Dec 06
Tuesday
Bizim Ev: The Stash House
(Editor’s Note: This guest post was written by “Meliz,” an intrepid explorer of Istanbul’s culinary backstreets and a frequent contributor to these pages who would like to keep her anonymity.)
It all started with Laz boregi.
It was not just any Laz boregi that showed up at the dinner party that evening, but perfect Laz Boregi—layers of yufka (phyllo) buttery and moist, dusted with confectioner’s sugar, in a symbiotic balance with the custard, which was neither too sweet, nor too eggy; neither too runny, nor too stiff. Goldilocks would be proud. Juuuust right. And, it turns out, this stuff is addictive.
So that got me on the ferry and up the hill to Moda Caddesi in Kadikoy, on a pilgrimage to the source. And that is where I really got myself into trouble. Continue…
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Recent Posts
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Nuruosmaniye Koftecisi: Landmark Meatballs
no responses - Posted 01.31.12
In Istanbul, if all you have is a street address of a restaurant, you are as good as lost. It’s all about proximity to landmarks, as in Postanede’ki kokoreçci (the kokoreç vendor near the Post Office), Suleymaniyede’ki kurufasuliyeciler (the bean shops at Suleymaniye Mosque). This is the way we’ve learned to navigate this city and we’ve even found reason to ... continue -
Get Ready for the Kebab Krawl!
4 responses - Posted 01.23.12
It’s nighttime in Istanbul’s “Little Urfa.” Follow the wail of the Kurdish Frank Sinatra, Ibrahim Tatlises, blasting from a souped-up vintage Fiat. Puzzle over handwritten Arabic signs in the barbershop windows. Sample the essence of southeast Turkey in the spice shops selling the region’s fiery peppers. And, most of all, marinate in the fragrant smoke that comes from the countless ... continue -
If You Insist: Pandeli?
3 responses - Posted 01.11.12
Dear Istanbul Eats, I've heard and read so much about the historic Pandeli restaurant in Eminonu's Spice Bazaar, including that it's nothing more than an overpriced tourist trap. Have you been there recently? Is it worth going to? Concerned in Cincinnati Dear Concerned, Thanks for the great question. Pandeli is indeed a venerable spot and, for a certain generation of visitors to Istanbul, often ... continue -
Istanbul Eats Drinks: Yaşasın Sparkling Wine
no responses - Posted 01.06.12
(Editor’s Note: This post is part of our ongoing “wine chats” with sommelier and oenophile Serdar Kombe. Today he talks about a Turkish sparkling wine that’s actually worth talking about.) 1. A wine expert whose opinion we trust told us that "Turkish bubblies are positively undrinkable!!!" Is that the case? Is Turkey's terroir not suited for sparkling wines? Actually making good sparkling ... continue -
Best Bites of 2011: Our Take, Pt. 2
no responses - Posted 12.30.11
Merih Resturant This well-loved meyhane cum esnaf lokanta (Meykanta? Lokhane?), located near Beygolu’s Balik Pazar, presented one of the year’s great culinary mysteries. Namely: how that, despite being a decades-old neighborhood institution that’s located on a street we walk down on a regular basis, it took us until 2011 to actually notice it and step inside for a meal? Our overlooking ... continue -
Best Bites of 2011: Our Take, Pt. 1
no responses - Posted 12.29.11
Mandabatmaz This “Best Bite” is actually a “Best Sip.” For years we’ve been frequenting the small alley off Istiklal where Cemil Pilik – Istanbul’s finest Turkish coffee maker, bar none – works his sludgy magic out of a hole-in-the-wall barely big enough to hold him and his samovar of hot water. On a sunny afternoon this past September, Pilik’s almost chocolaty ... continue -
Best Bites 2011: Heyamola in May
no responses - Posted 12.28.11
(Editor’s Note: As 2011 heads to an end, we are looking back at our “Best Bites” of the year and are asking our readers to do the same and share their best Istanbul (or Turkey) eating moments with us. This submission comes from "Meliz," an intrepid explorer of Istanbul’s culinary backstreets and a frequent Istanbul Eats guest contributor this past year.) In May, ... continue
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Nuruosmaniye Koftecisi: Landmark Meatballs
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All entries filed under this archive
Tunclar lokantasi: Ottoman For the People
1 response - Posted 11.07.11
From the top of Elmadag Caddesi in Harbiye, an unbroken line of tiny Ottoman-era row houses spills down the steep slope of the street. It is one of our favorite Istanbul streetscapes, evoking a rarely heralded image of 19th-century working class Beyoglu. Though “Ottoman” is a qualifier that usually refers ...continue
1 response - Posted 11.07.11
From the top of Elmadag Caddesi in Harbiye, an unbroken line of tiny Ottoman-era row houses spills down the steep slope of the street. It is one of our favorite Istanbul streetscapes, evoking a rarely heralded image of 19th-century working class Beyoglu. Though “Ottoman” is a qualifier that usually refers ...continue
Yanyali Fehmi Lokantasi: The Culinary Memory Bank
no responses - Posted 09.02.11
For a hungry person in search of the culinary backstreets, an initial look at Yanyali Fehmi Lokantasi, a restaurant at the mouth of the Kadikoy market, does not inspire much confidence. By the door stands a chintzy plaster statue of a chef in a poofy hat holding his paunch. A ...continue
no responses - Posted 09.02.11
For a hungry person in search of the culinary backstreets, an initial look at Yanyali Fehmi Lokantasi, a restaurant at the mouth of the Kadikoy market, does not inspire much confidence. By the door stands a chintzy plaster statue of a chef in a poofy hat holding his paunch. A ...continue
