Feb 25
Friday
Istanbul Eats Cooks: Klemuri’s Hamsili Pilav
The Laz, an ethnic minority in the northeast of Turkey, live in the verdant Kaçkar Mountains that seem to crash right down into the Black Sea. “Masmavi, yemyeşil,” is how that part of the country is often described – bluest blue, greenest green.
There is not much in the way of farmland, but the Black Sea is blessed with particularly tasty anchovies, or hamsi, that appear in a wide variety if dishes throughout the winter harvest.
What follows is one of our favorite forms of hamsi, hamsili pilav, a savory rice cake cloaked in thin hamsi filets. At Klemuri, a terrific Black Sea restaurant near Taksim, the hamsili pilav, with its currants and pine nuts, is a little dressed up compared with some of the village versions we’ve had, but it is the real deal. This recipe comes straight out of the Laz heartland, courtesy of Sevim Hanım, the mother of Klemuri’s owner. Continue…
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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
Mehmet Demir’s Breakfast Cart: The Wheel Deal
6 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
6 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
Since You Asked: High-End Istanbul?
1 response - Posted 02.18.11
Dear Istanbul Eats, Köfte, kebab. Köfte, kebab. Köfte, kebab. I understand the appeal of a good-value lunch or dinner, but do you guys ever go out for a splurge? Any advice for those of us who like to live high on the lamb? Big Spender in Brussels Dear Spender, Guilty as charged. We do ...continue
1 response - Posted 02.18.11
Dear Istanbul Eats, Köfte, kebab. Köfte, kebab. Köfte, kebab. I understand the appeal of a good-value lunch or dinner, but do you guys ever go out for a splurge? Any advice for those of us who like to live high on the lamb? Big Spender in Brussels Dear Spender, Guilty as charged. We do ...continue
The Bazaar Bag: Just Tote It
4 responses - Posted 02.16.11
One of the pleasures of living in Istanbul is to settle into a rhythm of shopping in the city’s various weekly produce bazaars. At our local bazaar, we watch the seasons change according to the produce sold from little stands that crowd the side-streets. It is a riot of color ...continue
4 responses - Posted 02.16.11
One of the pleasures of living in Istanbul is to settle into a rhythm of shopping in the city’s various weekly produce bazaars. At our local bazaar, we watch the seasons change according to the produce sold from little stands that crowd the side-streets. It is a riot of color ...continue
Durak Lokantası: Goodbye Ikea Köfte
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 lokantası.” To this we would like to add, “But if you live in Istanbul, find ‘your’ esnaf lokantası 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 lokantası.” To this we would like to add, “But if you live in Istanbul, find ‘your’ esnaf lokantası in every neighborhood of the city.” Take the example ...continue
Istanbul Eats Drinks: Kavaklıdere Narince 2008
4 responses - Posted 02.11.11
(Editor's Note: We’ve recently been lucky enough to make the acquaintance of Serdar Kombe, one of Turkey’s leading oenophiles. These are exciting times for Turkish wine and Serdar has generously agreed to start a guest column for us about the subject. In his first review for us, he takes a ...continue
4 responses - Posted 02.11.11
(Editor's Note: We’ve recently been lucky enough to make the acquaintance of Serdar Kombe, one of Turkey’s leading oenophiles. These are exciting times for Turkish wine and Serdar has generously agreed to start a guest column for us about the subject. In his first review for us, he takes a ...continue
Istanbul Eats Drinks: Turkish Wine, Explained
4 responses - Posted 02.10.11
(Editor’s Note: We’ve recently been lucky enough to make the acquaintance of Serdar Kombe, one of Turkey’s leading oenophiles. These are exciting times for Turkish wine and Serdar has generously agreed to start a guest column for us about the subject. Today we are running a brief primer by Serdar ...continue
4 responses - Posted 02.10.11
(Editor’s Note: We’ve recently been lucky enough to make the acquaintance of Serdar Kombe, one of Turkey’s leading oenophiles. These are exciting times for Turkish wine and Serdar has generously agreed to start a guest column for us about the subject. Today we are running a brief primer by Serdar ...continue
Rumeli Tatlı ve Börek Evi: Less Is More
6 responses - Posted 02.07.11
(Editor's Note: This guest post was written by "Meliz," an intrepid explorer of Sultanahmet's culinary backstreets who would like to keep her anonymity.) There is a quiet grace in doing one thing, but doing it very well. Or, maybe, two things. Like, say, börek and baklava. This is what distinguishes Rumeli, a tiny ...continue
6 responses - Posted 02.07.11
(Editor's Note: This guest post was written by "Meliz," an intrepid explorer of Sultanahmet's culinary backstreets who would like to keep her anonymity.) There is a quiet grace in doing one thing, but doing it very well. Or, maybe, two things. Like, say, börek and baklava. This is what distinguishes Rumeli, a tiny ...continue
Istanbul Eats Cooks: Zübeyir’s Gavurdağı Salatası
2 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 secrets of the Turkish kitchen – namely, that fresh, local produce and a lot of love go a long way. In the case of Zübeyir’s Gavurdağı Salatası ...continue
2 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 secrets of the Turkish kitchen – namely, that fresh, local produce and a lot of love go a long way. In the case of Zübeyir’s Gavurdağı Salatası ...continue
Ciğerci Lütfi: The Man with the Golden Liver
no responses - Posted 01.31.11
There was something jarring and disjointed about the sight of an old man sitting beside an eight-lane highway selling liver sandwiches from his perch on a concrete planter – as if a character from a traditional Ottoman shadow puppet show had wandered onto the set of the film Bladerunner. But ...continue
no responses - Posted 01.31.11
There was something jarring and disjointed about the sight of an old man sitting beside an eight-lane highway selling liver sandwiches from his perch on a concrete planter – as if a character from a traditional Ottoman shadow puppet show had wandered onto the set of the film Bladerunner. But ...continue
Since You Asked: Cruising to Dinner?
4 responses - Posted 01.28.11
(Editor’s Note: This post is part of our occasional “Since You Asked…” series of advice columns. We welcome our readers’ questions, so feel free to send any you might have to istanbuleats@gmail.com) Dear Istanbul Eats, The Asian side’s Körfez was always my very special night out when friends came to town, especially ...continue
4 responses - Posted 01.28.11
(Editor’s Note: This post is part of our occasional “Since You Asked…” series of advice columns. We welcome our readers’ questions, so feel free to send any you might have to istanbuleats@gmail.com) Dear Istanbul Eats, The Asian side’s Körfez was always my very special night out when friends came to town, especially ...continue
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