Dear Istanbul Eats:

Dear Y&H,
Although our own student days are, sadly, long behind us, we still approach every day as if we still had a pack firmly attached to our back. Now, as then, our daily culinary mission remains the same: How to maximize our eating pleasure while minimizing what we spend. So, in that sense, you will find that most of the spots reviewed on Istanbul Eats are backpacker friendly, with memorable food served along with friendly prices.

That said, a few more specific tips to keep you from having to get more cash wired from home. While Istanbul has long been a major stop along the backpacker route, the city is no longer the budget destination it once was, with prices often surpassing those found in many other European cities (especially when it comes to coffee and booze). But it’s still possible to eat your way through Istanbul without being left completely broke.

As a backpacker on a budget, the Turkish word you should immediately commit to memory is büfe. A type of corner store found throughout Istanbul, the büfe is the spot for your daily fix of cheap food, from doner (meat roasted on a vertical spit) to, yes, soup (usually mercimek corbasi, a hearty and tasty red lentil soup that serves as many a Turkish workingman’s breakfast). Another büfe staple is a panini-like grilled cheese sandwich known as tost. Most spots turn out a serviceable version of this pressed sandwich, but the folks over at Güngör Büfe in the harborside Karakoy neighborhood have turned tost-making into an art. (In fact, we recently received a note from Italian visitors to Istanbul who said the pressed sandwiches they had at Güngör were the best ones they’ve had this side of Naples.)

Many büfes will have on offer another ubiquitous Turkish dish, kuru fasulye (white beans in a tomato sauce). In this case, spend a few extra liras and treat yourself to the stellar and infinitely tastier Black Sea version of this dish. For our money, the buttery beans at Hayvore, a wonderful and affordable Black Sea restaurant in the Beyoglu area, are among the best in the city. The Black Sea area is also famous for another delicious yet budget-friendly item, pide (sometimes referred to as Turkish pizza, although the two are not quite the same). Fatih Karadeniz Pidecisi is not only one of the best and most authentic pide spots in Istanbul but is also located in an atmospheric neighborhood rarely visited by tourists.

Of course, this being Istanbul, you will probably expect to eat some kebab. Sitting down for a proper meal at an Istanbul grill house will likely leave you at the end of the night staring dejectedly at a budget-busting bill. A better bet is to follow the lead of hungry late-night revelers and head to Durumzade, a small and affordable joint near the bustling Beyoglu fish market that makes superlative durum (kebab wrapped up in a flatbread).

As your days in Istanbul pass by and you find yourself staring at the beautiful waters surrounding the city, you will likely start craving some fish. Like with kebab, going out for fish at most waterside Istanbul restaurants will leave you with serious sticker shock. In this case, we suggest you find your way to the central square of Samatya, a sleepy neighborhood by the shores of the Marmara Sea, where the owners of tiny Kuçuk Ev will serve you up a fresh fish dinner for a fraction of what you would pay in restaurants up the Bosphorus.

Finally, no discussion of Istanbul cheap eats is complete without talking about the “Wet Burger” (“Islak Burger” in Turkish, pictured above), Turkey’s greatest contribution to the world of fast food. A garlicky beef patty that resides inside a fluffy white bun that’s been soaked in an oily, tomato-based sauce, the “Wet Burger” is a budget eater’s dream come to life: cheap, sloppy, delicious and utterly addictive, a taste memory that will stay with you long after your cash has run out and you are back on campus hitting the books, your thoughts slowly turning towards planning next summer’s vacation.

(photo by Yigal Schleifer)

Dear Istanbul Eats,

Dear Concerned,
Thanks for the great question. Pandeli is indeed a venerable spot and, for a certain generation of visitors to Istanbul, often the first culinary stop made in the city. Which is to say that we haven’t been there in years. In order to answer your question, we asked our resident guest blogger, “Meliz,” to check things out over at Pandeli and come up with strategies for others who plan to visit the restaurant. Her report is below….

