A meal at Uçuncu Mevki usually doesn’t last longer than 15 minutes or cost more than 15 TL. The bustle of young backpacked diners scrambling to scribble their orders on little chits of paper that are sent right down to the kitchen on a dumbwaiter, gives us the sense that we have arrived at a serious eating source stripped of all fluff that often clutters the process.

There is something comforting if not culinarily spectacular about the food here; something like a favorite but unflattering hand-knit sweater. The hot grape leaves stuffed with rice and ground meat are usually triangular but more often than not have ruptured and gone rhombus – all the better for spooning up with the yogurt which has run amuck in the bowl. The “Mexican” potatoes, fried and then smothered in a red gravy, are very tasty but don’t prompt any visions of Oaxaca (or even spring break in Cancun, for that matter). Along with novelties like the Mexican potatoes, the standard dishes here are consistently excellent. A spicy lentil soup called ezo gelin is popular enough to keep the windows of this small eatery fogged up throughout the evening.  A side of chickpeas served over rice – as heavy as it sounds –  was surprisingly delicate.

If room remains, we suggest one of the puddings for dessert, they are better than anything in a school cafeteria and probably just as cheap.

Address: Öğüt sokak 18, Beyoglu
Telephone: No phone

(photo by Ansel Mullins)

According to the article, Turkey’s food sector has much catching up to do with European “hygiene standards.” Turkey’s beloved doner kebab, kokorec, boza, salca and salgam were named as the prime suspects in the coming sweep.

Though a 21 million EURO budget has been allocated under the “Truefood” project to bring traditional food up to code, we’ll have to wait and see how this affects the vibrant street food culture that Istanbul thrives on.

(photo by Ansel Mullins)

This time around, the street’s siren call was Istiridye Balik Lokantasi, an old-fashioned fish restaurant that caters to a lunchtime crowd of local office workers and executives. Karakoy, once a busy port area, remains a mostly commercial zone, with elegant buildings housing shipping and holding companies. The people who come to Istiridye expect the restaurant to serve food whose quality doesn’t vary from day to day, because, it would appear, many of them seem to come here every day.

Istiridye had intrigued us over the years, always walking by but never going in. The entrance, with its dark wooden façade and exuding something of a private club aura, seemed less like a doorway and more like a portal into another time and era. On the other hand, the prices listed on the dry erase board at the front – 20 liras for a swordfish kebab, for example – seemed firmly 21st century.

Nonetheless, the stomach is always stronger than the mind and through Istiridye’s doors we came on a recent lunch break. Inside, we found a rectangular-shaped dining room with dark wood beams supporting a wraparound balcony, looking something like a cross between an Old West Saloon and a Ukrainian village wedding hall. Serious-faced waiters in crimson vests and crisp ties hustled about from table to table.

The menu was basic. A chowder-like fish soup (delicious), green salad and a small assortment of fresh fish, most of them – perhaps so that the busy clientele don’t have to work too hard to eat their lunch – deboned, skewered with green pepper and onion and grilled over coals. We opted for the dil şiş, thin strips of flounder that are rolled up and grilled on a skewer. The fish was superb, the outside of the rolled-up fillets slightly charred and crisp, the inside moist and tender. The table next to us ordered levrek şiş, large chunks of sea bass fillets that were also skewered and grilled, and which also looked very tasty.

We finished our meal off with nothing more than a simple glass of tea, delivered from a nearby teahouse by a worker who dutifully stood at the entrance to Istridye and waited for one of the waiters to take the tray from him, as if he knew that crossing that threshold meant something more than simply entering a restaurant.

Address: Mumhane Cad. No: 24, Karakoy
Telephone: 212-249-1772

(photo by Yigal Schleifer)

In this pugilistic spirit, we took our place at a couple of stools at our favorite back of the fish market corner bar, Asmaalti, from which to call one of the great barroom debates of these parts: is a sheep’s head, or kelle, more tasty when boiled and served chilled or roasted and served hot?

Round one. Ding.

Based on looks alone, Muamar usta’s söğüş kelle – head boiled and served cold – was decidedly the underdog.  A bit gaunt and ashen, this skull looked a bit past its prime, a dud with a glass jaw. But lay down a fiver and watch this Cinderella story unfold. Muamar usta went to work with a sharp knife, transforming that sheep’s skull into a beautiful plate of thinly sliced meat dusted with salt, onions and parsley.

