Description: So much of Göreme has sprouted up in the last twenty years that it is a real joy to find somewhere with a bit of history.
Dibek fits that bill perfectly. Here you dine in a 475 year-old building. The restaurant was formerly a stable-block, and you can still see the wooden stalls and assorted other paraphenalia. You may even be able to spot an actual
dibek - a traditional mixing bowl like a large pestle. The tables are low, and diners sit cross-legged on cushions after leaving your footware in the corridor.
The food here is good old-fashioned Turkish country fare. If you want burgers and chips there are plenty of other places for those in Göreme! Probably the most famouse dish on the menu is the
testi kebab. You need to order this at least five hours in advance as it will be prepared specially. This is a kebab with vegetables (tomato, pepper, aubergine, potato, garlic), slowly baked in a clay pot. This will be brought sizzling to the table along with a hammer. Either let the waiter smash the pot open, or do it yourself (watch your fingers!). What a fun way to take part in the dining experience! And one of my so-far infallible rules of travelling is that if something is cooked in a clay pot, it is invariably good!
However I had
manti instead. Manti is a traditional homemade Turkish ravioli, stuffed with either meat or cheese. It comes served hot, but with a chilled sauce of yogurt and tomato. The combination of hot food and cold yogurt has been known to put people off. I just thought it was yummy.
We were served salad, pickles and rustic bread to accompany the meal. The seven of us also ordered two carafes of wine. The wine here is homemade, served in earthenware jugs with matching goblets, and comes in two flavours – red and white! It is a little rough around the edges, but it certainly serves to compliment the hearty homemade grub. For a traditional Turkish country-style meal, Dibek really must be the place to head for.
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