Istanbul Is for [Food] Lovers, Part 1

I wrapped up my semi-epic Middle Eastern journey in Istanbul, relieved to finally feel comfortable wearing short sleeves and looking men in the eye. Staying with my wonderful, very social host Doğan Selcuk and hanging out with fellow travelers from Göreme, I was lucky to have people to explore major sights with and people who would show me the best of local nightlife.

I had a blast and couldn't wait to return; I came home dreaming of Istanbul and wanting to live there. Then my friend Rubina found an amazing package deal online, for a flight AND 5 nights in a hotel (not hostel!) for . I couldn't resist, and neither could the other 4 friends she rounded up.

To my delight, Istanbul was even better the second time around. It was much colder in March than July (duh) but that meant fewer tourists. Light on real sightseeing and heavy on seeking out the best food in the city, Jamie, April, Rubina, Kip, Patrick and I had so much fun together we're already thinking about the 2nd annual "adult spring break."




I've chosen not to write about tourist sites because they are covered in other members' journals, but please do visit Hagia Sophia, the Blue Mosque, Yerebatan Sarayi, or even Topkapi Palace (not my favorite) if you have time.

Get a Turkish bath for sure—our women visited Çemberlitaş Hammam while our boys visited Cağaloğlu Hammam.

Kip and Patrick were mixed about Cağaloğlu, especially the massage which they felt was too rough. We found Çemberlitaş wonderful. Very different from my former hammam experiences, with a large round marble slab in the beautiful domed steam room where naked women waited for an attendant to call. Everyone was washed on the edge of the communal marble slab. Massages were in separate rooms and wonderful—not slapdash affairs as in Syria but long full-body massages as in Jordan. Of course this luxury came at a price—our deluxe packages cost about .

Most importantly, get out and eat! Turkish cuisine is delicious and varied, from the humblest street snacks to fresh fish dinners. Our trip was focused on food at all times, and I wouldn't have it any other way!



References to prices included. At time of trip, was about 1.5YTL.

Quick Tips:

* For a great sunset view of the city, go up the Galata Tower. The viewing "deck" is incredibly narrow and forces you to get a little friendly with fellow tourists, but it’s absolutely worth it.

* There are free galleries up and down Istiklal Street. While caught in the rain last year waiting for my host Doğan to fetch me, I definitely got to take advantage of the galleries. During the summer of 2005, 3 different galleries displayed an amazing retrospective of sculptor Ihlan Koman's work. Other galleries featured fantastic modern art: photography, video and other media. Highly recommended.

* If you aren't too stuffed—we often were—do take advantage of the nightlife. My favorite place last year (introduced to me by Doğan) was Gizli Bahçe, or Secret Garden. Great music—mostly old school rap—comfy living-room like atmosphere and an open, friendly environment. Gizli Bahçe is located on Nevizade Street across from Imroz. Another fun place for dancing is Bar Bahçe, a tiny gay club. You could look at it as an interesting exploration of homosexuality in Turkish culture, or just get sweaty dancing. Last summer the staff were dressing up in costumes every night; this year I didn't go but Kip and Patrick reported the staff did not costume up this time. Other good bars in the area are Smyrna and Melek.

* If you are coming to Istanbul more for its urban delights than history and culture (come on, admit it) I recommend Time Out Istanbul above other guidebooks. This book focuses on fantastic bars, clubs and restaurants frequented by locals and is very clear with practicalities such as directions and opening hours of various sights, and info on daytrips for the long-term traveler. Photos are much more plentiful and journalistic in Time Out's format than other guidebooks. And even though not every place can be reviewed in detail, you can glean many ideas by reading the callout boxes.

Best Way To Get Around:

Neighborhoods are self-contained and easily walkable—Beyoğlu, Ortaköy, Sultanahmet and Eminönü are best explored by foot. Waterfront Eminönü is by the Galata Bridge so many transport options are available—cheaper taxis to the "new city", ferries to the Asian side and up the Bosphorus, and a major bus depot.

A slow but pleasant way to transfer between Beyoğlu and Eminönü is to walk across the Galata Bridge from Eminönü to Karaköy. Next take the Tünel, a one-stop train and the second-oldest subway in the world. It ends at the bottom of Istiklal street.

Getting to Beyoğlu from the Eminönü /Sirkeci side is quickest by taxi and about 6YTL. From Sultanahmet you can also take the metro to Eminönü first to save a couple lira. The metro stop in Sultanahmet is right on Divanyolu, very near the Blue Mosque, Yerebatan Sarayi and Hagia Sophia. If you will be in Istanbul a few days you may want to buy an "akbil" pass for transportation.

The metro does not cross between the "new city" and the "old city." The bus does, but have patience—many bus drivers do not speak English. Last year I had it easy because I usually traveled between Taksim Square, a major bus depot, and Eminönü. The routes might not always be so clear.

We didn't choose Hotel Askoç. When we found our amazing package deal, Askoç was actually the cheapest option. I was worried that it was a little too close to the old city for my tastes, but it ended up being a really lovely place to stay.

