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Posts Tagged ‘ alcohol served ’

Jul 31
Friday

Melengeç : Mean Greens

Filed under Reviews (Eats)


They might as well have named Melengeç the “Solar Eclipse” or the “Dodo Bird,” because, in the handful of meals we’ve had at this cozy Arnavutköy restaurant, its namesake dish, melengeç, made from the green leaves of a tree from the Aegean shores, has not once made an appearance at the table.

Luckily, there was no shortage of competent substitutes. On a recent visit we sampled no fewer than four different and unusual greens, all remarkably different. In a country where even an innocent-looking plate of rice usually conceals some form of meat, Melengeç’s wide variety of purely vegetarian offerings is a pleasant change of pace. Complemented by laid-back service in a tastefully decorated old wooden home, Melengeç sets the stage for a fine evening on the Bosphorus. Continue…

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All entries filed under this archive


Kıyı: A Winning Island Castaway
6 responses - Posted 07.27.09
Editor's note, October 2015: Sadly, we have recently received reports that after a change in ownership at Kıyı, the quality of the food here has gone down significantly. Although the area around the ferry terminal on Büyükada, the largest of the Princes’ Islands, tends to get unbearably crowded during the summer, ...continue
Mekan: The Cosmopolitan
8 responses - Posted 07.24.09
Sometimes billed as “that Armenian-Jewish restaurant in Beyoğlu,” Mekan harkens back to the neighborhood’s cosmopolitan past, when it was home to a large non-Muslim population. The food is sometimes Sephardic and Armenian, sometimes Turkish. But the important point here is the place’s authenticity. Mekan is not trying to be anything ...continue
İsmet Baba: Great Fish for Goodfellas
2 responses - Posted 06.26.09
As the ferry approaches the dock at Kuzguncuk, a charming Bosphorus neighborhood on the Asian side, and passengers start scrambling for position at the bow to be the first to hop off, a soft yellow light, rakı-fueled laughter and a whiff of grilled fish seem to guide the boat in ...continue
Akın Balık: (The Other) Karaköy Fish House
12 responses - Posted 05.15.09
Editor's note, Oct. 16, 2012: After getting too many notes about this place from disappointed diners who had been served substandard food or had their check inflated, we sadly need to move this fish spot onto our "no longer recommended" list. For those looking for a good fish shack on ...continue
Breaking News: Körfez to Close
no responses - Posted 05.13.09
Here at Istanbul Eats, we’ve been procrastinating on a review of the venerable Bosphorus fine dining and high-living establishment Körfez. From the private boat shuttle that takes diners across the Bosphorus to the small, Asian-side cove that is the restaurant’s home, to the delicious sea bass baked in salt, Körfez is one of ...continue
Karaköy Lokantası: A Dockside Winner
15 responses - Posted 04.17.09
Tucked into the street behind the yet-to-be gentrified docks at Karaköy, among shops advertising boat tickets to Odessa and cubby-sized import and export offices, is the neighborhood’s culinary port of call, Karaköy Lokantası. With great food, personable service and tasteful décor, this family-operated eatery defiantly proves that a good dining ...continue
Abracadabra: A Culinary Wizard on the Bosphorus
20 responses - Posted 04.03.09
Editor's note: Abracadabra has closed, but its chef, Dilara Erbay, has opened a new venue that we also recommend, Datlı Maya. One look at Abracadabra, housed in an imposing Ottoman-era mansion located smack dab on the Bosporus in the swank Arnavutköy neighborhood, might make your wallet ache. Think again. This funky, ...continue
Zübeyir: The Meat is On
21 responses - Posted 04.03.09
Finding a kebab restaurant in Istanbul is not hard. There must be thousands of them. But finding the right kind of place, especially if you want to make it a bit more of a meal, can be surprisingly difficult. Most kebab joints tend to be no-frills, in-and-out places. Some are very ...continue
Fıccın: The Caucasian Sensation
4 responses - 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 of the mountains of the Caucasus. Many Turks trace their roots to this culinary Xanadu, including the folks ...continue

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