Ciya, the restaurant that the New Yorker recently held an article about is totally worth the hype. Turks and tourists alike can be found at its 3 locations, all next door to one another (so Musa Dağdeviren, the owner, has no problem popping in). Located in Kadikoy (on the Anatolian side), it serves traditional dishes, lost recipes, and classic Turkish staples (like kebap (or a twist -- sour cherry kebap, pistachio crusted kebap), shish, lahmacun...) It deserves more attention than I will give it right now, I really need to do some research and write more down when I am there, but I am always utterly distracted by the food. Hopefully that says something about how breathtaking it is, jaw-dropping (but jaw-closing as well -- the next bite is always on the way...)
All the little appetizer salads you could dream of, with pomegranate seeds and syrups, pickled greens, stuffed leaves and peppers, and so much more... You craft your own plate from the salad bar, so you don't need to feel bad about trying 2 bites of everything. Enjoy these with hot puffy bread sprinkled with black cumin and lots of lemon.
Next, go up to the front counter to learn about the soups, stews, and casseroles. Mom, Dad and I enjoyed a stuffed artichoke, yogurt-spinach-chickpea-leek soup, and intestines stuffed with rice (which really just tastes like the softest sausage you could imagine).
There will be more on Ciya. It deserves so much more.
A nice lunch at my local restaurant Urfam; lahmacun (flat-bread with minced meat and spices, served with parsley, tomatoes and lemon) and a shepherd's salad (cucumbers, tomatoes, onion, parsley, lemon). Hits the spot for 6 TL.
And a free-treat from the Malatya Pazari, the best stall in the Spice Bazaar. If you go to Istanbul, this is the shop you want to visit. Feel no shame trying the nuts and dried fruit to be sure you are getting exactly the one you want, and you will probably be offered more than you desire (Turkish hospitality is unmatched). The nuts are the best, the prices are fair, they will vacuum pack anything you want to take home, they have dried kumquats, goji berries, grapefruit, sour lemon...), and their spices are incredibly aromatic. I never knew what cinnamon could be till I bought some here.
Here, a sugar soaked cactus fruit, offered to me after buying some dried fruit.
All the little appetizer salads you could dream of, with pomegranate seeds and syrups, pickled greens, stuffed leaves and peppers, and so much more... You craft your own plate from the salad bar, so you don't need to feel bad about trying 2 bites of everything. Enjoy these with hot puffy bread sprinkled with black cumin and lots of lemon.
Next, go up to the front counter to learn about the soups, stews, and casseroles. Mom, Dad and I enjoyed a stuffed artichoke, yogurt-spinach-chickpea-leek soup, and intestines stuffed with rice (which really just tastes like the softest sausage you could imagine).
There will be more on Ciya. It deserves so much more.
A nice lunch at my local restaurant Urfam; lahmacun (flat-bread with minced meat and spices, served with parsley, tomatoes and lemon) and a shepherd's salad (cucumbers, tomatoes, onion, parsley, lemon). Hits the spot for 6 TL.
And a free-treat from the Malatya Pazari, the best stall in the Spice Bazaar. If you go to Istanbul, this is the shop you want to visit. Feel no shame trying the nuts and dried fruit to be sure you are getting exactly the one you want, and you will probably be offered more than you desire (Turkish hospitality is unmatched). The nuts are the best, the prices are fair, they will vacuum pack anything you want to take home, they have dried kumquats, goji berries, grapefruit, sour lemon...), and their spices are incredibly aromatic. I never knew what cinnamon could be till I bought some here.
Here, a sugar soaked cactus fruit, offered to me after buying some dried fruit.
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