Someone mentioned the film Midnight Express to me the other day, and my first (ok, second) thought was hmm, wonder how Pandeli is these days? Let me explain.

When I first arrived in Istanbul, there were two things I used to hear about with some consistency: the film Midnight Express, and the restaurant Pandeli (not due to any connection between the two, mind you). Interestingly, as the years have passed and the city has gussied itself up a bit, one hears about both of these cultural touchstones less and less. I cannot argue that it is a shame that nowadays visitors are thinking more about what events to attend at the Biennial than “Joey, have you ever been… in a Turkish prison?” But I have to say, after a recent visit to Pandeli, after a decade-long hiatus, the place deserves a little revival of interest.

This is not to say that every single item on the menu is earthshaking. Nor that every item on the menu is priced within the average diner’s budget. But, the menu has not changed in a decade, and the things that I recall as special are still consistently so today. And those things are tasty enough to justify a visit if one happens to be skulking around the Spice Bazaar, especially with out-of-town guests. Because, let’s face it: Eminonu holds quite a treasure-trove of street food, but sometimes, after bumping elbows with its teeming masses, even the most inveterate chowhound might crave a linen tablecloth and a bit of quietude.

At Pandeli, as is the case with so many places in Istanbul/the world, you are paying for the ambiance and view. But only to an extent, and as these things go, I for one would rather pony up for Pandeli’s turquoise tiles and 17^th-century domed ceilings than fork over my precious lira for a panoramic city view blocked by grazing socialites. But that’s just me. So how do you ensure that all you pay for the ambiance is the two-lira cover? Let’s get to it.

Be forewarned: the first page of the menu had me breaking a bit of a sweat. At first blush, this appears to be a listing of appetizers priced between 30 and 60 lira each. And it is just that. But the appetizers are not your average meze. And 30-60 lira per portion for things like caviar and smoked bonito is not utterly outrageous. Just sort of outrageous. The list does smack of a funny nostalgia, a sort of executive’s lunch circa 1962, but as Pandeli does not offer martinis or champagne, I would skip it (and insist that no unordered plates of anything stay on the table).

For small plates, Pandeli offers a variety of vegetables cooked either with olive oil or butter – not something you find everywhere. That said, this is not an esnaf lokanta, not really, and while the veggies may be good, they will not be the most beautiful you have ever eaten. Better to go straight for the eggplant salad, a creamy puree of smoky deliciousness. Having said all that, the donerli patlican borek (henceforth DPB), listed as a small plate, is a) a good solid-sized portion, and b) the single best item on the menu. You know how quiche often comes close to perfect, but is held back by an eggy or over-cheesed heaviness? The DPB at Pandeli delivers on the elusive textural promise of quiche. You have a buttery but not lumpen yufka crust at the bottom, on top of which is a baked layer of that amazing eggplant puree, mixed with a subtle amount of kasar, the hard melty cheese of Turkey. There is enough kasar so that the top bakes to crispy perfection, but not so much that the eggplant puree loses its fluffiness. This stuff is darn good, but then, then, they heap on a generous but not gratuitous portion of doner slices. The crispy texture and the meaty flavor of the doner bring the perfect counterbalance to the creaminess of the eggplant borek. And at 10 lira for a portion the size of a Dickens novel, DPB also wins the prize for best deal on the menu.

If you are in for a somewhat more substantial meal, there are a few main courses particularly worth noting: the hunkar begendi (lamb bits over eggplant puree), the kuzu tandir (roasted lamb) and kagitta levrek (sea bass baked in parchment). None of these are cheap, but they are good. The sea bass dish is the single most famous dish at Pandeli, and it is done in a style one would be hard-pressed to find elsewhere. But at 38 lira, this is where one starts to pay for the ‘experience’. For my money, the prices on these main dishes indicate a splurge, but I am not convinced that the dishes themselves warrant that splurge.

