Apr 09
Tuesday
Heyamola Ada Lokantası: Island Time
Editor’s note: This post was written by “Meliz,” an intrepid explorer of Istanbul’s culinary backstreets and frequent Istanbul Eats guest contributor who would like to keep her anonymity.
While the Princes’ Islands make for a great escape from the city, it used to be hard to think of them as a culinary destination. That is, until Heyamola Ada Lokantası opened. The restaurant is a perfect storm of inspired food, chill ambiance and small-label Turkish wines, all at ridiculously low prices. Heyamola is reason in and of itself to organize a day trip to the islands, and if you’re already planning your island adventure, the place is a compelling argument for jumping off the ferry at Heybeli Island, often overlooked in favor of the more popular Büyükada.
At Heyamola, the meze tray rolls 20 deep and changes with the seasons. The selection often revolves around the herbs and greens chef Semra Hanım forages on the island. On one visit, a wild fennel sauté and a nettle and nigella seed salad truly blew our minds. Semra Hanım ran one of the best places on the Datça Peninsula for years, and she has a genius for innovative takes on Aegean standards.
The rest of this previously featured review can be found on CulinaryBackstreets.com, here.
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Quick Look
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no responses - Posted 05.08.13
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1 response - Posted 04.26.13
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1 response - Posted 04.15.13
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Heyamola Ada Lokantası: Island Time
no responses - Posted 04.09.13
Editor’s note: This post was written by “Meliz,” an intrepid explorer of Istanbul’s culinary backstreets and frequent Istanbul Eats guest contributor who would like to keep her anonymity. While the Princes’ Islands make for a great escape from the city, it used to be hard to think of them as a culinary destination. That is, until Heyamola Ada Lokantası opened. The ... continue -
Siirt Şeref Büryan Kebap Salonu: The Lamb Underground
2 responses - Posted 04.01.13
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Göreme Muhallebicisi: The Milkman Stayeth
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All entries filed under this archive
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no responses - Posted 10.15.12
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no responses - Posted 10.15.12
Diners in Istanbul are spoiled with options for fresh seafood. But most venues are mere caricatures of places like İsmet Baba, where traditions have been kept sacred for more than 50 years. While many other such restaurants are kitschy, İsmet is gritty and authentic. Located in Kuzguncuk, a charming neighborhood ...continue
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2 responses - Posted 07.30.12
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2 responses - Posted 07.30.12
In the evolutionary process of the Istanbul fish restaurant, there was a moment in the late 1990’s when the amphibious, shore-hugging boat restaurants crawled out of the Bosphorus and became land dwellers. Overnight, yellow Wellington boots became black loafers as seafaring grill men became restaurateurs and waiters. Some rue the day ...continue
Island – and Table – Hopping in Istanbul
1 response - Posted 04.25.12
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1 response - Posted 04.25.12
Istanbul's Princes' Islands, a lovely archipelago just off the city's Asian shore, offer what we believe to be the best travel bargain anywhere in the world. Whenever we're in need of a vacation but can't afford the airfare, a ferry awaits to take us to the islands. For the price ...continue
Hamsi for Hipsters!
no responses - Posted 04.18.12
Turns out New Yorkers are only now discovering what Turks have known for eons: that the humble anchovy is absolutely delicious (particularly when lightly coated in flour or cornmeal and fried). As an article in today's New York Times explains, anchovies -- known as "hamsi" in Turkish -- are being ...continue
no responses - Posted 04.18.12
Turns out New Yorkers are only now discovering what Turks have known for eons: that the humble anchovy is absolutely delicious (particularly when lightly coated in flour or cornmeal and fried). As an article in today's New York Times explains, anchovies -- known as "hamsi" in Turkish -- are being ...continue
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4 responses - Posted 10.31.11
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4 responses - Posted 10.31.11
The arrival of fall in Istanbul for us usually means just one thing: hamsi season is about to begin. Hamsi, of course, are the minuscule fish (Black Sea anchovies) that Istanbulites are mad for, and the coming of fall and the further cooling of the Black Sea’s waters mark the beginning ...continue
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no responses - Posted 09.12.11
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no responses - Posted 09.12.11
We always feel a bit like a cheating spouse when we walk past our longtime favorite – albeit dry – fish spot, Arnavutkoy’s Adem Baba, toward Hayri Balik, a lovely little fish shack up the street. But sometimes, well after the brunching hour, we like to have something a little ...continue
Heyamola Ada Lokantası: Island Time
10 responses - Posted 08.08.11
(Editor’s Note: This guest post was written by “Meliz,” an intrepid explorer of Istanbul's culinary backstreets who would like to keep her anonymity.) While the Princes’ Islands make for a great escape from the city, it’s been hard to think of them as a culinary destination. Until now. The new-offshore-kid-in-town, Heyamola ...continue
10 responses - Posted 08.08.11
(Editor’s Note: This guest post was written by “Meliz,” an intrepid explorer of Istanbul's culinary backstreets who would like to keep her anonymity.) While the Princes’ Islands make for a great escape from the city, it’s been hard to think of them as a culinary destination. Until now. The new-offshore-kid-in-town, Heyamola ...continue
Lokanta Maya: Subtle Surprises
1 response - Posted 05.30.11
(Editor’s Note: This guest post is by Jennifer Hattam, an American journalist living in Beyoğlu whose personal blog can be found here.) My first encounters with Turkish fish menus were nothing short of perplexing, and not because levrek (sea bass), çupra (sea bream), kalkan (turbot), and the like were such unfamiliar ...continue
1 response - Posted 05.30.11
(Editor’s Note: This guest post is by Jennifer Hattam, an American journalist living in Beyoğlu whose personal blog can be found here.) My first encounters with Turkish fish menus were nothing short of perplexing, and not because levrek (sea bass), çupra (sea bream), kalkan (turbot), and the like were such unfamiliar ...continue
Hamsi: Catch Them While You Can?
no responses - Posted 05.08.11
Things may be going from bad to worse for Istanbul fish lovers. The other day, we learned from The Atlantic the sad story of how mackerel became so overfished in the waters around Istanbul that local fish mongers had to start importing the stuff from Norway so that the city's ...continue
no responses - Posted 05.08.11
Things may be going from bad to worse for Istanbul fish lovers. The other day, we learned from The Atlantic the sad story of how mackerel became so overfished in the waters around Istanbul that local fish mongers had to start importing the stuff from Norway so that the city's ...continue
May Day Special: Eat Union!
4 responses - Posted 05.01.11
(Editor's Note: In honor of the May Day workers' holiday, we are rerunning last year's post that takes a look at the dining possibilities at two union halls, Istanbul-style. Happy May 1!) Gazeteciler Lokali-Beyoğlu: The Write Stuff Journalists in Turkey are notoriously overworked and underpaid (at least that’s what Turkish journalists will ...continue
4 responses - Posted 05.01.11
(Editor's Note: In honor of the May Day workers' holiday, we are rerunning last year's post that takes a look at the dining possibilities at two union halls, Istanbul-style. Happy May 1!) Gazeteciler Lokali-Beyoğlu: The Write Stuff Journalists in Turkey are notoriously overworked and underpaid (at least that’s what Turkish journalists will ...continue
