I had already written in one of my earlier articles that I cannot fit the dining spots in Istanbul into a basic top ten list. This new list is going to comprise a new category, that is the list of the best “fish” restaurants in the city.
Fish is yet another cultural trademark of the Turkish cuisine. It is taught in Turkey to every elementary school child that, Turkey is surrounded by “sea”s on its three sides (I am fully aware of the grammatical mistake I commit here, but the mistake is necessary for the point I am trying to make): north, west and south with the additional inland sea Marmara to the northwest. It is thus that Turkey has a rich source of different water fishes from salt water to sweet water.
The Turkish people eat fish slowly for long hours over rakı or wine, much like the way in which they eat kebab. Going to a fish restaurant also serves the purpose of friendly get-togethers as much as eating good meze (little Turkish dishes, much like Spanish tapas and regular starters) and fresh fish. If the gathering occurs for dinner, the evening usually starts around 7 P.M. with the early comers. They order their rakı with a slice of white cheese and melon. This trio keeps the table going for at least half an hour until the rest of the diners arrive. Around 8 P.M. the cold appetizers’ tray arrives and the diners cherry-pick the starters. The most popular cold starters include: the aubergine salad (made from mashing aubergine and mixing that with various grasses and grass roots), octopus salad with virgin olive oil, mashed peppers (could be hot), stuffed shell fish and fava (fave in Italian, made from mashed broad beans). After the cold appetizers, between 8.45 and 9.00 P.M. the hot dishes will get ordered. The most favorite hot dishes include: karides güveç (shrimps stewed with rich tomato sauce, pepper and cheese), grilled or fried calamari (I prefer it grilled, but the Turkish traditional would be the fried –you may also find the fried version in some tapas bars in Barcelona), fried shelled fish and sometimes Turkish pastry (paçanga böreği).
By the time the hot entries are finished, most ladies are already full, but the gentlemen keep going :) They now give the signal for the fish, which is usually pre-ordered before starting off the night (fresh fish tends to finish quickly, so the waiters are usually told to spare one for the table). Depending on the season and the time of the year, the choice of fish will change. If in spring or early summer my favorite fish, kalkan (the turbot or buckler fish), is in season. Red mullet (barbunya in Turkish) can be found throughout the year; however striped red mullet (tekir), which has a slightly bigger head than the regular mullet, is best between July and September. Gilt-head bream (çipura) and sea bream (karagöz), which look very much alike and are both white, soft and lumpy, can easily be produced in fish farms and thus can be easily found through out the year as well. One of the most precious local fish is the sole fish (dil) and is often consumed as cooked on skewer and called shish fish. Sole can be found in every season except in summers. Anchovy (hamsi) is one of the most frequently hunted fish in Turkey. It may look tiny and fit for appetizers only, but it is actually a very greasy fish and thus hard to digest. What anchovy is to the Black Sea coast, sardine (sardalya) is to the Mediterranean coast. Smaller sardines are usually called papalina, while the larger are known as tirsi. Mackerel (uskumru) is best between September and January and, if can be found in a restaurant, the stuffed mackerel dish must be tried. Fatty and soft bluefish (lüfer) and bonito (palamut) should be eaten between September and February. Another typical fish that can be fetched in any season is the sea bass (levrek) and it shall best be cooked stewed and served in a closed pot with a tomato and vegetable sauce.
A meal is not complete without desert… The specialty of fish restaurants is the chocolate soufflé, but its possible to find a range of other traditional Turkish deserts as well.
Below is an assortment of good fish restaurants with different price ranges.
Rumeli İskele is one of the best fish restaurants with guaranteed good service and good food. It is also one of the most expensive ones. The price you pay is not just for the quality, service and food, but also for the view and the setting (Here, one literally gets seated on the Bosphorus waters). As such, the atmosphere you eat and drink at is very romantic and very nostalgic. It is a favorite spot for the locals. Apart from the classic mezes written above, you should also try the shrimp salad here.
