Aug 09
Monday
Urfali Haci Usta: In the Bosom of Abraham
Like Turkish foreign policy, we could easily be accused of “tilting east” these days. Just after making our way to Fatih’s Öz Kilis, we soon found ourselves trawling the streets of the nearby Aksaray neighborhood in search of food from another southeastern Turkish city near the Syrian border, in this case Urfa.
In Turkey, ancient Urfa (called Edessa in Roman times) is best known as the supposed birthplace of Biblical patriarch Abraham and the actual birthplace of Ibrahim Tatlises, the undisputed heavyweight champ of the Turkish Arabesque music scene. The city is also known as a major food spot, famous for its dried red peppers and its kebabs. Continue…
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Quick Look
Recent Posts
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Inciralti: Meyhane Time Machine
1 response - Posted 08.30.10
We like to think of Inciralti, a laid back meyhane in the sleepy Bosphorus-side Beylerbeyi neighborhood, as a destination restaurant – not so much because of the food, but because of the destination itself. Not that there’s anything wrong with the food here, which is reliably well made. The meze tray at Inciralti (which means “under the fig tree” in Turkish) ... continue -
The Esnaf Nouveau: Blue Collar Food, White Collar Style
no responses - Posted 08.27.10
In the rapidly developing Istanbul district of Beyoglu, a new concept restaurant is born everyday – Korean fried chicken, construct your own canapé, a restaurant claiming to serve the widest variety soups in the world, etc. If a place makes it past infancy, pirated versions of the original are sure to follow. The market is thriving and those who live, ... continue -
Istanbul Eats Walks!
2 responses - Posted 08.26.10
We are happy to announce the start of our culinary walks program! Turkish cuisine, like Turkey itself, channels cultural currents coming in from every direction, resulting in the delicious culinary chaos that is Istanbul. Turks, Greeks, Arabs, Persians and countless others have passed through here, leaving an indelible stamp on the cuisine. Historians speak of the “layered” nature of the city; ... continue -
Brews With Views
3 responses - Posted 08.23.10
(Editor's Note: we first ran this roundup last summer, but we're bringing it back for those who may have not found it in our archive.) The mojito may go the way of the grasshopper and other forgotten cocktails, but a cold beer accompanied by a panoramic view of the waters and hills of Istanbul will never go out of style. Though ... continue -
Istanbul Eats on the Road: Breakfast in Bursa
no responses - Posted 08.20.10
With all of the hype around Bursa’s claim to fame, the Iskender kebab, you’d think Bursans persisted on a diet of thinly sliced doner, pide, tomato sauce and frothy melted butter. But in between the spinning meat-sicles, the very icon of Turkish fast food, the markets of Bursa offer a bounty of traditional syrupy sweets, fresh fruits and berries, farm ... continue -
Read the Blog, Buy the Book
1 response - Posted 08.18.10
We're happy to announce that we are now taking orders from anyone outside of Turkey that wants to buy our book. All you have to do is click "Buy the Book Now" button on the ad on the right. Books cost $15, which includes shipping to anywhere in Europe or the United States and Canada. Payment is via PayPal. continue -
Ramadan’s Iftar: The Break Fast of Champions
no responses - Posted 08.16.10
Think of Ramadan as a kind of month-long biathalon that consists of an all-day race to beat back the hunger and thirst of fasting, followed by an all-night marathon of eating and drinking in order to fortify the body for the next day’s fast. In recent years in Turkey, iftar, the traditional break fast meal that used to mostly consist ... continue
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Inciralti: Meyhane Time Machine
The Istanbul Eats Book
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All entries filed under this archive
Öz Kilis: Kebab That Deserves to be Panned
no responses - Posted 08.02.10
In Turkish popular lore, the denizens of Kilis, a town in southeastern Turkey right near the Syrian border, are known for two things: kebab making and smuggling. We haven’t been to Kilis, so we can’t vouch for the smuggling bit. But we did recently have lunch at Öz Kilis, a ...continue
no responses - Posted 08.02.10
In Turkish popular lore, the denizens of Kilis, a town in southeastern Turkey right near the Syrian border, are known for two things: kebab making and smuggling. We haven’t been to Kilis, so we can’t vouch for the smuggling bit. But we did recently have lunch at Öz Kilis, a ...continue
EatingAsia Hits Southeast Turkey!