Time to hit a sweet note, no?

At Pandeli, you will want to save room for dessert. We went for the sample plate, being the gluttons that we are, and while all the items on the plate were tasty, when I return, I will go straight for the standouts. The kabak tatlisi (stewed pumpkin) is a light, beautifully textured take on a dish I usually find to be a bit too much, like a sugary punch to the solar plexus. Not so at Pandeli, where it has a great texture and a balanced sweetness that allows the pumpkin to flaunt its flavorful self. Pandeli’s sweet specialty is an almond cookie, a bademli kurabiye of the crumbly variety. The spicing is a light touch, and the ground almonds in the cookie are crunchy-licious, great with after-lunch tea or Turkish coffee. The third standout is the kazandibi, and here I am about to get myself into trouble. Let me just say, reading Istanbul Eats was a big part of how I learned to stop worrying and love the Turkish chicken-breast pudding. Now one might even call me a pudding snob (I’m looking at you, Saray). So before whipping yourselves into a frenzy of clucking rage, take a deep breath and hear me out when I say I really like the kazandibi at Pandeli. I fully acknowledge that it is not chewy. It does not fight the spoon. In fact, it is more of a crème brulee texture, a bit custardy. But it is the real deal, the chicken breast was in there. Proof’s in the pudding, so to speak. And, when I head back to Pandeli, I’ll be calling dibs on the kazandibi.

Pandeli is a lovely space (worth reserving a table in the rooms facing outside onto the square), the service is old school and nonintrusive, and offers a quiet refuge from the madding crowds below. In the wild and woolly world of ‘touristed’ restaurants in Istanbul, there is much to be said for consistency, and Pandeli seems to have that down pat, judging by my experiences, decades apart. The place does deserve a visit, both for its pleasantly anachronistic vibe, and its time-tested tasties. I will definitely head back soon, most likely dragging a gaggle of guests shell-shocked by the Eminonu backstreets, for a lunch of their donerli patlican borek, followed by a little sweetness with my coffee. No more, no less. The 2 lira cover thus ends up being very little money, very well spent.

The More You Know… Pandeli is a lunch spot, though they get the busiest around 2 P.M. It is worth making a reservation for a table in the front rooms, though not necessary. To reach the restaurant, one must climb a somewhat daunting staircase. Alcohol is served, but expensive, and selection is not particularly exciting.

Address: Misir Carsisi No. 1 (just inside the main entrance to the Spice Bazaar, door is tucked away on the left)
Phone: (212) 527 39 09
(Open for lunch daily, except for Sundays, when bazaar is closed as well)

(Photo by Yigal Schleifer)

Dear Istanbul Eats,

Dear Curious,
Thanks for the great question. We’ve ourselves been curious about Hamdi, which we haven’t been to in ages, so we asked the intrepid “Meliz,” a frequent Istanbul Eats guest poster, to check things out over there. Her report, based on some recent visits, is below…..

There was a time, in sort-of-recent memory, when Hamdi Restaurant was a hole-in-the-wall kebab joint, overlooking a lot filled with choking and coughing city buses, surrounded by the sort of passengers that, as often as not, might have a chicken or two stuffed in their bags. The reputation Hamdi enjoys today is rooted in those days, when they made great kebabs from high-quality meat, the service was solemn but unpretentious, and Hamdi Bey himself kept everyone in line, including the guests.

The dusty lot has been replaced with a tidy paved piazza, the bus station displaced by modern sculpture, and the bus-routes have been largely rerouted away from the heart of the old city, but Hamdi Restaurant remains, albeit in a much fancier form. Which is not to say it is a travesty, per se. Just that it now requires a bit of savvy, a bit of navigation, to avoid the tiger-pits and get the best out of the experience.

When you call (or have your hotel call) to make your reservation, which you MUST DO, be sure to be very explicit about reserving a table on the terrace, and if possible, a table right by the windows. And when you arrive, insist firmly but politely on getting the sort of table you reserved. I will say it again. INSIST. This word will recur here with some frequency.

