Did I like Istanbul? The short answer is “Yes!” The long answer is as follows!
The city is cleaner and safer than I’d expected. The people are friendly and hospitable, regardless if you were potential customer or not. I love meat, and this is meat country. I had a crazy plethora of food over my 10 days in Istanbul. From street food, to fine dining, some classics and some exotic shit! There were more hits than misses. But I shall start with Dessert, which I shall declare…nobody should attempt making Künefe or Baklava outside of Turkey. Seriously!
Both times I had Künefe and Baklava, they were at random locations along the main tourist areas. Naturally I paid tourist prices but they weren’t exorbitant. Maybe cuz they were so damn good! So I am happy to go back in a heartbeat.
The Künefe I ate at Hatay Asi Künefeleri was as perfect as it can get. The cheese is mildly salty, and stretches into stringy shreds when you cut through it. The exterior is baked to a golden crisp and doused in syrupy rose water that’s absolutely aromatic. A sprinkle of crushed pistachios adds crunch and nuttiness. Upon recommendation, we added a scoop of vanilla Turkish ice cream to the ensemble, the gooey ice cream took it to the next level of sweetness, and added cold creaminess too. It was sweet, sure…, but it was a sweetness that somehow wasn’t cloying, and I, personally enjoyed it very much.
Hatay Asi Künefeleri @ Tahtakale mah.hasırcılar cad.no:27 eminönü, 34116 Fatih/İstanbul, Türkiye Phone +90 212 511 31 35
At Saray Muhallebicisi – Beyoğlu , another dessert restaurant along Istiklal Street, we had an ahhhh..mazing Pistachio Baklava, plus Kazandibi, a milk pudding thingy. This was something I was trying for the first time and it was very tasty. Sweet but not overly sweet, the pudding was extra creamy and contrasted nicely with the charred outer layer. It’s a very popular dessert originated from the kitchens of Ottoman Palaces. The even sweeter Pistachio Baklava was beautifully flaky and rich. The buttery layers of thin phyllo dough were crisp and light. I’ve had my fair share of Baklava all over the world, but in Turkey, it is simply on another level!
📍 Saray Muhallebicisi – Beyoğlu @ Kuloğlu, İstiklal Cd. NO:107, 34433 Beyoğlu/İstanbul, Türkiye Phone +90 212 999 28 88
Döners or Dürüms, are everywhere in Istanbul. And while we got ripped off at one which was totally overpriced at 980 lira (€18,88 ) and left us as dry as their Döner, there were other instances we tasted excellent ones as well!
First up, the Fish Döner or Balık Ekmek is an Istanbul street food consisting of deboned grilled mackerel, and fresh salad wrapped inside crusty Turkish bread. We had ours at the popular Yılmaz Usta Balık Dürüm and every bite of that delicious fish sandwich was worth every minute waiting in line! The kitchen on display allows you to watch the preparation of every sandwich; each small bone in each fish swiftly removed, then grilled again before resting on top a mountain of fresh salad and drizzled in their delicious secret sauce. Add some lemon juice to the sandwich and enjoy the lift in flavors almost immediately. The fish is flaky and sweet, and had just the right amount of smoky saltiness, allowing it to stand out amidst the large amount of veggies. The special house sauce binds everything together like a dream! I did not expect to like it this much but yes, this is one heck of a fish sammie, my friend! And I highly recommend it!
📍 Yılmaz Usta Balık Dürüm @ Rüstem Paşa, Ragıp Gümüşpala Cd. No:13, 34116 Fatih/İstanbul, Türkiye
While touring the Asia side of Istanbul, we stopped at Hey Döner for a bite, and this 220-lira sandwich turned out to be most satisfying! Hey Döner is pretty much Turkey’s answer to McDonalds. There are a countless Hey Döners dotted all over the city. Our Beef Döner, was freshly prepared to order so it stays warm in your hands as you eat it. The meats were nicely caramelized, juicy and flavorful from the generous drizzle of their house special sauce. The Döner was quite skinny, and contained just meats and some chips. Yea.. I was skeptical about the chips (like who needs more carbs, right!!?) but they turned out pretty essential to the sandwich, adding texture and substance and catching the yummy drippy sauce so none of the it escapes. As I took every bite, and then the last, I wished I’d ordered the large over a small! It’s was really good for a fast food chain Döner!
