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The Other Side of Istanbul The Other Side of Istanbul
(35 minutes later)
Istanbul, famously, is a city that straddles two continents. And it’s clearly the European side of the Bosporus that attracts the bulk of the city’s tourism — in part because it’s home to the ancient city’s big league attractions, like the Hagia Sophia and the Blue Mosque. But the Asian side of the strait, oft overlooked by visitors, is worth exploring in its own right, as I found when I visited this past June with my girlfriend, Sarah.Istanbul, famously, is a city that straddles two continents. And it’s clearly the European side of the Bosporus that attracts the bulk of the city’s tourism — in part because it’s home to the ancient city’s big league attractions, like the Hagia Sophia and the Blue Mosque. But the Asian side of the strait, oft overlooked by visitors, is worth exploring in its own right, as I found when I visited this past June with my girlfriend, Sarah.
I felt like I could have spent weeks exploring Kadikoy, a huge seaside district of over half a million people with great shopping, incredible food, colorful street art and an energetic and progressive sensibility. Even better, from where I was based, in the bohemian, laid-back Yeldegirmeni neighborhood, I could seemingly count the number of tourists I encountered daily on one hand. It also happened to give me ample opportunity to do what I do best: getting maximum enjoyment from a minimal amount of lira.I felt like I could have spent weeks exploring Kadikoy, a huge seaside district of over half a million people with great shopping, incredible food, colorful street art and an energetic and progressive sensibility. Even better, from where I was based, in the bohemian, laid-back Yeldegirmeni neighborhood, I could seemingly count the number of tourists I encountered daily on one hand. It also happened to give me ample opportunity to do what I do best: getting maximum enjoyment from a minimal amount of lira.
Speaking of lira, the exchange rate has moved drastically in favor of the dollar since I visited (from roughly 0.22 Turkish lira to the dollar to 0.15) — another blow to a country that has seen tourism take a downturn in the wake of political turmoil and terrorist attacks in recent years. A couple of tips: Keep that disparity in currency in mind as you’re shopping, and be respectful while bargaining. And don’t raise a stink when, for example, you have to purchase a much more expensive SIM card at the Vodafone kiosk at the airport because you’re a foreigner (260 Turkish lira, about $39, for 10 gigabytes of data). When I asked about a cheaper 50-lira plan that was advertised, the clerk shook his head and said, “That’s for Turkish people.” Speaking of lira, the exchange rate has moved drastically in favor of the dollar since I visited (from roughly 0.22 U.S. dollars to the Turkish lira to 0.15) — another blow to a country that has seen tourism take a downturn in the wake of political turmoil and terrorist attacks in recent years. A couple of tips: Keep that disparity in currency in mind as you’re shopping, and be respectful while bargaining. And don’t raise a stink when, for example, you have to purchase a much more expensive SIM card at the Vodafone kiosk at the airport because you’re a foreigner (260 Turkish lira, about $39, for 10 gigabytes of data). When I asked about a cheaper 50-lira plan that was advertised, the clerk shook his head and said, “That’s for Turkish people.”
A couple of other logistical notes: Americans should apply online for a 90-day e-visa ($20) and print out the visa before leaving the country. The other is to download the BiTaksi taxi-hailing app on your phone — Uber has more limited functionality, and the taxi drivers I spoke to seemed to dislike using it. Turkey’s president famously proclaimed Uber to be “finished” in the country — that’s not quite true, but I felt more comfortable using BiTaksi.A couple of other logistical notes: Americans should apply online for a 90-day e-visa ($20) and print out the visa before leaving the country. The other is to download the BiTaksi taxi-hailing app on your phone — Uber has more limited functionality, and the taxi drivers I spoke to seemed to dislike using it. Turkey’s president famously proclaimed Uber to be “finished” in the country — that’s not quite true, but I felt more comfortable using BiTaksi.
Our lodgings at the My Dora Hotel in Yeldegirmeni were ideal for a couple of reasons. The hotel was close to the waterfront, ferries and subway station, and provided easy access to the Moda neighborhood to the south, with its bars and night life. I was also happy with the price — $52 a night for a clean, air-conditioned room during summer season.Our lodgings at the My Dora Hotel in Yeldegirmeni were ideal for a couple of reasons. The hotel was close to the waterfront, ferries and subway station, and provided easy access to the Moda neighborhood to the south, with its bars and night life. I was also happy with the price — $52 a night for a clean, air-conditioned room during summer season.