Also, when you call, which you will do at least one day in advance, place an order for KATMER. More on this later, point here being this is an amazing treat that must be ordered a day ahead of time.

Key point: make a very specific reservation, hold them to it, and pre-order katmer.

As soon as one sits down at Hamdi, a waiter will load the table with a number of appetizer/salad things that have not been explicitly ordered. You are not obligated to eat/pay for any of these items, and if you insist (see?), the waiter will remove them. That said, several of the automatic-meze are quite tasty, so go ahead and pick one or two to keep, if you are so moved.

Key point: do not just stare balefully at these unwelcome plates—keep what you want, SEND BACK the rest.

At most restaurants, alcohol is a big up-sell item. Hamdi is no different in this regard. Best way to avoid trouble is to order from the price-listed menu, and make sure what you chose is what they serve you, both in terms of brand and amount. If it is not, do not feel that you must accept just because they cracked open the bottle. The difference in brands, with wine and raki especially, can mean a rather stunning difference in price. So insist on what you want, and do not feel pressured or rushed into accepting something else. If they tell you what you ordered is unavailable, ask for the menu, and pick something else.

Key point: Pay close attention to the brand and amount you are ordering, and make 100% sure that is what you end up with.

The menu at Hamdi has a number of standards that they generally do well: I always go for their icli kofte, little lahmacun, spicy cig kofte, and a few cold meze that suit my mood. There is one special hot meze that is basically, cheese in hot water. It is delicious, but they do not flaunt it on the menu—if you ask for the cheese in hot water, that ought to be clear enough for your waiter. They also have a broad selection of kebabs to choose from—the fistik (pistachio), hash-hash (poppy seed), and patlican (eggplant) kebabs being the three stand-outs. That said, Hamdi still uses high-quality meat, so whichever kebab you choose is likely to be above-average.

As mentioned above, order what you want, off the menu (or, if off the meze tray, ask prices), and make sure you get only what you ordered. No need to be shy about the stray salad that shows up with your kebab course, or the extra portion of whatever. Just insist, politely, that they remove it.

Key point: this is getting repetitive, no?

Fair warning: dinner at Hamdi is not going to be the most intimate and rewarding service experience you have in Turkey. That said, it is a busy place, and the indifferent service is nothing personal. No need to stew over it. Take your lead from the Turkish customers you see—be unabashedly vocal if you need something, but do make sure you have a big smile on your face when you let loose with your preferred version of ‘woo-hoo! over here!’.

Key point: squeaky wheel gets the grease, but you catch more flies with sugar than with vinegar.

An unusual (in Istanbul) after-dinner treat is available at Hamdi: mirra. The mirra guy is a free agent who comes through later in the evening, serving up teeny cups of a coffee beverage that requires further explanation, if not an FDA warning. Mirra is Turkish coffee boiled down to its platonic essence, with a little cardamom added. By the time you meet mirra, it has the consistency of syrup, and will stain porcelain if left to sit. It is also a guaranteed way to sober up after a long raki-fueled meal (thus the ‘later in the evening’ service). Some mirra etiquette: the man will serve in order of oldest to youngest, and one is expected to drink two cups (he pours very little at a time, don’t worry). Good manners predicate that you look into the eyes of the person serving you when you drink the mirra, and that you hand the cup directly back to him when done.

Key mirra point: do not set the cups down on the table!

The view from the terrace is both famous and lovely. Really nice. Romantic, even. But the best reason, in my book, to go to Hamdi for dinner, is the aforementioned katmer. Katmer can mean many different things to different people, and at some point soon, we will devote an entire entry to it. For now, I will say this: at Hamdi, the katmer served is layered pastry ‘leaves’ (a mysterious thinner-spreading pastry dough), filled with pistachio paste and a smear of kaymak, drizzled with simple syrup and baked. It is as amazing and decadent as it sounds.

