www.bestwayfinder.com
Istanbul
www.bestwayfinder.comNowhere does fusion like the best of Istanbul, a metropolis that owes as much to its centuries of history as it does to its emergence as one of the most dynamic cities in Asia or Europe.
It's strikingly beautiful. The Bosphorus -- aka the Istanbul Strait, the stretch of water that divides two continents -- stretches calmly before you under the warmth of the sun while the city soars above the shore.
But, mostly, the best of Istanbul is a jumble of activity, 13 million citizens strong, from celebrants staggering out of bars at 4 a.m. to imams calling the faithful out to prayer at dawn.
You can hear the hustle just as surely as you can see it. The horns of impatient taxi drivers. The lilting melodies of street musicians. The laughter of children. The clinking of raki glasses. And always, the whining cries of seagulls overhead.
The one thing to know about the best of Istanbul is that it’s growing, giving visitors more options than they can fit into any single trip.
Not that it’s ever stopped us from trying.
Hotels
Istanbul
Istanbul
www.bestwayfinder.comLuxury
Istanbul
The Four Seasons Sultanahmet -- once a prison, now a luxury one-nighter.Four Seasons SultanahmetOnce an Ottoman prison, this best of Istanbul neoclassical building is now the Four Seasons boutique hotel located in the center of the old city, or Sultanahmet.
With a view of the famous Sultanahmet and Hagia Sophia mosques, the hotel is steps away from Topkapı Palace and a 10-minute walk from the Grand Bazaar.
Some 65 uniquely designed rooms offer modern amenities and a serene courtyard, where genuinely great dining is available at the Seasons restaurant.
The Lounge serves cocktails, coffee and snacks. A fitness and spa center is also available with a range of massage options, including aromatherapy and Balinese
Dining
Istanbul
After opening in 1999, Changa has simply got better -- the restaurant received a local Best New Restaurant award and was featured in numerous international magazines and newspapers.
Its contemporary Turkish menu is composed of fresh and locally produced items that change with the seasons. Apart from the à la carte menu, a tasting menu (for two or more people) is also available.
Grilled octopus with spicy red miso and nori sauce; grilled loin of lamb with roasted quince and peanuts with sumac molasses; wasabi and salmon tortellini in creamy lemongrass sauce. This is innovative and fine contemporary dining at its height.
Changa closes for the summer and Müzedechanga, located within the Sakip Sabanci Museum, continues the menu in the hot summer months; Siraselviler Caddesi No. 47/1, Taksim; +90 212 251 70 64; www.changa-istanbul.com
Mikla has a view so good, you'd gladly pay extra.Mikla
Mikla chef Mehmet Gürs’ dual nationality has a strong influence on his Scandinavian-Turkish menu.
Open since 2005, this best of Istanbul restaurant focuses on creative fusion, with dishes such as molasses-glazed lamb with apricot and mustard-seeded mashed potato, or Gravlax with Turkish cacık (yogurt with chopped cucumber).
Along with a solid wine list, the restaurant’s top-floor spot allows for views of Istanbul dressed for night. The bar and terrace are good options for after-dinner drinks.
Meşrutiyet Caddesi 167/185, Beyoğlu; +90 212 293 56 56; www.miklarestaurant.com
Hünkar serves it up, the locals lap it up.Hünkar
If you didn’t grow up eating the home-cooked recipes of a talented Turkish grandmother, then Hünkar may become your second home.
Whether you eat from the buffet or order from the menu, every dish -- from cold meze starters to main dishes of Ottoman descent -- tastes the way locals like it.
Items include Hünkar Beğendi (smoked eggplant puree topped with lamb or beef chunks), fava bean spread and aşure (pudding of chickpeas, kidney beans, rice and sugar topped with walnuts, pistachios, pomegranate, almonds and cinnamon).
The tasting menu encapsulates almost everything Turkish cuisine has to offer and is a good start for beginners.
Istanbul’s Street Food – What’s Hot And What’s Not!