Moreover, Yeldegirmeni felt established and welcoming, and utterly lacking pretension. The relatively uncrowded, narrow streets are a pleasure to walk, with innumerable cute coffee and breakfast places, as well as street art installations on Karakolhane Street and pleasant shopping spots like Bee Vintages, a charmingly cluttered clothing and collectibles store on Recaizade Street. All the while, you’re followed by the slightest of breezes and the faint but inescapable scent of sea air.Moreover, Yeldegirmeni felt established and welcoming, and utterly lacking pretension. The relatively uncrowded, narrow streets are a pleasure to walk, with innumerable cute coffee and breakfast places, as well as street art installations on Karakolhane Street and pleasant shopping spots like Bee Vintages, a charmingly cluttered clothing and collectibles store on Recaizade Street. All the while, you’re followed by the slightest of breezes and the faint but inescapable scent of sea air.
Those briny breezes certainly whet the appetite — particularly in a city where the residents clearly love to eat, and eat well. And near the end of Ramadan, when I visited, restaurants were positively packed once the sun went down. That included Yanyali Fehmi Lokansi — recommended by the owner of Bee Vintages — a family-run restaurant just a few steps from the Osman Aga mosque, with a classic, old-school vibe befitting its nearly 100 years in existence.Those briny breezes certainly whet the appetite — particularly in a city where the residents clearly love to eat, and eat well. And near the end of Ramadan, when I visited, restaurants were positively packed once the sun went down. That included Yanyali Fehmi Lokansi — recommended by the owner of Bee Vintages — a family-run restaurant just a few steps from the Osman Aga mosque, with a classic, old-school vibe befitting its nearly 100 years in existence.
As with many of the more traditional restaurants in the city, the ordering process is cafeteria-style. You order from (or point to, in my case) a series of dishes that are prepared by the kitchen throughout the day, and these are brought to your table. My girlfriend and I were aided by the kind and patient Ergin, the grandson of the original chef. He delivered a banquet spread of delicious dishes to our table: savory chickpeas with lamb, a gratin-like zucchini casserole with a perfectly golden cheese crust, and eggplant and peppers stuffed with minced beef and rice. Dinner for two, with tea and a sweet piece of poppy seed cake, was 76 lira.As with many of the more traditional restaurants in the city, the ordering process is cafeteria-style. You order from (or point to, in my case) a series of dishes that are prepared by the kitchen throughout the day, and these are brought to your table. My girlfriend and I were aided by the kind and patient Ergin, the grandson of the original chef. He delivered a banquet spread of delicious dishes to our table: savory chickpeas with lamb, a gratin-like zucchini casserole with a perfectly golden cheese crust, and eggplant and peppers stuffed with minced beef and rice. Dinner for two, with tea and a sweet piece of poppy seed cake, was 76 lira.
A few blocks south is Ciya, a restaurant so popular that it has two additional outposts on the same street (you’ll want to go to Ciya Sofrasi, if you can; it has a more extensive menu while the other two specialize in kebabs). We had no luck finding a table at dinner, but were seated immediately when we returned the next day for lunch. There, we took part in chef Musa Dagdeviren’s extraordinary ongoing experiments with Anatolian cuisine.A few blocks south is Ciya, a restaurant so popular that it has two additional outposts on the same street (you’ll want to go to Ciya Sofrasi, if you can; it has a more extensive menu while the other two specialize in kebabs). We had no luck finding a table at dinner, but were seated immediately when we returned the next day for lunch. There, we took part in chef Musa Dagdeviren’s extraordinary ongoing experiments with Anatolian cuisine.
I can’t remember the last time I had so many varied textures and tastes from a simple sampler plate of cold meze (17 lira, priced by weight). A nutty bulgur salad segued into pleasingly bitter stuffed grape leaves. A portion of mung beans was delicious, as was a fragrant wild oregano salad, a simple hummus, an eggplant salad and purslane drowned in tangy yogurt. Best of all was a simply prepared, impossibly crunchy salad of sea beans.I can’t remember the last time I had so many varied textures and tastes from a simple sampler plate of cold meze (17 lira, priced by weight). A nutty bulgur salad segued into pleasingly bitter stuffed grape leaves. A portion of mung beans was delicious, as was a fragrant wild oregano salad, a simple hummus, an eggplant salad and purslane drowned in tangy yogurt. Best of all was a simply prepared, impossibly crunchy salad of sea beans.
Seventeen lira for lunch isn’t expensive — but you don’t even have to pay that, if you don’t want to. Deeper into Kadikoy, in the Goztepe neighborhood, I found the restaurant Gaziantep Lahmacun, which specializes in its namesake: a crispy, pizza-like Turkish classic. For just 6 lira, I enjoyed a huge lahmacun covered in tomato, herbs and pleasingly funky lamb ground nearly to a fine paste. Washed down with a powerful bottle of fermented black carrot juice (4 lira), it was a perfect midday snack.Seventeen lira for lunch isn’t expensive — but you don’t even have to pay that, if you don’t want to. Deeper into Kadikoy, in the Goztepe neighborhood, I found the restaurant Gaziantep Lahmacun, which specializes in its namesake: a crispy, pizza-like Turkish classic. For just 6 lira, I enjoyed a huge lahmacun covered in tomato, herbs and pleasingly funky lamb ground nearly to a fine paste. Washed down with a powerful bottle of fermented black carrot juice (4 lira), it was a perfect midday snack.