I would love to leave off on this sweet note, but there is one last caveat. Pore over your bill, and do not be ashamed to ask about any and all items that you do not understand, with the manager, if need be.

So. Hamdi serves up above-average kebabs, with a stunner of a view, and they offer katmer and mirra. So they have that going for them! But if you decide to go there, just keep our advice in mind.

Address: Kalçin Sokak #15 [on the open square to the right of the Spice Bazaar, in Eminonu]
Telephone: (212) 528-0390
Web: www.hamdi.com.tr

Still, even if you’re not fasting, a traditional iftar meal at the right place remains a unique and tasty window into life during the Ramadan period. Below is a list of recommended spots for iftar in Istanbul (note – all highly recommend making reservations):

Asitane
This upscalish restaurant near the lovely Chora Church prides itself on its devotion to cooking according to ancient Ottoman recipes. For whatever reason, we’ve usually found the place uncomfortably devoid of customers during most of the year, but during Ramadan Asitane fills up with fast breakers looking for an Ottoman-style iftar. The restaurant’s garden is a particularly pleasant place to spend the evening.

Fixed menu 70 TL
Address: Kariye Camii Sokak No: 6, Edirnekapı, İstanbul
Tel: (212) 635-7997
Web: www.asitanerestaurant.com

Çiya
Although no excuse is needed to visit this well-known spot, one of our favorite restaurants in Istanbul, during Ramadan they are serving up a special iftar menu which, like the restaurant’s regular menu, will likely change daily and feature lesser known regional specialties from around Turkey. Highly recommended.

Fixed menu 45 TL
Address: Guneslibahce Sokak 43, Kadiköy
Phone: 216-330-3190

Kanaat
Located in the Asian sides’ Uskudar neighborhood, this classic restaurant is an esnaf lokanta (tradesmen’s cafeteria) that has grown into something bigger and classier, with an almost overwhelming selection of very nicely made prepared dishes served from what seems like a mile-long steam table.

A la carte
Address: Selmanipak cd. No:9 Üsküdar İstanbul
Tel: (216) 341-5444

Şahin
Unlike Kanaat, Şahin has remained a humble, yet bustling, esnaf lokanta, with two small floors and a smaller menu of classic dishes prepared with a lot of love. It’s another one of our favorite places in town.

A la carte
Address: Orhan Adli Apaydın Sk. No:11/A, Beyoglu, Istanbul
Phone: (212) 244-2543

Sultanzade Sofrası
Istanbul’s Eyup neighborhood and its complex of mosques and mausoleums is a major pilgrimage site and a favorite spot for families who want to have an outdoor iftar. During Ramadan, the historic neighborhood has an almost carnival like atmosphere after sundown. Sultanzade Sofrası, a restaurant serving food from the Hatay region and overlooking Eyup’s main square, is a great perch from which to take in the neighborhood’s iftar vibe.

“Luxury” iftar menu, 34 TL
limited menu, 17.50 TL
Address: Kalenderhane Cad. No: 35/ 3, Eyüp-İstanbul.
Tel: (212) 615-34 55
Web: www.sultanzade.com 

(photo by balavenise, via Wikimedia Commons)

(Editor’s Note: With Ramadan set to start at the end of the month, we decided to rerun this timely advice column from last year.)