Askoç is located in Sirkeci, basically between Eminönü on the water and Sultanahmet, the old city and main tourist zone. The hotel itself is located on a service road, which is a little weird at night but hardly uncomfortable or dangerous. It only takes about 20-25 minutes to walk to the Blue Mosque/Haghia Sophia, about 10-12 minutes to the Galata Bridge or Spice Bazaar. There is an Internet café just a few blocks away and a cheap convenience store for water around the corner. Taxi rides from Sirkeci to Beyoğlu were generally only 6-7YTL until midnight, when prices double.

View from the good rooms!The rooms are small by American standards, but offer plenty of space for short trips. Our views were bad the first couple days, overlooking a mass of grey rooftops and possibly junkyards, but on the 3rd day we were graciously transferred to rooms with gorgeous views of "modern" Istanbul and the Sirkeci train station down below. Furniture is two twin beds, a dresser and desk. There is limited Turkish TV, western toilets and good water pressure in the shower.

A self-serve breakfast buffet is included. Traditional Turkish breakfast items include ripe tomatoes, a couple different types of cheese, honey and butter to slather atop sliced baguettes, and thick yogurt served with delicious fruit preserves. Hot food includes a feeble version of sigara boreğis (fried rolled pastries stuffed with cheese), some sort of hot dog sausages, scrambled eggs without much flavor. The cold foods were far superior.

The staff really made this hotel special. From the minute we arrived everyone bent over backwards to help us. When we needed help getting to Beyoğlu, they were quick to order cabs and give directions. When we hoped to switch to better rooms but couldn't wait around for those rooms to be emptied, we returned after a day of fun to find our suitcases neatly placed in our new rooms. When Kip asked directions to the post office, a staff member took his postcards to the post office for him, bought the stamps and mailed them, only charging for the stamps. When my friends had to leave for the airport at 5:30AM, they opened breakfast early. There is no way they could have been kinder, friendlier, more helpful.

This hotel's regular price is out of my usual traveling budget (about 50 euro/room) but for a package deal, it couldn't have been a better bargain. Comfortable, convenient, with a stellar staff. Highly recommended.

Askoç Hotel website

Located in Kadiköy on the chaotic Asian side, Çiya took some finding. After disembarking from the ferry, we promptly headed in the wrong direction. Once re-oriented, we stopped every few feet to ask directions—on a busy market day, no less. To our group of New Yorkers, it was akin to being lost in Queens. We wandered through fish markets, finding Güneşlibahçe Street by luck. Dragging ourselves past the tempting honey store, we found two Çiya options: one serving kebabs and one serving "rural foods." Starving, we chose the latter—Çiya Sofrasi.

I told the host we had "six" in Turkish, which sparked a longer Turkish response. Once they realized I was just posing, the staff rearranged to give us the English-speaking waiter, who begged, "Please? I help you?" So sweet and friendly, we loved him instantly. At the restaurant's front counter, he pointed out various hot dishes. I recognized içli kofte from my time in the Southeast, prompting another outburst of excited Turkish. He was so darling I was more embarrassed than usual at my lack of language skills.

It was clear he wanted to choose our hot items for us, so we ordered a dish of Iskender kebab—a caloric bomb of döner meat, yogurt and tomato sauce over pide bread—and left the rest in his hands. My friends returned upstairs and I chose from the cold items bar as our waiter hovered nearby, radiating helpfulness. Plenty of eggplant dishes were available, as well as tightly-rolled small dolmades, mouhamara (walnut pepper paste), hummus and vegetable delicacies.

Dish after dish of deliciousness appeared at our table. Creamy soups, stuffed artichokes, baked eggplant swimming in yogurt, and a cylindrical pastry filled with chicken demonstrated the best of Turkish cuisine. My friends were underwhelmed with içli kofte, much as I was last year. The fried parcels filled with minced lamb sound wonderful but are really pretty dry and tasteless. Everything else was luscious.

Overfed and loving it, we got such a kick out of the friendly waiter calling himself "the Turkish John Travolta." We were so full we forgot we'd ordered Iskender, which ended up being the best I'd ever had. The chunks of pide tasted of pure butter, the meat was incredibly tender and moist, the tomato sauce the ultimate complement. It was well worth the ensuing food coma to taste that gourmet rendition—and a bargain because we couldn't eat another meal all day.

"John Travolta" was a paragon of hospitality. Adorably, when we requested a photo, he first ran to the bathroom to primp. Çiya's deliciousness and charm made for an incredible experience; I feel like we lucked into the best restaurant in Istanbul.

Cost: 20YTL each.


Çiya website

All Turkish people love mantı. Locals gush about the garlicky little lamb dumplings as much as I do. After my experience learning to make the dish myself, I was determined to make it for myself at home. Instead, other than once at an extremely good but fairly pricey place in New York, I hadn't had the pleasure in months.

