Sunday, March 30, 2008

Best of Turkish Restaurants

Best of Turkish Restaurants

Hünkar
The site is at Nişantaşı and open everyday between noon and midnight. Reservation is a must for groups. Soft music is played from CD. The owner Feridun Ügümü deals with the customers personally. The homemade dishes are delicious moreover stew with quince, kol böreği and hamsili pilav (pilav with anchovy) are among the specialties to be tasted. The price is 35-45 million TL per person.

Borsa-Boğaziçi
Borsa is at Lütfi Kırdar Convention Center and open every day between 12:16:00 and 18:00-23:00. Reservation is a must. Soft music is played from CD. Hünkar beğendi (eggplant pureé), keşkek, vegetables with olive oil, especially pilaki (dried beans with olive oil) are strongly recommended.

Beyti
Beyti was founded in 1945 and moved to its new site with 11 halls, 3 terraces and 5 kitchens located in Florya in 1970. It is open everyday from 11:30 to 24:00, except Mondays. Reservation is required. Beyti kebap and kuzu tandır (lamb meat cooked in a special oven)should not be missed. Experts say that it is the "pride" of Turkish cuisine in meat. The price is 25-40 million TL/person.

Hacı Salih Lokantası
It is located next to famous shoe store Gutan at İstiklal Caddesi. Haca Salih is open everyday between 12:00-19:00. There is no liquor service. Fixed menu can be applied for groups. Hünkar beğendi (eggplant pureé) and kadınbudu köfte (a kind of fried meatballs) are the specialties of the site. The price is 15-20 million TL/person.

Kanaat
This centennial restaurant at Üsküdar Square is open every day from 06:00 to 23:00 and serves for 24 hours during Ramadan. Except Ramadan period there is no need for reservation. There are no liquor, music and fixed menu and credit cards are not accepted. Uzbek pilaf with meat, elbasan tava and Turkish sweets are the specialties. The price is about 15-20 million TL/person.

Çiya
Çiya has three stores facing each other at Kadıköy Çarşısı and open everyday between 11:00-22:00. Except Ramadan reservation is not required. Şiveydiz, Şakiriye, Yuvarlama and Patlıcan Tatlısı (eggplant des) are worth trying. The owner Musa Dağdeviren personally deals with the customers. You have a chance to see the salads, main courses and sweets at first and then choose accordingly. Moreover you can also prepare your own plate. There is no liquor service. The price is about 15-20 million TL/person.

Feriye
It is a historical site next to the garden of Kabataş Lisesi and has a stunning Bosphorus view. It is open everyday between 12:00-15:00 and 19:00-23:00. The terrace is extraordinary during summer nights. Reservation is required even for lunch. Live music by piano. Fixed menu can be applied for groups. Kağıtta pastırma and nemse böreği is among the specialties. The price is 55-60 million TL/person

Hacı Baba
This is an old Beyoğlu restaurant famous with its Turkish cuisine. It is well known among tourists and therefore the customer profile is "multilingual"! Hacı Baba is open everyday from noon till 22:00. The experts appreciate their serving at least forty different meals everyday. The price is about 25-35 million TL/person.

Kaplan
This restaurant is located at Kaplan Village in Tire - İzmir and run by Hürmüz and Lütifi Cakır. The price is 10-15 million TL/person. Classical and Turkish music is played. Şiş köfte, melengeç, otlu bazlama and kabak çiçeği (squash flower) dessert are the specialties. The experts say that it is the best place where the local vegetables of İzmir are used.

İkbal
This restaurant is at Centrum Afyon and open every day between 07:00-22:30. The price is 15-20 million TL/person. Liquor is not served. Kuzu fırın (lamb meat baked in a special oven), çoban kavurma (meat roasted in its own fat with green pepper and tomatoes) and ekmek kadayıfı are the specialties.

Friday, March 07, 2008

Hans Derschwam | Stuffed Grape Leaves

Stuffed Grape Leaves

The reference was made by Hans Derschwam in his travelogue to Turkey in the 16th Century. This German manuscript describes a dish of grape leaves filled with meat and plums.

Item mutton. Chopped small, a spoonful is put on a wine leaf and put together like a krapfen. In it, one also puts cut sour plums, and boils the whole thing simply in water. Serve hot.

The word “krapfen” means “stuffed fritter” in German and conveys the idea to fold over the leaves and enclose the filling.