The Highly Recommended Balikci Sabahattin Does not Disappoint

• March 12, 2009
• Rated 5 of 5 by NiceGinna from Evanston, Illinois

Balikci Sabahattin had been recommended to us by several world travelers that we know so we went out of our way to find it for lunch. We sat outside under the grapevines, with decorations of fresh produce - pumpkins and gourds, tomatoes and lettuces, and melons - piled around us. With a bottle of the local Antik white wine, we set out to enjoy our lunch. We started with meze - a small plate of fava beans and another of cold cooked spinach that was especially delicious. Then on to the main event: David ordered the blue fish which he thought was excellent but nothing like the blue fish he had caught and eaten so often in the Caribbean. I had the sea bass which was also wonderful.

It was an expensive place, a bit of a splurge, but wonderful.

From journal A Cruise to Turkey, Croatia, and Greece and the Islands

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Beautiful Restaurant but Expensive

• July 21, 2008
• Rated 5 of 5 by NiceGinna from Evanston, Illinois

We'd been recommended to Balikci Sabahattin by friends and found it with a bit of hunting. We sat outside under the grapevines and enjoyed our meze with a bottle of the local white wine, Antik. The meze were small dishes of fava beans and another of cold spinach that was delicious. We had blue fish, a specialty, for the main course, which was wonderful, although David said it wasn't at all the same as the blue fish which he caught often in the Caribbean.

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Balikçi Sabahattin

• November 8, 2006
• Rated 5 of 5 by mightywease from Carshalton, United Kingdom

Walking into Balicki Sabahatin is a little like walking into a favourites Aunt’s front parlour – white linen tablecloths, white lacy coverings at the window, cream and sea-green walls with a few pictures - all neat, tidy but not off putting.

The restaurant specialises in fish and seafood, there isn’t a menu as such – although I believe you may be able to ask for one which includes hot starters – after showing you to your seat and taking an order for drinks (raki is a good accompaniment though we went for beer, they do have a wine list but we found it a little on the expensive side) a waiter will present a tray of mezes from which you make your choice. These includes salads, marinated fish – the sea bass was delicious – mussels and rice (a speciality of the restaurant, a great mix of testures and flavours) dips etc... If you are unsure what to have – and there is a wide choice – ask the, very helpful, waiting staff for their recommendations.

A little later, while enjoying your choice of meze, a waiter will bring a platter of fresh fish of the day from which you select your main courses, again if you are unsure - or indeed you need some pointers, as we did, to what fish is which - ask for a recommendation. Once your choice is made sit back, relax, finish your meze and wait for the fish fest to arrive!

The fish is either grilled or fried (we went for red mullet and swordfish kebab) and simply presented with a small garnish of tomato, a slice of potato and a slice of mooli – the latter three acting more as palate cleansers than an accompaniment. Not that you need any accompaniment, the freshness and taste of the fish is what’s important and all you really need.

After that you may not feel the need for dessert but, if you do, there is a small but tasty selection of cakes and other traditional desserts.

Round this of with Turkish coffee and maybe even a liqueur and you have a great dining experience. In summer you should also be able to take advantage of the outside tables. Reservations are recommended, we went mid-week and it was pretty busy then.

We had:

Courgette garlic and yoghurt dip – lovely subtle flavours, very refreshing
Marinated strips of Sea Bass – absolutely gorgeous – couldn’t get enough of it
Rice with mussels - a speciality of the restaurant, lovely combination of texture and taste
Olives - complimentary – a nice touch

Red Mullet (fried) – subtle yet distinctive taste, very well cooked
Swordfish Kebab – strong, meaty texture and taste, again very well cooked

Honey Cake – lovely and sweet without being sickly, the honey seeps seductively onto your tongue

2 beers and some water, Turkish coffee and a complimentary cherry liquor

110 YTL (inc. tip) approx. £39/$76.00

From journal Istanbul - Minarets and Magic

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