2 responses - Posted 06.30.10
The folks behind EatingAsia, the web's most mouthwatering food blog, are in Turkey and recently made a long journey through the country's southeast region. The blog has several posts up reporting on their finds in the region and are well worth checking out. You can find EatingAsia here. continue
2 responses - Posted 06.30.10
The folks behind EatingAsia, the web's most mouthwatering food blog, are in Turkey and recently made a long journey through the country's southeast region. The blog has several posts up reporting on their finds in the region and are well worth checking out. You can find EatingAsia here. continue
Pamuk Usta’s Nohut Durum: Garbanzo Gone Gonzo
2 responses - Posted 06.21.10
In previous posts, we’ve reported on the unusual eating habits in Turkey’s hot and dusty southeast. In Gaziantep, we noted the “wake and flake” baklava breakfast. In Urfa it was a morning dose of grilled liver. But in the town of Nizip (and elsewhere in the area), the favored first ...continue
2 responses - Posted 06.21.10
In previous posts, we’ve reported on the unusual eating habits in Turkey’s hot and dusty southeast. In Gaziantep, we noted the “wake and flake” baklava breakfast. In Urfa it was a morning dose of grilled liver. But in the town of Nizip (and elsewhere in the area), the favored first ...continue
Antebi: Straight outta Antep
8 responses - Posted 06.04.10
On Saturday afternoon, in the southeastern Turkish city of Gaziantep, our baklava was neatly wrapped with plastic and then paper, tagged “Antebi, Istanbul” in black marker and escorted to the bus station by either Levent or Bulent of Zeki Inal Baklavacisi. While we slept that night, our baklava passed through ...continue
8 responses - Posted 06.04.10
On Saturday afternoon, in the southeastern Turkish city of Gaziantep, our baklava was neatly wrapped with plastic and then paper, tagged “Antebi, Istanbul” in black marker and escorted to the bus station by either Levent or Bulent of Zeki Inal Baklavacisi. While we slept that night, our baklava passed through ...continue
The “Mesopotamian Truffle” Returns!
5 responses - Posted 04.19.10
Spring is upon us, which means that it's time to go hunting for restaurants that serve keme, an elusive fungus with a beguiling taste that we've dubbed the "Mesopotamian Truffle." Impossible to cultivate and with a season that spans only a few weeks, this specialty of southeast Turkey is worth seeking ...continue
5 responses - Posted 04.19.10
Spring is upon us, which means that it's time to go hunting for restaurants that serve keme, an elusive fungus with a beguiling taste that we've dubbed the "Mesopotamian Truffle." Impossible to cultivate and with a season that spans only a few weeks, this specialty of southeast Turkey is worth seeking ...continue
A Culinary Tour of Turkey – in Istanbul
no responses - Posted 03.14.10
The English-language daily Today's Zaman has an article up that takes a look at some of the restaurants in Istanbul serving food from other regions in Turkey. The article (addresses included, for a change), offers some good tips on where to find food from the Black Sea and southeast regions ...continue
no responses - Posted 03.14.10
The English-language daily Today's Zaman has an article up that takes a look at some of the restaurants in Istanbul serving food from other regions in Turkey. The article (addresses included, for a change), offers some good tips on where to find food from the Black Sea and southeast regions ...continue
Durumzade: Wrap Artists (and Television Stars)
no responses - Posted 01.19.10
(Editor's Note: This review first appeared back in April of 2009. Turns out the "wrap stars" at Durumzade were among the stars of last night's episode of Anthony Bourdain's "No Reservations" show, which recently visited Istanbul. In honor of Durumzade's new found television success, we decided to offer this "rerun" ...continue
no responses - Posted 01.19.10
(Editor's Note: This review first appeared back in April of 2009. Turns out the "wrap stars" at Durumzade were among the stars of last night's episode of Anthony Bourdain's "No Reservations" show, which recently visited Istanbul. In honor of Durumzade's new found television success, we decided to offer this "rerun" ...continue
EatingAsia Interviews Ciya Chef Musa Dagdeviren
2 responses - Posted 11.22.09
EatingAsia, a marvelous blog that (mostly) covers Asian food and culinary traditions, recently caught up with chef Musa Dagdeviren, creator of Istanbul's Ciya restaurant. A kind of culinary anthropologist, Dagdeviren has helped introduce Istanbulites and visitors to the city to traditional recipes and ingredients from across Turkey that are even ...continue
2 responses - Posted 11.22.09
EatingAsia, a marvelous blog that (mostly) covers Asian food and culinary traditions, recently caught up with chef Musa Dagdeviren, creator of Istanbul's Ciya restaurant. A kind of culinary anthropologist, Dagdeviren has helped introduce Istanbulites and visitors to the city to traditional recipes and ingredients from across Turkey that are even ...continue
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