Yahya Kemal Caddesi 1, Rumeli Hisari, +90 212 263 2997
Adem Baba lies on the opposite side of the pricing scale. This is an artisan fish house (wooden tables, diner style), which is a Turkish classic since 1992. This is a place where you won’t stay for hours and maybe you won’t even eat as much. However, whatever you will eat will be daily caught and it will be very well cooked and served. There is no alcohol service at Adem Baba and this is another reason why the lunch or dinner you will have here will have a shorter duration. Focus on the salad and the fish here, as the fish doesn’t get any fresher. Try sole fish cooked on a skewer.
Similar to Adem Baba is the Sandal Fish House in Yeniköy. Also not serving alcohol, Sandal Fish House excels in making fresh, home-baked corn bread, fried fish dumplings and creamy fish soup. If you plan on eating more than just appetizers, order half portion of the soup, otherwise you will not have any room for more.
Köybaşı Cad. No: 143. Yeniköy / İstanbul Tel: 0 212 262 36 43
On the Anatolian side of the city, there is the Balıkçı Restaurant, situated right next to the old train line. There are still trains passing through this line, therefore it does get a little noisy at times. Nevertheless, this place is the best you can get in terms of good price and good food ratio. Definitely order mezes here and also go for the warm hurma and ice cream desert.
Eski Bağdat Cad. Çamlık Çıkmazı Altı Küçükyalı İstanbul
Tel : 0 216 417 83 95
Cibalikapı Balık Restaurant has three branches: one in Moda on the Asian side, one in Haliç and one in Torba in south of Turkey. Cibalikapı Balık Restaurant spells price for value, whilst serving its clients the best and some of the most unique examples of meze. It is surrounded with an appealing nostalgia of the old Turkish films, is more like a cozy inn with its wooden tables and relaxing atmosphere. Its Haliç Branch offers a magnificent panorama of history, as it is in the close proximity of the Topkapı Palace and the Galata Tower. The Moda Branch is right off the Moda port in another cozy corner of the city. Try stuffed dried tomatoes, palamut pilaki (a cold dish made from dried beans, olive oil and bonito), mezgit sarma (rolled whiting fish), topik (a meze made with chickpea, potato, cinnamon and onion –you either love it or hate it), abudaraho (fish eggs), a variety of grass roots served as cold dish with olive oil, and fener kavurma (roasted monkfish). Do yourself the courtesy to cherry-pick your dishes and try out some new flavors. You can also go for the fix menu 65 TRY (30 Euros) with limited alcohol or 75 TRY (around 40 Euros) for unlimited alcohol. Their degustación menu for two is 120 TRY (around 60 Euros).
Haliç Branch Contact Information: Tel: (0212) 533 28 46
Address: Kadir Has Caddesi (next to Kadir Has University) 5, Cibali
Rumelikavağı is filled with too many fisheries and is mostly a good trap for both locals and tourists. Restaurants with the best positioning on the waterfront lack in quality of service and food offer; and they often price themselves too high. On the contrary, restaurants with derelict decorations and surroundings excel in both service and food. As such it may be a zero-sum game for those looking for a full experience of atmosphere combined with good food. Nevertheless, a visit to the area is a good idea if you are looking for day-tripping. As the area is occupied by fishermen mostly, the neighborhood still carries the scenery of a cozy village.
Last but not the least on the list is Set Balık. This is one of those places, which needs no marketing and is not willing to do any. It is a family-run restaurant –operated by the second generation these days. They have a loyal clientele who choose this restaurant for get-togethers, celebrations or for basic family dinners and lunches. As such, if you are unknown to the staff and have no reservations, you are very likely to be turned away for the day. The fish here is not spectacular. However, they have a great selection of unique meze dishes –a blend of a variety of different cuisines, including Chinese and American influences. The second-generation owner/manager regularly trains himself abroad on new cooking techniques and combinations, and tests those on his clientele. Try the Far Eastern fish meatballs, sole on a skewer, the fish crepe and fish crockets.
You will find on Donuz, everything that is unique to where we have been and where you would want to be. Be it food, be it lodging, be it a special feet massage, a bottle of wine, a person… Be it for 7 days, a day, a week, 36 hours or a single moment. On Donuz, is everything, you will need to make your holidays special. We hope you share with us your experiences.
Sat, Nov 7, 2009
Food