Oct 08
Friday
Istanbul Eats Drinks: The Case of the Missing Bar
The closing of the landmark Pera Palas Hotel for renovations over the last few years meant we no longer had access to one of our favorite watering holes in town, the hotel’s classy yet cozy bar. The 19th-century Pera Palas, of course, was the elegant place where the passengers of the old Orient Express train would stay once they arrived in Istanbul and, among the hotel’s guests were Agatha Christie and Mustafa Kemal Ataturk.
We were looking forward to the hotel’s reopening, especially since one of the new management’s people told us the bar remained exactly “as it was.” But two recent visits to the bar have presented a mystery worthy of Agatha Christie herself – namely, where did the old Pera Palas bar disappear to? Continue…
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Quick Look
Recent Posts
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Hanging On to History: Edible Nostalgia in Samatya
no responses - Posted 05.08.18
That much of the past seems to stick to Samatya is a marvel in Istanbul, a city being rebuilt and “restored” at an alarming pace. First, there’s the question of its name. Occupying a stretch of the Marmara Sea and squeezed between the old city walls and Kumkapı, an area home to a rotating cast of eclectic restaurants, the neighborhood still ... continue -
Spring Surprises: Skewering the First Fruits in Istanbul
no responses - Posted 04.25.18
It was the first of April and an absolutely pristine Istanbul spring day, the kind where one can break a slight sweat walking up a hill then catch a cool breeze in a nearby patch of shade. Returning to the city from a lovely weekend on Büyükada, we were smitten with spring and wanted to indulge in its finest offerings. In ... continue -
Farewell, Pando: An Istanbul Culinary Legend Passes On
no responses - Posted 04.16.18
It’s Saturday around lunchtime and business as usual in the bustling Beşiktaş Çarşı neighborhood, as crowds of mostly younger people fill the narrow streets. Down on Mumcu Bakkal Sokak, a pedestrian-only street lined with miniscule shops, a line around the block has been formed by those eager to get into one of the city’s best döner spots. For many of those ... continue -
Bağdat Ocakbaşı: Licensed to Grill
no responses - Posted 04.09.18
Istanbul’s T1 tramway is relatively pleasant if you can find a seat, but borders on unbearable if you are on your feet. Back in 2015, we wrote about a trip we took from the line’s first stop all the way to one of its last, which lies way out in the district of Güngören. By the time the tram has made ... continue -
Dose & Istos Café: Greek Revival
no responses - Posted 03.30.18
A café at its best is so much more than the sum of its parts: it’s a place where people can easily mingle, share ideas, and dertleşmek, or commiserate over their troubles, all while imbibing caffeine. At the same time, it’s a place where visitors might feel an invisible thread of common beliefs connecting them, an unspoken camaraderie, even if ... continue -
Back to the Land: Urban Turks Tackle Rural Life
no responses - Posted 03.23.18
When Buket Ulukut first moved from Istanbul to a rural plot of land in the foothills of the Taurus Mountains in southern Turkey, she was leading a double life. “I’d be taking calls from clients in Europe while out amidst the rows of peppers and eggplants, hoping they didn’t hear the rooster crowing in the background,” says Ulukut, who worked in ... continue -
Semt Pazarları, Civic Life Perfected
no responses - Posted 03.09.18
“Two kilos five liraaa! Two kilos five liraaa!” bellowed a young and exuberant vendor of tomatoes to the ongoing stream of frugal-minded shoppers making their way through the snaking Tarlabaşı Sunday Market. Hundreds of sellers of fresh produce, dairy, seafood, kitchenware, clothing, smuggled tobacco, jewelry, fresh baked goods and numerous other items set up side by side in the central Istanbul ... continue
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Hanging On to History: Edible Nostalgia in Samatya
All entries filed under this archive
The Quince is Back
2 responses - Posted 10.06.10
While we're on the subject of seasonal arrivals, we just noticed while walking past Sakarya Tatlicisi, one of our favorite dessert shops in town, that ayva tatlisi (literally “quince dessert” in Turkish, although “quince in syrup” might be more accurate) season has begun. In late spring, we were lucky enough to get ...continue
2 responses - Posted 10.06.10
While we're on the subject of seasonal arrivals, we just noticed while walking past Sakarya Tatlicisi, one of our favorite dessert shops in town, that ayva tatlisi (literally “quince dessert” in Turkish, although “quince in syrup” might be more accurate) season has begun. In late spring, we were lucky enough to get ...continue
Hamsi: The Little Fish that Could
4 responses - Posted 10.04.10
The chill of fall is in the air in Istanbul, which also means that good stuff is happening in the waters near the city. More specifically, it means that hamsi season is about to kick off in the chilly Black Sea. Hamsi, of course, are the minuscule fish (Black Sea ...continue
4 responses - Posted 10.04.10
The chill of fall is in the air in Istanbul, which also means that good stuff is happening in the waters near the city. More specifically, it means that hamsi season is about to kick off in the chilly Black Sea. Hamsi, of course, are the minuscule fish (Black Sea ...continue
Hamov: Truth in Advertising
1 response - Posted 10.01.10
Around lunchtime, the phone at Hamov never stops ringing. The little pink delivery scooter and its tireless driver stay in perpetual motion in order to feed a neighborhood full of loyal customers good home-style lunches where they seem to prefer it, in their homes. Most seem to call in for the ...continue
1 response - Posted 10.01.10
Around lunchtime, the phone at Hamov never stops ringing. The little pink delivery scooter and its tireless driver stay in perpetual motion in order to feed a neighborhood full of loyal customers good home-style lunches where they seem to prefer it, in their homes. Most seem to call in for the ...continue
Turkish Food, Coming to a Freezer Section Near You
4 responses - Posted 09.27.10
Turkey (the meat) has long been a staple of frozen TV dinners. It appears that soon Turkey (the country) is also going to be a major player in the frozen food department. According to an article in this weekend's Hurriyet Daily News, the ambitious owners of Sahan, a Turkish chain of ...continue
4 responses - Posted 09.27.10
Turkey (the meat) has long been a staple of frozen TV dinners. It appears that soon Turkey (the country) is also going to be a major player in the frozen food department. According to an article in this weekend's Hurriyet Daily News, the ambitious owners of Sahan, a Turkish chain of ...continue
Istanbul Eats on the Road: Viva Van Breakfast!