Govinda’s Vejeteryan Evi: Veg Out
no responses - Posted 07.25.11
(Editor's Note: This restaurant's kitchen is currently closed for renovations and will reopen in September, 2011) Step out of the dingy stairwell of the Rumeli Han and into Govinda’s Vejeteryan Evi and you will feel as if you’ve crossed a cosmic divide. The warm and cozy room has café tables, pillowed ...continue
no responses - Posted 07.25.11
(Editor's Note: This restaurant's kitchen is currently closed for renovations and will reopen in September, 2011) Step out of the dingy stairwell of the Rumeli Han and into Govinda’s Vejeteryan Evi and you will feel as if you’ve crossed a cosmic divide. The warm and cozy room has café tables, pillowed ...continue
Istanbul Eats Cooks: Maya’s Mucver
2 responses - Posted 05.13.11
In a short time, Karakoy's Lokanta Maya has become one of the most sought after tables in town. More than any other restaurant we’ve tried in Istanbul, Maya does contemporary Turkish effortlessly, without skimping on that traditional Turkish flavor. A mainstay on the menu, and reason enough to come here for a ...continue
2 responses - Posted 05.13.11
In a short time, Karakoy's Lokanta Maya has become one of the most sought after tables in town. More than any other restaurant we’ve tried in Istanbul, Maya does contemporary Turkish effortlessly, without skimping on that traditional Turkish flavor. A mainstay on the menu, and reason enough to come here for a ...continue
Gilan Cafe: Sweet Home Iran
2 responses - Posted 03.28.11
(Editor’s Note: This guest post is by Jeffrey Gibbs, an American writer and teacher living in Kadikoy whose personal blog can be found here.) I stumbled home from a day of managing wild middle schoolers and started to open the fridge for a medicating Efes Dark only to find a magnet ...continue
2 responses - Posted 03.28.11
(Editor’s Note: This guest post is by Jeffrey Gibbs, an American writer and teacher living in Kadikoy whose personal blog can be found here.) I stumbled home from a day of managing wild middle schoolers and started to open the fridge for a medicating Efes Dark only to find a magnet ...continue
The Boyoz Are Back in Town: A Sephardic Treat Returns to the Izmir Street
2 responses - Posted 03.07.11
(Editor's Note: Intrepid traveler and eater Sherri Cohen recently gave us the goods on the Tekirdag kofte scene. Today, once again on the road, she brings us news of the historic rebirth of an almost extinct street snack in Izmir.) The denizens of Izmir like to think of themselves as the ...continue
2 responses - Posted 03.07.11
(Editor's Note: Intrepid traveler and eater Sherri Cohen recently gave us the goods on the Tekirdag kofte scene. Today, once again on the road, she brings us news of the historic rebirth of an almost extinct street snack in Izmir.) The denizens of Izmir like to think of themselves as the ...continue
Mohti: All That Laz
1 response - Posted 02.28.11
“My heart starts pounding when a pregnant lady enters the room,” said Huseyin, the artist turned owner/operator of Mohti, a new “Laz Meyhane” in the back of the backstreets of the Asmalimescit area. While this might sound to some like the unsavory confession of a man with an exotic fetish, ...continue
1 response - Posted 02.28.11
“My heart starts pounding when a pregnant lady enters the room,” said Huseyin, the artist turned owner/operator of Mohti, a new “Laz Meyhane” in the back of the backstreets of the Asmalimescit area. While this might sound to some like the unsavory confession of a man with an exotic fetish, ...continue
Mehmet Demir’s Breakfast Cart: The Wheel Deal
4 responses - Posted 02.21.11
(Editor's Note: This review originally appeared on May 18, 2009.) Mehmet Demir may not be one of Istanbul’s better-known restaurateurs, but he certainly is among its shrewdest. In fact, he has the best business plan in town: Demir runs a bustling business that has customers literally lining up in the street ...continue
4 responses - Posted 02.21.11
(Editor's Note: This review originally appeared on May 18, 2009.) Mehmet Demir may not be one of Istanbul’s better-known restaurateurs, but he certainly is among its shrewdest. In fact, he has the best business plan in town: Demir runs a bustling business that has customers literally lining up in the street ...continue
Durak Lokantasi: Goodbye Ikea Kofte
no responses - Posted 02.14.11
We agree wholeheartedly with the advice of EatingAsia: “if you're parking yourself here [in Istanbul] for more than a few days, find 'your' esnaf lokanta.” To this we would like to add, “but if you live in Istanbul, find ‘your’ esnaf lokantasi in every neighborhood of the city.” Take the example ...continue
no responses - Posted 02.14.11
We agree wholeheartedly with the advice of EatingAsia: “if you're parking yourself here [in Istanbul] for more than a few days, find 'your' esnaf lokanta.” To this we would like to add, “but if you live in Istanbul, find ‘your’ esnaf lokantasi in every neighborhood of the city.” Take the example ...continue
Istanbul Eats Cooks: Zubeyir’s Gavurdagi Salatasi
no responses - Posted 02.04.11
By collecting recipes from our favorite places around town and attempting them in our own kitchen, we’ve figured out one of the best-kept secret of the Turkish kitchen – namely, that fresh, local produce and a lot of love go a long way. In the case of Zubeyir’s Gavurdagi Salatasi ...continue
no responses - Posted 02.04.11
By collecting recipes from our favorite places around town and attempting them in our own kitchen, we’ve figured out one of the best-kept secret of the Turkish kitchen – namely, that fresh, local produce and a lot of love go a long way. In the case of Zubeyir’s Gavurdagi Salatasi ...continue
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