But what about dessert? I’ve said nothing of the sweets in Istanbul, about which numerous epics could be written. Baylan, founded by an Armenian immigrant in 1923, is the place to go for a sleek, classic atmosphere. Sitting on its outdoor patio, I enjoyed a kup griye (21 lira), a decadent, sundae-like chalice of vanilla and caramel ice cream, swimming in caramel and served with a cookie.But what about dessert? I’ve said nothing of the sweets in Istanbul, about which numerous epics could be written. Baylan, founded by an Armenian immigrant in 1923, is the place to go for a sleek, classic atmosphere. Sitting on its outdoor patio, I enjoyed a kup griye (21 lira), a decadent, sundae-like chalice of vanilla and caramel ice cream, swimming in caramel and served with a cookie.
But if it’s just ice cream you’re looking for, you’ll want to head out to Pinar Dondurma, where a man named Alp Durak makes the wonderfully elastic and chewy ice cream that Turkey is famous for. The addition of mastic and salep, a flour derived from orchids, gives the ice cream a pleasingly stretchy quality. A two-scoop cone runs 5 lira; I went with bitter chocolate and walnut, both of which were excellent.But if it’s just ice cream you’re looking for, you’ll want to head out to Pinar Dondurma, where a man named Alp Durak makes the wonderfully elastic and chewy ice cream that Turkey is famous for. The addition of mastic and salep, a flour derived from orchids, gives the ice cream a pleasingly stretchy quality. A two-scoop cone runs 5 lira; I went with bitter chocolate and walnut, both of which were excellent.
The “Chronicles of Narnia” fan in me won’t let me omit a mention of lokum, or Turkish delight, another dessert with a gratifying texture. The tiny, gelatinous morsels, filled with chopped nuts or infused with various flavors and lightly dusted with powdered sugar, somehow don’t taste the same in other countries. So get your fill at Cemilzade Selamicesme, where the lokum has a perfect texture: chewy without being overly sticky or tacky. A 500-gram assortment cost me 41 lira.The “Chronicles of Narnia” fan in me won’t let me omit a mention of lokum, or Turkish delight, another dessert with a gratifying texture. The tiny, gelatinous morsels, filled with chopped nuts or infused with various flavors and lightly dusted with powdered sugar, somehow don’t taste the same in other countries. So get your fill at Cemilzade Selamicesme, where the lokum has a perfect texture: chewy without being overly sticky or tacky. A 500-gram assortment cost me 41 lira.
Lest you think all I did was eat on my trip (though, to be fair, I spent a good deal of time doing just that), there is plenty to do that does not revolve around food. I enjoyed walking on the waterfront, both near the ferries, which provides nice views of Istanbul’s European side, and on the city’s southern coast, in Caddebostan Dalyan Park. There are walking and bike paths, a beach and views of the Prince Islands to the south. Lounging on the grass in Caddebostan is a local pastime: People bring their beers, cigarettes and books and spend the afternoon. Take the opportunity to peek at some of the decrepit old mansions that line the water — huge structures like the Sabiha Hanim Kosku, and the Ragip Pasa Kosku, built in 1906.Lest you think all I did was eat on my trip (though, to be fair, I spent a good deal of time doing just that), there is plenty to do that does not revolve around food. I enjoyed walking on the waterfront, both near the ferries, which provides nice views of Istanbul’s European side, and on the city’s southern coast, in Caddebostan Dalyan Park. There are walking and bike paths, a beach and views of the Prince Islands to the south. Lounging on the grass in Caddebostan is a local pastime: People bring their beers, cigarettes and books and spend the afternoon. Take the opportunity to peek at some of the decrepit old mansions that line the water — huge structures like the Sabiha Hanim Kosku, and the Ragip Pasa Kosku, built in 1906.
Shopping is nearly as pleasurable an endeavor in Istanbul as eating, and the sprawling Kadikoy market is a must-see if you’re around on a Tuesday or Friday. The easiest way to get there is a quick subway ride to Goztepe station. (I bought an Istanbulkart transportation card, which requires a 6-lira deposit, then you pay as you go — in this case, a 2.60-lira fare.) The magnitude of the market hits immediately, but takes a minute to sink in: There’s seemingly endless merchandise, and almost anything you could want.Shopping is nearly as pleasurable an endeavor in Istanbul as eating, and the sprawling Kadikoy market is a must-see if you’re around on a Tuesday or Friday. The easiest way to get there is a quick subway ride to Goztepe station. (I bought an Istanbulkart transportation card, which requires a 6-lira deposit, then you pay as you go — in this case, a 2.60-lira fare.) The magnitude of the market hits immediately, but takes a minute to sink in: There’s seemingly endless merchandise, and almost anything you could want.
