Flavors from Istanbul

Istanbul is not only a wonderfully diverse city, but it also offers a truly exciting gastronomic experience. Our travel guide had some recommendations of places to try but we were lucky enough to come accross some great restaurants ourselves. The city is a feast of irresistible flavors. Every corner filled with endless mini sweet bites to choose from, an array of eateries or street food carts that leave you curious and tempted. The fish sandwiches are particular to Istanbul, but since I am not a big fan of mackerel I wasn't tempted to try one. 

The famous fish sandwiches are prepared on thesse distinctive boats floating on the Golden Horn. The waiters take orders onshore, the sandwiches are handed out from the boat and served to customers seated on stools set up with a view of the water.

The endless variety of Turkish delight flavors and types of Baklava sweets. Street after street the city offers you sugary attractions.

The crowded and noisy cheese and meat market. The vendors literally beg you to taste their offerings, in confidence that you will love their product and seem positively offended if you reject them. 

Passing through the famous Istanbul Spice Bazaar, full of smells, colours and noise. Endless varieties of spices, teas, herbs, dried fruits and vegetables, all kinds of sweet temptations and lively crowds. Long before the Ottoman times, this domed market was the terminus of the Spice Road.  

Amazing grilled meat balls at Sultanahmet Köftesi. Even though the menu is limited to six choices, most customers go for the meat balls. They are grilled to perfection with their own recipe of mixed spices that adds a delicious flavor. 
 

Thankfully we were able to try this place at lunch time, as on all the evenings we spent strolling Sultanahmet Square this was the queue for those tasty meat balls.

          Manti, the Turkish style dumpling, stuffed with spiced meat (lamb or beef) toppded with yogurt, garlic and ground sumac at Kafe Ara. Owned by and named after the renowned Turkish photographer Ara Güler, the place is  decorated with huge prints of his work, mainly B&W photos of the city.

The so-called Aegean sliced meatballs, a pastry stuffed with spiced meat, served with rice, potato wedges, green chilli peppers and yogurt at Galata Konak.

Village pasta, resembling cut, thick noodles topped with walnuts and halloumi at Galata Konak.

A rich green salad, artistically served, with tomato, cucumber, purple lettuce, halloumi and corn, topped with pomegranate sauce at Galata Konak.

Sutis Profiterole was as rich in flavour as it looks. A scumptious delight right in the heart of Taksim Square. Apparently there are master chefs for several of the desserts, and the profiterole is one of them.

The cream of chocolate, though simple yet tasteful, is topped with ground pistachios and coconut at Sutis. Despite the contrast in flavour the pistachio has to the coconut, they both add a nice twist to the cream.