Tuesday

Best Bites of 2015

Post a Comment December 15, 2015 – 1:00 am | Permalink |  Print This Post |

Editor’s note: To give 2015 a proper send-off, we’re taking a look back at all our favorite eating experiences this year.

Hamo’nun Yeri
The nohut dürüm, a simple wrap of mashed chickpeas, peppers, parsley and spices, may be a popular breakfast choice in certain districts of the southeastern province of Gaziantep, but we’ll eat it anytime and are prepared to travel far and wide to do so, as this treat is by no means common in Istanbul. Hamo’nun Yeri is located in Güngören, a densely packed working-class district located well outside the radar of tourists and more affluent Istanbulites. Made with bread hot out of the oven from the family’s bakery down the block, the dürüm – and a chat with the friendly Gül brothers – is more than worth the trip.

Meşhur Öz Suruç
Grillhouses serving scrumptious skewers of kebab are found everywhere in Istanbul, but a cluster of restaurants in the Yenibosna quarter all serving the specialties of the southeastern province of Urfa offer perhaps the best bang for one’s buck in the city. At Meşhur Öz Suruç, the oldest and best of these establishments, two people can order an assortment of these skewers, served alongside numerous freebies, including yogurt soup, salad and smoked eggplant puree, and can still walk out the door paying less than TL 35. Get any combination you like, but do not leave without trying the liver. Using only the freshest lamb’s liver purchased that day, the grill masters at Öz Suruç fire up a sublime rendition of an Urfa staple that makes it worth braving the legendarily hectic Metrobüs.

Read the rest of our top picks of the year at Culinary Backstreets.

In case you didn’t know, Istanbul Eats now lives over at Culinary Backstreets. Same great culinary walks, same great culinary writing. You’ll be redirected there in a few seconds!

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