At its weigh in, Sinasi usta’s tandir kelle, roasted golden brown and steaming from the its thick meaty brow, looked like a born champ. Sinasi usta, who operates his head shop out of a butcher store specializing in liver in Beyoglu’s fish market, whacked it to pieces with a cleaver, carefully removing the brain, the cheeks, tongue and countless bits of juicy joint meat which he shredded with his fingers and put on a plate. He bummed a fork off of the tavern next door and presented this lovely contender to the salivating judges.

In the roasted preparation, the brains had a nutty richness and the consistency of peanut butter. The cheeks and the thin strip along the jaw reminded us of the best bite of a roasted lamb – tender, juicy meat with a crackle of skin. The firm, lean tongue, of course, was otherworldly.  However, The bite of fat from the back of the eye, which is the source of a well-known Turkish declaration of endearment – “[I love you so much] I am going to eat the fat from the back of your eye!” – left something to be desired.

Muamar’s kelle söğüş fought a different fight. Whereas Sinasti usta’s meat was juicy and soft with fat, Muamar’s was lean and firm. If Sinasi’s kelle looked like a nice mess of BBQ smacking of organ meat (in a good way), Muamar’s more resembled a carefully planned plate of cold cuts with clean and crisp flavor.

After a heaping plate of each, deciding a winner would prove difficult. Both of these kelle had great merit that was noted on the scorecard. But then, out of nowhere, a knockout punch came in the form of a plate of heavenly pure cheek meat delivered, gratis, by another customer who claimed to have eaten söğüş once every week since 1962. Lights out for Sinasti usta, the winner is Muamar’s kelle söğüş.

Sinasi Usta’s Kelle Tandir (roasted and served hot)
Senin Ciger ve Tavuk Pazarlama
Address: Sahne Sk. 18, Balikpazari, Beyoglu
Telephone: 212 245 4312
10 TL/head
9AM-6PM

Muamar usta’s Kelle Söğüş (boiled and served chilled)
Street Stand beside Asmaalti Bar
Address: Kalyoncu Kulluk Caddesi 13/a, Beyoglu

No Telephone
10 TL/head, 5TL/half
9AM-6PM

We were particularly intrigued by one of the places featured in the show, Kale Cafe, a cozy-looking spot in the Bosphorus-side Rumeli Hisari neighborhood, that specializes in serving up a bountiful Turkish breakfast. The images of kaymak – the Turkish clotted cream that is the crack cocaine of dairy products – being scooped up with pieces of steaming fresh lavash left us drooling in front of our TV set. A trip up the Bosphorus was certainly in order.

So, on a recent morning, we got over our fear of traffic jams along the narrow Bosphorus coastal road and of being drowned in a sea of Ugg boot wearers and made our way up to the swankier side of town. We knew we made the right decision as soon as we arrived in Rumeli Hisari and saw the sun reflecting off the waters of the Bosphorus, as an endless procession of ships and smaller boats sailed by.

Outside of Kale, located in a house-like building right on the coastal road overlooking the Bosphorus, we found a line of people waiting for the next available table (the popularity of the cafe, which started as a small bakery in 1982, has forced it to expand into the restaurant next door, while an annex is being opened some 200 meters away). Once we sat down, we ordered the upgraded serpme kahvalti (“breakfast spread”), which turned out to be a table-breaking bounty: along with the standard items – olives, tomato, cucumber, etc. – there was an assortment of cheeses, including fried helumi (a pleasantly rubbery and salty cheese from Cyprus), several types of börek and gozleme, fried eggs with sausage, and, of course, the very tasty kaymak, topped with honey.

Along with the food, one of the joys of Kale is the service, with a team of roving waiters who always seems to show up just at the right time with a fresh glass of tea. After finishing our leisurely breakfast, we repaired to one of the Bosphorus-side benches across the street, where one of the waiters graciously brought us a Turkish coffee.

Kale’s menu also features other items, including manti and the usual grill dishes like kofte and kebab. But it’s that breakfast, combined with the view of the Bosphorus, that just might get us out of that Beyoglu rut.

Address: Yahya Kemal Caddesi No: 16, Rumelihisari
Telephone: 212-265-0097
Web: www.kalecafe.com

(photo by Jonathan Lewis)

I am just back home from a cruise to Turkey, which included a short stay in Istanbul. I was pleasantly surprised to find such a strong seafood culture there. Shame on me for expecting lamb, lamb and more lamb! I indulged and managed to identify some of the fish I ate, but I didn’t catch the name and preparation of so many more. Can you help me fill in some of the question marks I have in my trip notes?

Thanks in advance,
Fishermom
Berlin, N.H.