I passed stalls of pants from 30 lira and shirts from 10 lira, while stepping over boxes of baby chicks and ducks for sale. There are watches, handbags, perfume, toys and scarves. There are cleaned artichokes floating in water, and 20-lira polo shirts. There are pickle varieties to awe any fermentation fan, as well as some comically large loaves of bread, which in turn are just past crisp green plums selling for just 3 lira per kilo. I picked up a couple of cotton towels for 10 lira and a 5-lira bag of Urfa pepper.I passed stalls of pants from 30 lira and shirts from 10 lira, while stepping over boxes of baby chicks and ducks for sale. There are watches, handbags, perfume, toys and scarves. There are cleaned artichokes floating in water, and 20-lira polo shirts. There are pickle varieties to awe any fermentation fan, as well as some comically large loaves of bread, which in turn are just past crisp green plums selling for just 3 lira per kilo. I picked up a couple of cotton towels for 10 lira and a 5-lira bag of Urfa pepper.
Evren Butik is a slightly more manageable shopping environment — a cozy vintage store run by the friendly and affable Algodan Kemaloglu. I bought a jacket and a few teacup saucers, bargaining from 60 lira down to 45. Then, as I was leaving, he talked me into buying an old peppermill-style coffee grinder for 15 lira, which he carefully wrapped in newspaper.Evren Butik is a slightly more manageable shopping environment — a cozy vintage store run by the friendly and affable Algodan Kemaloglu. I bought a jacket and a few teacup saucers, bargaining from 60 lira down to 45. Then, as I was leaving, he talked me into buying an old peppermill-style coffee grinder for 15 lira, which he carefully wrapped in newspaper.
There is also culture to be appreciated: I enjoyed checking out Moda Sahnesi, a performing arts center in the heart of Moda. After downing an eye-opening Turkish coffee (5 lira), I caught a screening of “Mr. Gay Syria,” a documentary about gay Syrian refugees (15 lira, 10 for students). Later, I caught a piano recital up the street at the Süreyya Opera House, a beautiful building constructed in the 1920s (15 lira). The nearby Thales Cafe, a restaurant and bar set in and around a beautiful old mansion, proved a perfect place for grabbing a local Bomonti beer (16 lira) and people-watching in the garden.There is also culture to be appreciated: I enjoyed checking out Moda Sahnesi, a performing arts center in the heart of Moda. After downing an eye-opening Turkish coffee (5 lira), I caught a screening of “Mr. Gay Syria,” a documentary about gay Syrian refugees (15 lira, 10 for students). Later, I caught a piano recital up the street at the Süreyya Opera House, a beautiful building constructed in the 1920s (15 lira). The nearby Thales Cafe, a restaurant and bar set in and around a beautiful old mansion, proved a perfect place for grabbing a local Bomonti beer (16 lira) and people-watching in the garden.
On our last morning in Istanbul, we walked over to Garda, a small streetside cafe, for a preflight breakfast (did you really think I wasn’t going to mention Turkish breakfast?). When there were no tables available, I thought we were out of luck, but one was procured from thin air and placed on an empty area of sidewalk. The Garda kahvalti (27 lira) produced the usual suspects from a good Turkish breakfast — bread, jam, olives, Nutella, meats and cheeses. It was followed by a 13-lira coup de grâce, the karisik menemen, a volcanically hot skillet of cheesy, tomato-y eggs.On our last morning in Istanbul, we walked over to Garda, a small streetside cafe, for a preflight breakfast (did you really think I wasn’t going to mention Turkish breakfast?). When there were no tables available, I thought we were out of luck, but one was procured from thin air and placed on an empty area of sidewalk. The Garda kahvalti (27 lira) produced the usual suspects from a good Turkish breakfast — bread, jam, olives, Nutella, meats and cheeses. It was followed by a 13-lira coup de grâce, the karisik menemen, a volcanically hot skillet of cheesy, tomato-y eggs.
It, like most of the other things we’d eaten on our trip, was wonderful. I’m not sure why I was still surprised at that point, though — everything about these few days in Kadikoy had proven exceptional.It, like most of the other things we’d eaten on our trip, was wonderful. I’m not sure why I was still surprised at that point, though — everything about these few days in Kadikoy had proven exceptional.