3 responses - Posted 09.24.10
For breakfast lovers, the experience of arriving in the eastern Turkish city of Van is akin to what a gambler might feel upon showing up in Las Vegas – overwhelmed by the options and the promise of a serious payout. Van, of course, is the home and birthplace of the monstrous ...continue
3 responses - Posted 09.24.10
For breakfast lovers, the experience of arriving in the eastern Turkish city of Van is akin to what a gambler might feel upon showing up in Las Vegas – overwhelmed by the options and the promise of a serious payout. Van, of course, is the home and birthplace of the monstrous ...continue
The Turkish Taco Truck Has Landed
3 responses - Posted 09.22.10
The closing of the old Manhattan dining institution Tavern on the Green must have marked the end of an era for many New Yorkers. But the entrepreneurial Turks over at Pera Mediterranean Brasserie (from here on “Pera”) in midtown Manhattan saw it as an opportunity for conquest. In its new ...continue
3 responses - Posted 09.22.10
The closing of the old Manhattan dining institution Tavern on the Green must have marked the end of an era for many New Yorkers. But the entrepreneurial Turks over at Pera Mediterranean Brasserie (from here on “Pera”) in midtown Manhattan saw it as an opportunity for conquest. In its new ...continue
Emek Mantı Evi: Diabolical Dumplings
1 response - Posted 09.20.10
After a while, some Turkish food, like mantı, can become repetitive – serving after serving of the same tiny, boiled dumplings with yogurt. Deeply conservative when it comes to food, Turkish cooks and diners alike generally don’t like any fussing around with traditional recipes. So, distinguishing between a good mantı ...continue
1 response - Posted 09.20.10
After a while, some Turkish food, like mantı, can become repetitive – serving after serving of the same tiny, boiled dumplings with yogurt. Deeply conservative when it comes to food, Turkish cooks and diners alike generally don’t like any fussing around with traditional recipes. So, distinguishing between a good mantı ...continue
Sesame Ring Circus
no responses - Posted 09.17.10
We've previously sung the praises of the humble but mighty simit, naming it one of our "Top 5" street foods and marveling at its ability to take on the bagel on its home turf. It looks like Istanbul municipal officials have gotten wise to the bread ring's rise. Yesterday marked the ...continue
no responses - Posted 09.17.10
We've previously sung the praises of the humble but mighty simit, naming it one of our "Top 5" street foods and marveling at its ability to take on the bagel on its home turf. It looks like Istanbul municipal officials have gotten wise to the bread ring's rise. Yesterday marked the ...continue
Musa Ustam: Sinfully Good Kebab
3 responses - Posted 09.13.10
“What would you say if I offered you a very tender lamb filet marinated in garlic?” a voice boomed from behind the grill, its source obscured by an ornate copper hood decorated with a scene of kebab heaven – sheep, shepherd and steppe. Was this Saint Peter in kebapci disguise ...continue
3 responses - Posted 09.13.10
“What would you say if I offered you a very tender lamb filet marinated in garlic?” a voice boomed from behind the grill, its source obscured by an ornate copper hood decorated with a scene of kebab heaven – sheep, shepherd and steppe. Was this Saint Peter in kebapci disguise ...continue
Since You Asked: Allergy Free Istanbul
4 responses - Posted 09.10.10
Dear Istanbul Eats: My daughter and I both have a severe allergy to chickpeas and lentils. She also has severe allergies to peanuts, eggs, and dairy. I was hoping you could recommend some restaurants for our week long stay in October that would prepare foods without these things in them i.e. ...continue
4 responses - Posted 09.10.10
Dear Istanbul Eats: My daughter and I both have a severe allergy to chickpeas and lentils. She also has severe allergies to peanuts, eggs, and dairy. I was hoping you could recommend some restaurants for our week long stay in October that would prepare foods without these things in them i.e. ...continue
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