Hey Döner @ can be found all over Istanbul!
Not for the faint of hearts but if you’re looking for something more unconventional, try Şırdancı Mehmet for their nose to tail cuisine among other less intimidating dishes. We came for the “Sonny Side experience” and thus, our dinner was a lineup of lamb parts.
Şırdan is a traditional Turkish stuffed abomasum, which translates to the 4th stomach of a lamb. Yes the animal has a number of guts! We also had stomach number I’m-not-sure-what, but that was less memorable. Anyhow, this stomach was thoroughly cleaned, then filled with a spiced rice, onion, and meat mixture. It is then boiled to soft tenderness and served with cumin spices and lemon. It was quite flavorful. And tastes better than it looks. There wasn’t any funky aftertaste, at least nothing that was too off putting for me. Most people would be repelled at first sight since it looks suspiciously more like a penis than stomach!! But overcome that and it’s all good!
Like the Şırdan , the lamb intestines were also prepared the same way. Served whole like a Cumberland sausage but longer. It cuts very easily cuz of how tender it’s been cooked. The texture is just a tad chewier with a good spring-back!
Another noteworthy dish was the whole lamb head. Grilled whole and served whole. A server will help dissect it for easy consumption, but not without some enthralling effects. The meats around the skull falls off with the slightest touch. Pop! And an eye falls into his palm. Then the other. A little tug, there’s the tongue, followed by the esophagus. The skull splits, a little shake and out comes the tiny brain. Rather entertaining to watch! Everything tasted normal enough. Some parts were gamier than others. It was a lot of meat at the end of the day, and it was a feat trying to finish everything!
The prices at Şırdancı Mehmet are way friendlier than restaurants in the main city center. If you’d like a good deal, this is a local spot to try. And don’t worry, they also serve regular Turkish dishes without the fear factor challenge! The chef owner is super friendly and hospitable. We managed many laughs together despite our language barrier. It was truly a fun experience!
📍 Şırdancı Mehmet @ Zeyrek, İmam Niyazi Sk. No:15, 34083 Fatih/İstanbul, Türkiye Phone +90 539 438 68 21
If I do not have a sweet tooth, I do. In Istanbul. Something about Turkish sweets that grows on you. At first, it knocks you out with its high sugar content. But I found myself subconciously going back for a little more, and another bite, and before you know it, I crave one little sweet before bedtime each night!! You won’t need to look hard for a candy store in Istanbul. In fact, you would be spoiled for choice, and end up stepping in for a purchase at more than one shop. Guilty as charged! But once again, the prices vary from the tourist areas and outside. I visited a candy shop on the Asia side and not only did I pay a fraction of the price, I got the best tasting sweets among them all too. The choices, if you have seen one of these shops, are endless. We let the friendly lady owner pick her favorites for us and lo and behold, they were all incredibly delicious! Regrets we did not get 6 boxes of them and ended up buying the rest at Istiklal for 3 times the price! So if you’re ever in Asia Istanbul, check out Şekerci Caferzade Aytekin Erol Üsküdar
📍 Şekerci Caferzade Aytekin Erol Üsküdar @ Atlas Sok, Üsküdar Balıkçılar Çarşısı içi, Balıkçılar Çarşısı No:21, 34674 Üsküdar/Istanbul, Türkiye
I literally had to be dragged into Nusr-Et Steakhouse since it has never been on my radar thanks to Nusret Gökçe’s (famously known as Saltbae) over-the-top persona. Cringeeee! But here I am, in Istanbul, where it all began for the man. So I guess we’re giving it a shot.
Stepping into Nusr-Et Steakhouse at Maçka Palas was pleasant enough. The staff were well trained and took very good care of every patron. We were led to our table and given time to inspect the menu at our own pace. The restaurant was beautifully decorated with avant-garde furnishings, plush seats and soft lighting. Service was impeccable, and quick. We began with a couple of sharing starters, first the NUSR-ET Special Sushi, consisting tenderloin beef nigiri stacked with Parmesan guacamole cream and crispy potato. This was very delicious, the lean beef was very tender and the accompaniments combined really well in terms of texture and flavors. The creaminess meld with the solid beef, with hints of avocado, all balanced out on a small ball of rice. It was a balanced little mouthful, I was very impressed.
