’t tend to dine out. So, unless invited into people’s homes, the traveller can end up with major döner and pide fatigue wondering how Turkish cuisine earned its reputation as one of the world’s most renowned. To try regional cuisines in Turkey, the visitor might be best served doing a gastronomic tour right here. Here’s our guide to what to look for and where to get it.
Perhaps the most familiar of the regional cuisines, Central Anatolia gave birth to The Republic and some of its best-known dishes. Mantı is the Turkish version of tortellini but was probably influenced by the Mongolians and then passed back to the Chinese as dim sum. Keşkek is a traditional wedding breakfast stew of meat and barley or wheat and most people know the Turkish equivalent of pancakes, gözleme, filled with spinach, cheese or meat.
Otantik Anadolu Yemekleri
İstiklal Cad. No: 170, Beyoğlu
0212 293 8451
Don’t let the slightly touristy décor and woman in the window put you off, this chain of restaurants serves great Anatolian fare. Recommended: Hıngal (potato filled mantı) and hot, fresh gözleme.
December 21st, 2009 | ps Published in Food
www.timeoutistanbul.com/english/5077/provincial_foods_in_istanbul
Nicola Prentis goes on a tour of Turkey’s regional foods without leaving Istanbul.
In a country as vast as Turkey, with as long a history and, nowadays, seven borders, it is no wonder that the different regions have developed such distinct yet overlapping cuisines. Cuisines are shaped by what each area produces, which is a result of the geographical influence on agriculture and what is easily available. For example, harsh mountainous conditions in the Black Sea make raising livestock difficult so local dishes feature predominantly fish. Spices and dried fruits abound in South Eastern Anatolia cooking as it borders Arab countries and the Ottoman Sultans controlled the Spice Routes, while further North flavours are less complex. Even apparent anomalies can be explained this way. Adana, on the Mediterranean coast where fish might be expected, is famous for kebab. The Adana kebab takes its influence from Urfa, in a less spicy incarnation, as it is further from the Syrian border and not on the Spice Road.
Finding all this out on a culinary tour of Turkey could take years, cover thousands of miles and still miss some hidden local food but luckily some of the mountains have come to Mohammed. If you think about the massive influxes of Turkish people from all the corners of Anatolia, it’s not surprising that Istanbul has the best stocked larder with every cuisine represented and expert cooks to prepare it. In restaurants in the dishes’ hometowns, the regional specialties are often noticeable by their absence as, typically, women cook at home and families don’t tend to dine out. So, unless invited into people’s homes, the traveller can end up with major döner and pide fatigue wondering how Turkish cuisine earned its reputation as one of the world’s most renowned. To try regional cuisines in Turkey, the visitor might be best served doing a gastronomic tour right here. Here’s our guide to what to look for and where to get it.
This is the area that shares borders with Syria and Iran so the food is spicier and more robust than other areas. The two areas of Gaziantep and Sanlı Urfa alone produce some of Turkish cuisine’s most well known dishes, pistachio baklava, kebab and lahmacun.
Van Kahvaltı Evi
Kılıç Ali Paşa Mah. Defterdar Yokuşu No: 52.A, Cihangir
0212 293 6437
Breakfast is so important in Van in East Turkey that it has a street called ‘Breakfast Street’ and this Cihangir cafe specialises in Van treats like the very salty Otlu peynir (cheese with herbs) and eggs cooked wıth tahini. Located just past the green mosque on Sıraselviler.
December 21st, 2009 | ps Published in Food, Whereist Eyup and Fatih
www.timeoutistanbul.com/english/5077/provincial_foods_in_istanbul
Nicola Prentis goes on a tour of Turkey’s regional foods without leaving Istanbul.
In a country as vast as Turkey, with as long a history and, nowadays, seven borders, it is no wonder that the different regions have developed such distinct yet overlapping cuisines. Cuisines are shaped by what each area produces, which is a result of the geographical influence on agriculture and what is easily available. For example, harsh mountainous conditions in the Black Sea make raising livestock difficult so local dishes feature predominantly fish. Spices and dried fruits abound in South Eastern Anatolia cooking as it borders Arab countries and the Ottoman Sultans controlled the Spice Routes, while further North flavours are less complex. Even apparent anomalies can be explained this way. Adana, on the Mediterranean coast where fish might be expected, is famous for kebab. The Adana kebab takes its influence from Urfa, in a less spicy incarnation, as it is further from the Syrian border and not on the Spice Road.
Finding all this out on a culinary tour of Turkey could take years, cover thousands of miles and still miss some hidden local food but luckily some of the mountains have come to Mohammed. If you think about the massive influxes of Turkish people from all the corners of Anatolia, it’s not surprising that Istanbul has the best stocked larder with every cuisine represented and expert cooks to prepare it. In restaurants in the dishes’ hometowns, the regional specialties are often noticeable by their absence as, typically, women cook at home and families don’t tend to dine out. So, unless invited into people’s homes, the traveller can end up with major döner and pide fatigue wondering how Turkish cuisine earned its reputation as one of the world’s most renowned. To try regional cuisines in Turkey, the visitor might be best served doing a gastronomic tour right here. Here’s our guide to what to look for and where to get it.
Cibalikapı Balıkçısı
Kadir Has Caddesi (Kadir Has University)5, Cibali
0212 533 2846
A nostalgic restaurant with wooden floor, chairs and tables and old Turkish songs. Various grasses, seafood, mussel pilaki, special octopus sauce, mussels with parmesan and meatier greens from Çanakkale called kaya koruğu. Recommended: vine leaf wrapped sea bass.
