Wednesday
NewsThe Simits Take Manhattan (Again)
Being big fans of simit – the sesame-encrusted bread ring that’s one of Turkey’s most popular street foods – we’ve looked on with delight over the last few years as the humble snack has made its way from Istanbul to the other metropolis with a 212 area code: Manhattan. First, longstanding Istanbul baklava maker Güllüoğlu opened a branch in Midtown East and began selling freshly baked simit under the moniker “Turkish bagel.”
Now, a brand-new establishment with an entirely simit-based menu, Simit + Smith, has opened on the Upper West Side, with plans in the works to expand to the Financial District and elsewhere in the city. The eatery offers an array of sandwiches and sweet and savory snack items made with (purists beware!) three different types of simit: original with sesame, whole wheat with sesame or whole grain. Moreover, Simit + Smith seems to be squarely taking aim at the New York bagel market, noting on its website that “Simit have 2/3 the calories and much less fat than bagels or pretzels and contain all natural ingredients with absolutely no sugar.”
The rest of this post can be found on CulinaryBackstreets.com, here.
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Post Tags: News, simit
Jan 30, 2013
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it’s always been my favorite… so i won’t miss then when i visit NYC… that’s fabolous…
Mar 19, 2013
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I enjoyed many simit during a two week trip to Istanbul this Winter and have recently tried the simit at Simit + Smith. They were pretty good but not the same as the simit in Istanbul. I think the whole wheat with sesame seeds simit came closest. The original with sesame seeds was good but perhaps too crunchy and airy. The whole grain was my least favorite because it was a bit flat.
They are definitely a good alternative to the NY bagels that have become so enormous and full of dough. They also offer simit style rolls for a variety of sandwiches inlcuding a few nods to Turkish ingredients.
Mar 20, 2013
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Hello Out of Town Local,
Thanks for the low-down on the simit at Simit + Smith! It seems nothing quite beats the simit in Istanbul but we’re glad to hear the NYC versions come close.