Dear Fishermom,

You are not alone. We’ve received many such notes from readers surprised by the seafood bounty in Istanbul. So we put together a light crash course in what swims through here. Follow the links to reviews of some of our favorite places to eat these fish.

Levrek – Sea bass is one of the most popular fish in Turkey, prized for its delicate, almost sweet taste and firm white meat. Levrek is usually charcoal grilled whole and served with a drizzle of oil and a squeeze of lemon. In another delicious version, a whole levrek is encased in sea salt and baked in the oven. One of our favorite preparations is kagitta levrek, in which sea bass filets are wrapped in a paper bundle with onion, tomato and lemon and baked. Many restaurants serve the cheaper and smaller farmed variety of the fish. Wild levrek is known as deniz levregi. Both are available all year.

Hamsi – Size isn’t everything: the finger-length anchovy is often referred to in Turkey as the “little prince” of fishes. In the Black Sea area, where hamsi are caught, the little fish are used in numerous dishes and form an important part of the local economy. The most popular way hamsi are served is fried in a light coating of corn meal but we’ve even found them skewered and grilled. Another popular recipe is hamsi pilav – a rice and anchovy dish infused with an aromatic mix of herbs and spices. The hamsi season is in the fall and winter.

Cipura – Gilthead bream is the most popular fish caught in the Aegean area. Like levrek, it is a mild tasting fish with white, flaky meat, usually grilled whole and served unadorned. Fish farms now supply much of the Cipura served in restaurants, but the wild variety, known as deniz cipurasi is also available.

Barbunya – Tasty small red mullets are another popular fish. As the name implies, the barbunya’s skin is speckled with glistening reddish spots. The mild-tasting fish, usually only a few inches long, are typically pan-fried whole and an order of them can easily be shared. Barbunya’s prime season is from spring through early summer and the fish is not farmed.

Palamut – Bonito, related to tuna, is a fish that appears in Turkey’s waters in fall through winter. Unlike levrek and cipura, it is a strong-tasting, oily fish, similar to mackerel. Palamut fillets are often grilled, but another popular – and perhaps tastier – way they are prepared is baked in the oven in an onion and tomato sauce. Palamut is not farmed.

(photo by Jonathan Lewis)

Still, we’re looking forward to grabbing a meal at the new-and-improved Furreyya, which has become one of our absolute favorite places in town. Besides expanding the place, the owners have put in a new kitchen and have given the restaurant a spiffing up, with a new wooden façade and a completely remodeled interior. The menu remains the same, for now, although one of the cooks told us some new items might be in the works (Ismael, one of the owners, even promised a wine menu at one point, but the presence of a mosque across the street might get in the way of that).

For those not familiar with Furreyya, here’s a bit from our original review of the place:

Located on a busy corner only a stone’s throw from the 13^th-century Galata Tower, the restaurant offers a great (and affordable) alternative to eating at one of Istanbul’s fancier fish restaurants, where often you pay too much buck for the bang. Fürreyya’s menu is basic, the bulk of it devoted to whole fish either grilled over hardwood coals or fried in a light dusting of flour. The exceptionally fresh fish, a selection of whatever is in season in the waters around Istanbul and other parts of Turkey, is found in a small refrigerated display case outside the restaurant.

But the menu also holds some very rewarding surprises. Balık koftesi are delicious fish cakes cooked over the charcoal grill and served with a squeeze of homemade basil aioli. On occasion, Fürreyya serves up its tasty take on mantı, tortellini-like miniature pockets of dough that are usually filled with ground meat but here are made with fish. The highlight of the menu, though, may be its most humble offering: the balık durum, a tortilla-like wrap filled with grilled fish and caramelized onions. At 6 lira for a durum, it’s one of Istanbul’s best and tastiest deals.

Address: Serdar-i Ekrem Sok. 2, Beyoglu (Kuledibi)
Telephone: 212-252-4853

(photo by Yigal Schleifer)

Lades is an old school spot, a classic local lokanta serving stews and steam table favorites day in, day out. The monogrammed flatware, faded from decades of use by diners sopping up that last bit of stew with a fresh piece of white bread, indicates the sort of customer approval that we seek in a lunch spot. On one recent visit, we tried the hotpocket-like talas kebab – a stew of beef, carrots, currants, onions and pine nuts wrapped in phyllo dough. With a bowl of lentil soup, a side of okra and, for dessert, kazan dibi (“burnt pudding”), we discovered that just about everything at Lades is highly soppable and dependably good.