December 21st, 2009 | ps Published in Food
www.timeoutistanbul.com/english/5077/provincial_foods_in_istanbul
Nicola Prentis goes on a tour of Turkey’s regional foods without leaving Istanbul.
In a country as vast as Turkey, with as long a history and, nowadays, seven borders, it is no wonder that the different regions have developed such distinct yet overlapping cuisines. Cuisines are shaped by what each area produces, which is a result of the geographical influence on agriculture and what is easily available. For example, harsh mountainous conditions in the Black Sea make raising livestock difficult so local dishes feature predominantly fish. Spices and dried fruits abound in South Eastern Anatolia cooking as it borders Arab countries and the Ottoman Sultans controlled the Spice Routes, while further North flavours are less complex. Even apparent anomalies can be explained this way. Adana, on the Mediterranean coast where fish might be expected, is famous for kebab. The Adana kebab takes its influence from Urfa, in a less spicy incarnation, as it is further from the Syrian border and not on the Spice Road.
Finding all this out on a culinary tour of Turkey could take years, cover thousands of miles and still miss some hidden local food but luckily some of the mountains have come to Mohammed. If you think about the massive influxes of Turkish people from all the corners of Anatolia, it’s not surprising that Istanbul has the best stocked larder with every cuisine represented and expert cooks to prepare it. In restaurants in the dishes’ hometowns, the regional specialties are often noticeable by their absence as, typically, women cook at home and families don’t tend to dine out. So, unless invited into people’s homes, the traveller can end up with major döner and pide fatigue wondering how Turkish cuisine earned its reputation as one of the world’s most renowned. To try regional cuisines in Turkey, the visitor might be best served doing a gastronomic tour right here. Here’s our guide to what to look for and where to get it.
Cuisine from Düzce to Artvin centres on fish rather than meat, especially hamsi (anchovy). In its simplest form it’s dipped in corn flour and fried but it can be made into a cornbread (hamsili ekmek) or baked with rice and currants (hamsili pilav). Black cabbage (kara lahana) shows up in soups or stuffed as dolma and sarma. Local cheeses and butter are melted into a kind of fondue called muhlama, pide (Turkish pizza) originated in this area and pickled vegetables (turşu) are a speciality. There’s even dessert with a sweet börek called laz böreği which makes Karadeniz one of the richest of the regional cuisines.
Doğa Balık
Cihangir Doğa Balık Akarsu, Yokusu No: 46 Kat:7 Cihangir
0212 243 3656
Pricy but highly recommended restaurant concentrating on fish, olive oil dishes and 35 different herbs, greens and grasses.
December 21st, 2009 | ps Published in Food
www.timeoutistanbul.com/english/5077/provincial_foods_in_istanbul
Nicola Prentis goes on a tour of Turkey’s regional foods without leaving Istanbul.
In a country as vast as Turkey, with as long a history and, nowadays, seven borders, it is no wonder that the different regions have developed such distinct yet overlapping cuisines. Cuisines are shaped by what each area produces, which is a result of the geographical influence on agriculture and what is easily available. For example, harsh mountainous conditions in the Black Sea make raising livestock difficult so local dishes feature predominantly fish. Spices and dried fruits abound in South Eastern Anatolia cooking as it borders Arab countries and the Ottoman Sultans controlled the Spice Routes, while further North flavours are less complex. Even apparent anomalies can be explained this way. Adana, on the Mediterranean coast where fish might be expected, is famous for kebab. The Adana kebab takes its influence from Urfa, in a less spicy incarnation, as it is further from the Syrian border and not on the Spice Road.
Finding all this out on a culinary tour of Turkey could take years, cover thousands of miles and still miss some hidden local food but luckily some of the mountains have come to Mohammed. If you think about the massive influxes of Turkish people from all the corners of Anatolia, it’s not surprising that Istanbul has the best stocked larder with every cuisine represented and expert cooks to prepare it. In restaurants in the dishes’ hometowns, the regional specialties are often noticeable by their absence as, typically, women cook at home and families don’t tend to dine out. So, unless invited into people’s homes, the traveller can end up with major döner and pide fatigue wondering how Turkish cuisine earned its reputation as one of the world’s most renowned. To try regional cuisines in Turkey, the visitor might be best served doing a gastronomic tour right here. Here’s our guide to what to look for and where to get it.
The Aegean kitchen has been influenced by the Greeks, Romans, Ottomans, seemingly anyone who invaded, ruled or passed through and the area has an abundance of riches especially from the sea. Fish, mussels, calamari, octopus, prawns cooked in an endless variety of ways including, most notably, salt baked fish where the whole fish is placed under a cake of salt which hardens during cooking and is broken open to reveal tender, and not salty, fish. The healthy theme continues with the vast number of edible weeds that spring up in Autumn and are best eaten simply after boiling and drizzling with olive oil and lemon juice. Also common are black-eyed beans (börülce) and meat eaters are not left out as Çöp Şiş kebab (chunks of skewered lamb) is widely served.
Melengeç
1. Cadde 73, Arnavutköy (opposite the ferry station)
0212 287 4961
Try stuffed zucchini flowers, eggplant with fish, special greens. Recommended: beetroot root, mulberry dessert in summermeats and köftes as well as pastries.
