Wednesday
Island – and Table – Hopping in Istanbul
Istanbul’s Princes’ Islands, a lovely archipelago just off the city’s Asian shore, offer what we believe to be the best travel bargain anywhere in the world. Whenever we’re in need of a vacation but can’t afford the airfare, a ferry awaits to take us to the islands. For the price of just a few liras, we’re transported to a small slice of traffic-free paradise where, if we manage to get away from the crowds and explore some of the islands’ quiet backstreets, we feel as if we’ve found our way back to the late 19th century and an Istanbul that no longer exists on the mainland.
We’re especially fond of the islands in springtime, when their Judas, mimosa and wild plum trees are starting to bloom and a walk along one of their tranquil trails serves as the perfect cure for the lingering effects of the Istanbul winter blues. Of course, a good meal is essential any time of the year and we’ve been lucky enough to find a few spots on the islands that are worthy destinations in and of themselves. For those planning a visit to the Princes’ Islands, some suggestions below: Continue…
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8 responses - Posted 04.23.12
Six months ago we were very concerned to see one of our favorite burger joints, Mano Burger, closed down. The workers gutting the place told us there was financial trouble. Someone else said they’d opened up shop on the Asian side, in Bostancı. For six months, Mano seemed to go ...continue
no responses - Posted 04.18.12
Turns out New Yorkers are only now discovering what Turks have known for eons: that the humble anchovy is absolutely delicious (particularly when lightly coated in flour or cornmeal and fried). As an article in today's New York Times explains, anchovies -- known as "hamsi" in Turkish -- are being ...continue
3 responses - Posted 04.13.12
In the world of chicken breast pudding (a traditional Turkish dessert made with thickened milk and thin strands of poached poultry), elasticity is the quality that the confection is judged upon above all else. Tucking into a real tavuk göğsü requires full concentration, a good bit of dexterity and the ...continue
2 responses - Posted 04.02.12
Dear Istanbul Eats: In September I will be going to Europe for the first time and have decided to throw in a visit to Istanbul at the end of the trip. I'm a student and so my budget for travelling is limited, but, as I love food, I'm not exactly crazy ...continue
3 responses - Posted 03.26.12
We’ve committed a lot of space on this blog to identifying the taste, smell and sight of a seriously good kebab, but it was not until we sat in Şeyhmus Kebap Evi (on a tip from chef Gencay over at Meze) that we came to know what delicious kebab actually ...continue
3 responses - Posted 03.16.12
(Editor's Note: This is the second installment of our newest feature, "Supermarket Cellars," which aims to uncover those drinkable Turkish wines that won't kill your budget or, let's face it, you. In charge of this mission is Aaron Stein -- an expert on nuclear non-proliferation issues and PhD student by day, ...continue
no responses - Posted 03.12.12
Last week, we wrote about our new favorite cake from Fatih Sarmacısı. We’d had our eye on this vintage-looking cake shop for quite a while but hadn’t had the chance to stop in for a slice and really explore the area until recently. It was lunchtime when we set out ...continue
18 responses - Posted 02.17.12
(Editor's Note: This guest post was written by Jeff Gibbs, a denizen of Istanbul's Asian side and author of the very engaging blog "Istanbul and Beyond.") On a dark and deserted street in January covered in swirls and swirls of snow, a bright pool of light shines from a ground-level window. ...continue
7 responses - Posted 02.06.12
We generally wouldn’t recommend pulling yourself up into the back of a broken-down truck with no license plates that’s sitting in an empty lot down by the river, but Osman’s truck offers a rare glimpse of Istanbul if there really were no rules, and, not to mention, great views of ...continue
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 "postanedeki kokoreççi" (the kokoreç vendor near the post office) or "Süleymaniye'deki kuru fasulyeciler" (the bean eateries at Süleymaniye Mosque). This is the way ...continue