Dear Istanbul Eats,

I booked my trip to Istanbul months ago, looking forward to trying out many of your recommendations, only to realize just before leaving that I will be arriving in the middle of Ramadan! Will everything be closed during the day? Will I be harassed in the street if I’m seen eating? Will I be able to have a beer with my lunch? Thank you for your help,
G. Avur, Las Vegas, NV

Dear reader,

Thanks for your question. It’s one that we hear a lot and one that we’ve been wondering about ourselves. There’s really no hard and fast rule about Ramadan. Much of it depends on the area where you want to go to. You can be fairly sure that most of the restaurants you want to visit in Sultanahmet, Beyoglu or along the Bosphorus will be open during the day. On the other hand, spots in more traditional/conservative areas like Fatih and Eyup will likely be closed until Iftar (the break fast meal) time. Places that serve alcohol, particularly in tourist heavy areas, are still serving it during the day, so that shouldn’t be a problem. In fact, we were at a wine bar near Taksim last night that was not only serving booze at its sidewalk café but also had a chalkboard set out that was prominently advertising “Pork Sausages.” Miniskirts and minarets, as they like to say.

Many restaurants take advantage of the Ramadan period to do renovations, so that’s another thing worth considering. Also, because this year’s holiday has come so early, it’s possible that many restaurateurs are also taking their vacation now and have closed up shop for the month. Our best advice is to call ahead and see if the place you want to eat in is open. Enjoy your trip!

(photo by Cem Topcu, Wikimedia Commons)

Dear Istanbul Eats,

Dear Mom,

You’re in luck. We happen to be of the opinion that Istanbul is the greatest city in the world for parents travelling with kids, especially when it comes time to eat. The truth is, save for perhaps the fanciest places in town, almost every restaurant in the city is very “child friendly,” because Turks happen to be some of the most child-friendly folks around. There are few places in town where other customers will shoot you a dirty look if your kids get out of line or spill their ayran. In some restaurants, you may even find yourself with the entire waitstaff oohing and aahing over your children and offering to take your kids on a tour of the premises, allowing you to have a few quiet moments to actually enjoy your food. And while most places may not have an actual kids’ menu, our experience has been that almost every kitchen in town will go out of its way to make kids happy, either by whipping up something that’s not on the menu or sending one of the busboys out to grab an order of French fries or a tost (pressed cheese-sandwich) from a fast food spot down the street.

Some specific suggestions: A favorite place among Istanbul families is Kir Kahvesi, an open-air cafe in leafy Yildiz Park that specializes in making gozleme, thin sheets of phyllo-like dough that are wrapped around different fillings and cooked on a griddle. The hilly park has several playgrounds and a duck pond near the cafe, plus fine views of the Bosphorus.

We frequently also direct families towards the Galata neighborhood’s Kiva Han, partially for the food, but especially for the fact that the restaurant has a great outdoor seating area that overlooks the traffic-free plaza at the foot of the Galata tower, leaving the kids with lots of room to run around if they get bored of sitting.

But if you want to have a great day that’s fun for the kids but also allows the grown ups to do some serious grazing, head out to the Asian side’s Kadikoy neighborhood. Start off with a ferry ride across the Bosphorus, something the kids are sure to love, and then head into Kadikoy’s pedestrian-only bazaar area, which is filled with numerous restaurants, food shops and fruit and vegetable stands.

You will likely want to have lunch at the magnificent Ciya, which always has dozens of dishes on offer (including some very simple and child-friendly kebabs) and has outdoor seating. Baylan, an old-school patisserie and ice cream parlor, is sure to be appreciated by the entire family. And if you’re still feeling a bit peckish, two of our favorite lahmacun (minced meat flatbreads) makers are in Kadikoy. Since you’ll need a little something to pick you up before heading back to the ferry, go to the charming Fazil Bey cafe, another Kadikoy institution, that’s been serving dark and strong Turkish coffee for decades. The kids may not drink the coffee, but they will definitely enjoy the little piece of Turkish Delight that always comes with it.

(photo by Yigal Schleifer)

Dear Istanbul Eats,

Forget about Prince William and Kate – what about my own wedding? Can you please help my clueless boyfriend (along with millions of Turkish men) to find a nice and romantic place to propose! I am not necessarily asking for an expensive high-end restaurant, but a place with a nice view, maybe good music, and of course good food. Thanks!