Istanbul
www.bestwayfinder.com
Eating street food is very much part of the Istanbul way of life. You can’t walk for over a kilometer without coming accross one or more street vendors and a dozen of snack shops or büfes. And with street food we don’t just mean food literally bought and eaten on the street, but also an array of light snacks such as pastry (börek), kebap, döner and meatballs (köfte). Here’s is an overview of what’s hot and what’s not, as well as a list of usual suspects.
Hot Istanbul Street Food
Istanbul
- Kebap – together with döner, this is probably the first street food that comes to any tourist’s mind when asked to name one. Kebap actually means small pieces of broiled or roasted meat — generally cow, sheep or chicken. Excellent dishes you may want to try out are İskender Kebap, Adana Kebap, Patlıcan Kebap and Şiş Kebap.
- Döner – this tightly packed meat roasted on a large vertical spit is the basis for fast-food snacks (or even full meals) such as Pilav Üstü Döner, İskedender and Dürüm. Although you can find these half-outside/half-inside eateries almost anywhere, for the biggest concentration head to the beginning of Istiklal Caddesi in Taksim.
- Börek – a flaky pastry consisting of several thin layers, often with a specific shape and/or filling. You’ll see locals entering these tiny shops for a quick breakfast or lunch. Among my favorites are ıspanaklı börek (with spinach filling), peynirli börek (with cheese filling), kıymalı börek (with minced meat filling) and patatesli börek (with potato filling). If you prefer it rather plain, you can’t go wrong with su böreği.
- Pide – a slightly leavened, flat pizza like bread. They again come in different styles, with Kaşarlı Pide (melted cheese) and Sucuklu Pide (melted cheese and spicy sausage) among the most popular.
- Lahmacun – a Turkish-style pizza. A very thin round piece of pide, with a cheese and tomato layer as well as some (minced) meat. It is often served with a salad and a few pieces of lemon in a side dish. You’ll see locals topping the pizza with the salad, sprinkling is with lemon and making a roll out of it.
- Mısır – freshly boiled or grilled corn on the cob, often sprinkled with salt or spices. This popular snack is almost exclusively sold during the summer months by the real street sellers with their push-cars.
- Kestane – due to the lack of corn in winter, the street vendors mentioned above shift to roasted chestnuts in winter time.
- Balık ekmek – literaly translated ‘fish bread’. And that’s basically what it is — freshly caught fish, grilled or fried in front of your eyes and stuffed inside a large piece of bread. Fans of this fast-food can have a blast in Eminönü, on the shore next to the Galata Bridge.
www.bestwayfinder.comCold Istanbul Street Food
Istanbul
- Simit – a crisp, ring-shaped, savory roll covered with sesame. Sold by street sellers with glass-fronted push-cars. There are two main versions: sokak simit (sold on the streets and very crispy) and pastane simit (sold in shops and softer).
- Açma – a ring-shaped savory bun — a Turkish-style dougnut if you will. It’s soft but also a bit oily.
- Poğaça – a flaky, savory pastry. You can go for the plain one (sade) or choose one with a filling: peynirli (cheese), kıymalı (minced meat), or my personal favorite — zeytinli (black olives)
www.bestwayfinder.comThe Usual Suspects
Istanbul
When wandering through Istanbul’s streets, you’ll also notice the following snacks being sold. While they’re all delicious when fresh and prepared well, be cautious when buying them on the (sunny) streets. Ask for local advice as to where to order them best!
- Midye dolma – stuffed mussels. If you’re a fan, you m
- ay want to prefer eating those in a real restaurant.
- Çiğ köfte – a dish made of raw ground meat, pounded wheat and red pepper. It’s a delicacy, but we all know what effect the burning sun may have on raw meat. Again, check our restaurant listing in order not to cut your holiday short.
- Kokoreç – grilled sheep intestines with an almost industrial amount of spices, roasted on a skewer. A very popular snack after a night out and (too) many drinks. So which skewer has the döner and which one the intestines? Luckily for us, the kokoreç skewer is always positioned horizontally.
Kokoreç on its horizontal skewer.
No comments:
Post a Comment