Nov 17
Tuesday
Zinnet Restaurant: Silk Road Trip

There are those restaurants worth going to because of their out-of-the-way location – a fish shack at the end of a lonely beach, a fondue hut at the top of an Alpine ridge. Then there are those worth seeking out despite their location – that culinary gem stuck inside a God-forsaken strip mall, a sensational steakhouse in the back of a gas station.
But we’re not quite sure in what category we would place Zinnet, an appealing Central Asian restaurant located deep inside a newly-created park just outside Istanbul’s old city walls. Continue…
All entries filed under this archive
Gönül Abla: Mighty Manti
no responses - Posted 09.04.09
The mini dumpling manti, a dish that traces its roots to the mobile kitchens of nomadic Turkic tribes in Central Asia, is often referred to as “Turkish ravioli.” But could the Turks have beaten the Italians to the punch? Is it ravioli that should actually be called “Italian manti?” We’ll never ...continue
no responses - Posted 09.04.09
The mini dumpling manti, a dish that traces its roots to the mobile kitchens of nomadic Turkic tribes in Central Asia, is often referred to as “Turkish ravioli.” But could the Turks have beaten the Italians to the punch? Is it ravioli that should actually be called “Italian manti?” We’ll never ...continue
Dogu Türkistan Vakfi Aş Evi: East meets East
2 responses - Posted 08.03.09
With the particularly uncatchy name of Dogu Türkistan Vakfi Aş Evi (or East Turkistan Foundation Food House), it’s clear this restaurant is not aiming for mass-market appeal. Rather, the place functions as a kind of public service agency. Located inside the charming and very pleasant courtyard of a 16th-century former ...continue
2 responses - Posted 08.03.09
With the particularly uncatchy name of Dogu Türkistan Vakfi Aş Evi (or East Turkistan Foundation Food House), it’s clear this restaurant is not aiming for mass-market appeal. Rather, the place functions as a kind of public service agency. Located inside the charming and very pleasant courtyard of a 16th-century former ...continue
Doyuran Lokantasi: Working Class Hero
no responses - Posted 06.05.09
We usually steer clear of the touristy old city district of Kumkapi, where you are more likely to be accosted by an aggressive maitre d’ trying to corral you into his overpriced fish restaurant than to find something simple, tasty and reasonably priced to eat. Sadly, in order to beat ...continue
no responses - Posted 06.05.09
We usually steer clear of the touristy old city district of Kumkapi, where you are more likely to be accosted by an aggressive maitre d’ trying to corral you into his overpriced fish restaurant than to find something simple, tasty and reasonably priced to eat. Sadly, in order to beat ...continue
Ficcin: The Caucasian Sensation
1 response - Posted 04.01.09
According to our Turkish-English dictionary, the word "Çerkez" means "Circassian," but in our book it is synonymous with "delicious." As evidence, look no further than Fıccın, a friendly restaurant serving the unique cuisine from the mountains of the Caucasus. Many a Turk trace their roots to this culinary Xanadu, including the ...continue
1 response - Posted 04.01.09
According to our Turkish-English dictionary, the word "Çerkez" means "Circassian," but in our book it is synonymous with "delicious." As evidence, look no further than Fıccın, a friendly restaurant serving the unique cuisine from the mountains of the Caucasus. Many a Turk trace their roots to this culinary Xanadu, including the ...continue
Bodrum Manti: Turkish Dumpling Delight
6 responses - Posted 04.01.09
From Western China all the way to Istanbul, Turkic people roll out dough, fold it into small pouches, boil it and call it mantı. When it comes to dumplings, Turkish tradition dictates that the tortellini-like mantı be no larger than peanut-sized. With its unusually large (and sometimes fried) dumplings, Bodrum ...continue
6 responses - Posted 04.01.09
From Western China all the way to Istanbul, Turkic people roll out dough, fold it into small pouches, boil it and call it mantı. When it comes to dumplings, Turkish tradition dictates that the tortellini-like mantı be no larger than peanut-sized. With its unusually large (and sometimes fried) dumplings, Bodrum ...continue