Ringless in Rumeli Hisar

Dear RRH,

Indeed, the setting is everything when it comes time to get your significant other to pop that big question. Lucky for you, Istanbul’s magical setting means the city has countless spots that can inspire true romance. We’ve seen many a love affair get its start on the steep steps in Cihangir that overlook the Bosphorus and Topkapi Palace, with little more to set the mood than the stunning view and a can of lukewarm Efes.

But clearly you’re for something a little more refined than that.

One good possibility is to go to a rooftop restaurant that takes you high above the city. X, the stylish yet inviting restaurant at the top of the new headquarters of Istanbul Culture and Art Foundation (IKSV), has a great menu and wonderful views of the Golden Horn and would certainly strike the right kind of tone for the evening. Another good choice would be La Mouette, located on the terrace of Beyoglu’s elegant Tom Tom Suites Hotel. The restaurant has a superb view of the Old City, but, more importantly, it also has the cooking of two young chefs who are doing stellar work using locally-sourced ingredients.

Coming back down to earth, nothing says romance more than a sunset cruise on the Bosphorus followed by dinner. Inciralti, an easygoing meyhane in the charming Bosphorus-side village of Beylerbeyi, has a lovely and very romantic garden. Iskele, the classic fish restaurant in Rumli Hisari, is another good choice, with its old-world décor and a location that makes you feel as if you are floating right on the Bosphorus.

But a big night like the one you are thinking about really needs a major “wow” factor, and for that we suggest again taking a sunset cruise, but this time one heading towards Burgazada, the quietest of the Princes’ Islands, and its Kalpazankaya restaurant. Reached by a 30-minute walk along a leafy and flower-scented road, the restaurant sits on a high bluff overlooking the Marmara Sea, the flavor of its excellent food enhanced by the tranquil view and the cool breeze blowing in from the sea. When dinner is done, hop in one of the horse carriages that wait at the restaurant, and take it back into town to catch the last ferry of the day.

We hope one of these suggestions does the trick. If they don’t, it may be time to look for a different boyfriend.

Dear CU,
Indeed, springtime is a wonderful time to eat in Istanbul, particularly in some of the kebab houses that specialize in cooking the food of southeast Turkey, where there’s a long tradition of incorporating the first fruits of spring into the region’s cooking. Istanbul Eats’ Yigal Schleifer actually wrote about where to find some of these springtime dishes in a short article for the New York Times last year. From that piece: “There’s seasonal cooking and, at least during spring in Turkey, there’s micro-seasonal cooking. As if waiting for the arrival of summer and its bounty of fresh fruit is too much to bear after a long winter, this time of year sees Turkey’s fruit and vegetable stands filling up with produce — tangy, unripe green plums, fresh almonds still in their fuzzy pods, loquats both tart and sweet — that offers a glimpse of coming attractions.” (Click here to go the complete article)

Dear Istanbul Eats,

While Istanbul has a sizable Jewish community (perhaps some 20,000) with a long and rich history in the city, finding traditional Jewish food (kosher or not) is not so easy. Visitors to Rome, for example, can go to the city’s historic ghetto and find several restaurants and bakeries serving typical Roman Jewish food, but Istanbul doesn’t have something equivalent.

In fact, the city has only one Jewish eatery: Levi, a small restaurant tucked inside a historic han in the Eminonu district (and one of the stops along our “Culinary Secrets of the Old City” food walk). Opened several decades ago by its namesake, the restaurant today is run by Mr. Levi’s Muslim apprentice and serves up a daily mix of traditional Sephardic Jewish dishes (certified kosher by the Turkish Rabbinate). We’ve had some good things to eat there and some not so exciting. Perhaps because they have a monopoly, the restaurant’s owners seem to indulge in price inflation for tourists, so be prepared to pay more than you would expect for the food.