Next we had the Baked Bone Marrow, also a sharing starter. This smelled wonderful when it arrived at the table. The scent of beefy beef tallow and marrow was invigorating! While the first spoonful was warm and satisfying, it got overwhelming very quickly. The crispy bread holding the bone marrow was soaked in oil. The heaviness of the oily marrow and butter got too much to handle after the second bite. And there was nothing on the side to cut the heaviness. So this turned rather unpalatable very quickly.
For our main course, we had ordered the Nusr-Et Special Sliced Tenderloin, grilled with Butter. The beautiful steak was finished table-side and while it was beautifully presented, complete with the cringey salt sprinkle by the chef, it was almost immediately regrettable when the butter went in. We love butter but sometimes, too much is too much. The tenderloin did not disappoint. It was soft and juicy. Only problem, and there were 2 of them, was you can’t eat fast enough for it to stay warm and soft. Also the excessive butter got from aromatic to off putting after a while. We could not finish the steak despite the guilt. But it was either that or we would be sick to the stomach for it! On the plus side, it was a good portion size. And if you love butter (much more than us), you’d definitely love this one!
We had ordered a side to go with the steak and on second thought, a good old salad would have made better sense over the Fried Onion Flower! In all fairness, it was beautifully fried, crispy and golden. But we just could not deal with more oil in our mouths!
Unless it is very normal to order this same selection, I do wish the staff had provided advice on our choices. Was it worth all the hype? I can’t say so. Given another chance I would order entirely different and probably not go for all the Nusr-Et Specials in one breath! Then, given another chance, I would also pick somewhere else to dine. Nonetheless, I now have critic rights to say and support my fondness (or not), of Salt Bae’s food.
📍 Nusr-Et Steakhouse @ Maçka Palas, Harbiye, Maçka Cd. No:33/B, 34367 Şişli/İstanbul Phone 0212 230 52 58
There are many little food pleasures within Istanbul. Some are comforting, some strange and some familiar.
If you spot a juice stand, and there are so many you can’t miss them, go for a pomegranate juice. It is as sweet as it can get! I hated myself for only trying this out on my last day!
If you spot a Wet Burger kiosk, give it a shot!! It’s basically a burger that’s kept hot in a steamer box. And thus the wetness! Unconventional but not un-edible! Just kinda soggy!!
Head to a Lokum and eat like a local! At home we have the exact same concept whereby we’d pick dishes from a glass counter to accompany our rice. There will be meats, seafood, curries, potato and all kinds of vegetables and different sauces. Just point, and the server will scoop you a portion of it. The Turks have the same practice and it is interesting to be worlds apart yet so in sync! We went to one of the oldest called Haci Abdullah and the crowded restaurant attracts plenty of locals from all walks of life! All there for that homestyle cooking they grew up with!
Hacı Abdullah @ Atıf Yılmaz Caddesi No:9/A 80070 Beyoğlu – İstanbul
Everybody talks about the Grand Bazaar in Istanbul. It’s as touristy as it can get. Prices are high, bargaining is common, and the hustle and bustle is bewildering. I walked through the bazaar to (1) check it off the list (2) experience the hype. Although I came out of it without any added value, I will say that it can be quite fun to see and shop. Especially if you don’t have a lot of time in Istanbul and just want to hit the main attractions. It is colorful and vibrant. And despite being a tourist trap, one doesn’t get harassed too much, if at all. Vendors are pretty cool, and will start their sales pitch only when you step into their shop.
Many were shocked that we had spent close to 2 weeks in Istanbul alone. But there wasn’t a moment we were home sick, or bored, or missing our own kinds of food. We did not feel intimidated or unwelcome by the people. We weren’t scammed or felt at the risk of one at any time. Traveling around was super easy, whether by tram, train, car or foot. So, to sum it all in one short answer , “Yes! I like Istanbul!”
Disclaimer ~ This is not a sponsored post!
fatsochef 