Lonely Planet İstanbul Guide

(kebap restaurants) and in köftecisi (meatball restaurants). The most famous meat dish is the kebap – şiş and döner – but köfte, saç kavurma (stir-fried cubed-meat dishes) and güveç (meat and vegetable stews) are just as common. The most popular sausage in Turkey is the spicy beef sucuk . Garlicky pastırma (pressed beef preserved in spices) is regularly used as an accompaniment to egg dishes; it’s occasionally served with warm hummus as a meze. A few İstanbul restaurants serve the central Anatolian dish of mantı (Turkish ravioli stuffed with beef mince and topped with yogurt, garlic tomato and butter). FRESH FROM THE SEA Fish is wonderful here, but can be pricey. In a balık restoran (fish restaurant), you should always choose your own fish from the display. The eyes should be clear and the flesh under the gill slits near the eyes should be bright red. After choosing, ask the approximate price. The fish will be weighed, and the price computed at the day’s per-kilogram rate. Try to avoid eating lüfer (bluefish) when the fish are small (less than 24cm in length), as overfishing is endangering the future of this much-loved local species. The best time of the year for local fish is winter. LOKANTAS These casual eateries serve hazır yemek (ready-made food) kept warm in bains marie, and usually offer a range of vegetable dishes alongside meat options. The etiquette when eating at one of these places is to check out what’s in the bain-marie and tell the waiter or cook behind the counter what you would like to eat. You can order one portion (bir porsiyon), a yarım (half) porsiyon or a plate with a few different choices. You’ll be charged by the portion.

VEGETABLES & SALADS