Indeed, if Lades were an automobile, it might be an old Volvo station wagon – nothing exotic, but safe and extremely reliable. (Equally dependable is the highly recommended, diner-like Lades 2 across the street, which serves eggs and puddings.) “Most of our customers are regulars. They know exactly what is served on which day of the week. How could we possibly change anything?” said manager Ilker bey from his post at the register.

As it is written (on the window out front), on Mondays and Thursdays you shall eat doner kebab in succulent ribbons served over rice. Tuesday is a day for Arnavut ciger, lightly fried lambs liver ramped up with red peppers.  Smothered okra, spinach with rice, roast chicken, various stews and our beloved tandir kebab are available everyday but Sunday, when the restaurant is closed. They may be dependable, but even the guys at Lades deserve a day of rest.

Address: Sadri Alisik Sok. 14, Beyoglu
Telephone: 212-251-3203

(photo by Ansel Mullins)

For the most part, these guesthouses are drab affairs, 1970’s-era concrete boxes usually painted in a shade of pink and found in some of the least interesting parts of town. Not so in Istanbul’s historic Beyoglu neighborhood, where the local oğretmenevi in a grand old building dating back to the late 1800’s, formerly a French-built hotel that put up some of the same Orient Express travelers who stayed at the more famous Pera Palace Hotel nearby.

A “teacher’s house” since the 1980’s, the building received a complete remodeling two years ago, which resulted in the addition of a top-floor restaurant and bar. We walked by the building on a recent afternoon and were intrigued by its sign, which looked more like that of a boutique hotel’s than of a state-run institution. The lobby smacked of a Miami Beach retirement home, but a quick trip up the elevator took us into a modernish dining room that had several tables with fine views of the waters of the Golden Horn (the poor man’s Bosphorus, some might say) and a cozy, 5-stool bar at one end.

Curious, we returned for dinner to find out just what Istanbul’s teachers are up to at night. We were initially met by a stern maitre d’ who treated us like a bunch of students who arrived late for detention period, informing us that no tables were available. Apparently, reservations are a must on most nights, especially if you want one of the few tables with a view. Fortunately, the bar was empty and the friendly bartender – dressed in a white shirt and satiny black tie, like the rest of the wait staff – was happy to let us eat there.

The menu held no surprises – the usual mezes and kebabs, along with grilled fish – but the prices (most main dishes were around 12 lira) were unheard of for this swanky part of town, especially for a place with a view. The lamb chops we ordered were not exceptional, but, like the meze, no worse than anything you get in any of the meyhanes along Beyoglu’s touristy Nevizade Street. “Mexican steak,” a filet of beef covered in a tomato-mushroom sauce and melted cheese, seemed like a high-concept take on school cafeteria food, but it was surprisingly good.

Truth is, more than the food, what might keep us coming back to the oğretmenevi is the unpretentious bar and its wonderful view, especially come summer, when the restaurant’s big windows will be opened up. It may not be the finest dining experience in Beyoglu, but it is certainly one of the more memorable. At one point during our dinner at the oğretmenevi, the lights dimmed, a one-man band at his keyboard started playing Turkish favorites, and the full house of teachers started singing along, for a moment forgetting that come tomorrow, another school day begins.

Address: Mesrutiyet Cad. No: 58, Beyoglu
Telephone: 212-252-4343
Web: www.beyogluogretmenevi.com

(photo by Yigal Schleifer)

How anyone could not love lahmacun is beyond us. Still, we hear they are out there. The only explanation is that they never had a really good one. Meaning they never set foot in Fistik Kebap, the be-all and end-all lahmacun of Istanbul.

Located on the Bosporus in the upmarket district of Arnavutkoy, Fistik has no use for the pretensions that its address may indicate. This is a down and dirty neighborhood kebab joint with a small seating area and a bustling delivery business. According to the overworked man at the oven, Ibrahim usta, more than 500 lahmacun pass over his paddle everyday. Fistik also serves the usual kebab selection – Adana, Urfa, chicken – but the main attraction is the lahmacun.

We challenge those not so hot on lahmacun to resist oohing and ahhing as Ibrahim usta slides his paddle into the oven and fetches out a fresh one. The brick oven’s rage renders the crust a bubbled, crispy fantasy – charred here, still soft and pulsing like a soufflé there.

He’ll roll it into a wrap if you like or quarter it before plating it with a small salad for dressing. With a cold glass of salgam, or fermented turnip juice, this quick bite is the perfect segue from lunch to dinner, or dinner to breakfast. Ibrahim mans the oven until midnight.

Address: 1. Cadde No.40, Arnavutkoy
Telephone: 212-263-5884

(photo by Ansel Mullins)