The Rabbinate’s website also has a page called “Eating Kosher in Istanbul,” which lists Levi and also some of the city’s Jewish old age homes, whose kitchens run a thriving side business doing event catering. Actually, some of the tastiest Turkish Jewish cooking that we’ve tasted has been at events catered by these kitchens. So, if you’re really interested in tasting traditional Sephardic food, you may want to get in touch with one of these places and see how small of an “event” they are willing to cater.

And if you want to do some of your own “self-catering,” Istanbul has several kosher butcher shops, were you can buy salami, sucuk and other cold cuts. A list of them can be found here.

(photo: Sucuk hanging in a kosher butcher shop in Istanbul’s Galata neighborhood. By Yigal Schleifer)

Dear Istanbul Eats,
Kofte, kebab. Kofte, kebab. Kofte, kebab. I understand the appeal of a good-value lunch or dinner, but do you guys ever go out for a splurge? Any advice for those of us who like to live high on the lamb?
Big Spender in Brussels

Dear Spender,
Guilty as charged. We do tend to write an inordinate amount about kofte and kebab restaurants and other budget-oriented places. The truth of the matter is that, when it comes to having a truly satisfying culinary experience, we’ve generally found that we get a bigger bang for the buck at these kinds of spots. There are plenty of lavish restaurants situated right on the Bosphorus or perched atop buildings with jaw dropping views of the city and menus featuring $50 entrees, but the thrill is frequently gone once the food arrives.

That said, on occasion (very special occasion) we do climb up the rungs of Istanbul’s restaurant ladder to have a peek at how the other half eats. Here are some suggestions of top-end places where you can enjoy both the surroundings and the food:
If it’s fish you’re after, take a look at this recent advice column.
In Ortakoy, we’ve enjoyed the formal elegance of Feriye — where traditional Ottoman dishes accompany a serious wine list in an historical and dramatic Bosphorus-side setting. Mikla, an elegant eagle’s nest perched at the top of the Marmara Pera hotel, has some of the best views in town, complimented by the inventive cooking of chef Mehmet Gurs.

The London-based high-end Japanese restaurant chain, Zuma, recently planted its flag in Ortakoy with much fanfare and serves the best sushi in Istanbul. Before Zuma’s arrival, the rooftop Vogue in Besiktas was known as the top address for sushi and remains a favorite with Istanbul’s free-spenders.

Changa in Taksim, and its sister restaurant MuzedeChanga, located in the Bosphorus-side Sabanci Museum in the Emirgan neighborhood, are mainstays on the high-end circuit. Conceived by New Zealander chef Peter Gordon, the Changa restaurants are known for their fusion style, but we prefer their classic Mediterranean staples such as grilled octopus, fresh Aegean greens and inventive meze. MuzedeChanga remains one of our favorite splurges.

Recently, we were pleasantly surprised by the tasting menu with wine pairings at the Leb-i-Derya restaurant located on the top floor of the Richmond Hotel on Istiklal Boulevard, overlooking the Bosphorus. Despite some not-so-fine dining experiences at their other location (on Kumbaraci Yokusu), we were happy to find that this Leb-i-Derya was taking their cooking seriously.

For a serious splurge, try Mimolett, which has one of Istanbul’s classiest dining rooms and the cooking of Murat Bozok, a classically-trained chef who has recently started bringing Turkish ingredients and flavors into the dishes of his French-influenced menu.

Finally, a new find that left us deeply satisfied is La Mouette, located on the terrace of Beyoglu’s Tom Tom Suites Hotel. The restaurant has a superb view of the Old City, but, more importantly, it also has the cooking of two young chefs who are doing stellar work using locally-sourced ingredients. Their imaginative take on the Turkish staple Arnavut cigeri (Albanian-style liver), was reminiscent of foie gras and among the more sublime things we’ve eaten in recent months. One of their desserts, a panna cotta made with yogurt, pulled off the nifty trick of not only cleverly imitating the its original inspiration but actually bettering it.

We hope this helps. Now, excuse us, but we have a kofte lunch that we have to go to.