On our last night in Istanbul I was resolute about eating mantı, as so far only Patrick and Rubina had experienced their glory with me in New York. Fatih from the Turkish Art Store recommended Otantik for traditional Turkish dishes at a reasonable price.

Otantik has several branches, including one on Istiklal. I'd passed by before, but would never have thought to try it—possibly because the costumed ladies kneading dough in the doorway are a bit of a turn-off. However, I was starting to think that those women were not there for the benefits of foreign tourists, but to convince Istanbul natives of the "Anatolia-ness" of it all, and I assumed they were discerning enough to still recognize good food.


In addition to the friendly doughmakers up front, the restaurant was coated in greenery. I'm not sure what the look was meant to be, perhaps just general down-home country goodness. It took a while to get a table large enough, but the food was well worth the wait.

Our waiter didn't speak English, so I attempted to order in Turkish. Considering my level of Turkish only involves being able to correctly pronounce menu items and say whether we wanted one (bir), two (iki) or three (üç), I thought I did astonishingly well.

We ordered several rounds of gözleme,Turkish crepes. We tried them filled with a feta-esque white cheese, a sharp yellow cheese, spinach and meat. All excellent. Two orders of mantı were gone in a flash—truthfully the ones I'd made myself in Göreme and the ones in New York had a slight edge, but Göreme was a one-time experience and the New York version costs $16 rather than 6YTL—huge difference. We also ordered hunkar beyendi—one of my favorite dishes involving an exceptionally rich puree of smoky eggplant, cheese and butter topped with chunks of lamb—a lamb casserole, and delicious potato dumplings.

As par for the course, the staff was warm and welcoming. Not for the first time I noticed that when I made my feeble stab at responsible tourism and started with a simple "Hello. Six." in Turkish, the host foolishly assumed I actually spoke Turkish and let through with a barrage of friendly conversation. Much embarrassed laughter ensued. It was the perfect last-night meal, a survey of the best foods of Anatolia, with the décor and costumes combining for a charming experience.

Cost: 12YTL each.
Otantik website

Our first night, I wanted to show my friends my Istanbul, far from the touristy old city. Foolishly confident, I assumed I remembered how to find Nevizade Street because I would first look for the banner designating Balik Pazari (the "fish street"). Unfortunately, since my last visit the sign had come down, so we ended up wandering the full length of Istiklal Street twice as I felt more and more stupid. Finally Kip couldn't stand it anymore and told me—in typically sweet fashion—that he appreciated my enthusiasm but needed to eat NOW.

On one of the side streets off Istiklal, a friendly-looking young man waved us toward his restaurant. After reviewing the satisfyingly kebab-centric menu, we allowed ourselves to be herded in.

Mis Ocakbaşi was a vegetarian's nightmare. The extremely lamb-intensive menu set our mouths watering. Kebabs were prepared on a giant fiery barbecue next to our table, which was called an ocakbaşi and filled the restaurant with gorgeous aromas.

The list of mouthwatering kebabs was too long to try them all, and it was late in the evening so we weren't sure what our stomachs could handle. We ordered kebabs grilled with eggplant, kebabs with pistachios, and the favorite of the evening, kebabs Ali-Nazik.

Our intention was to order one of each to share. However, in Beyoğlu not everyone speaks fluent English. I suspected that my friends' gestures and mentions of "sharing" were not coming across clearly, so once my kebab-partner ordered, I simply told the waiter I was not ordering. We were the only ones who did not receive double dishes.

Everything was so tasty we really had no problem finishing the extras. The kebabs with pistachios were a mild disappointment for me—while the meat was smoky and grilled to perfection, I had been hoping the whole kebab would be rolled in pistachios. Or stuffed, either method would have worked for me. Instead it was lightly studded, and the pistachios didn't add enough to the flavor. But it was still juicy and flawlessly-spiced lamb, so no real loss.





The Ali-Nazik kebabs were wondrous. The ground lamb was pulled off the skewers after cooking and mixed with tomatoes over a creamy sauce of yogurt and pureed eggplant. We were more than happy to mistakenly receive two of these.

For fans of lamb like us, this was a fantastic place to unwind after a long day of travel—unwinding included plenty of wine and my friends' first taste of raki. The staff here was incredibly friendly as usual, and our waiter in particular eager to pose for photos, contributing to our first-night giddiness. Truthfully, I usually don't expect much out of any place that has staff members luring people in from outside, but Mis Ocakbaşi was a wonderful surprise.

Cost: 23YTL each, with drinks.

In the hilly streets of Cihangir and up seven flights of stairs we found Doğa Balik, the best seafood restaurant in Istanbul boasting a gorgeous view of the city.

We decided we deserved one really nice night out. Known for their fresh-off-the-boat seafood and simple, healthy preparations, Doğa Balik seemed like the ideal Saturday night indulgence. We were seated well, next to the large wall-length windows where we could gaze upon the glowing mosques of the old city. The staff buzzed around—professional and attentive almost to a fault.

Rubina and I trotted over to the display case of fish, while our main waiter ran through the different types of fishes and prices by weight. Because the restaurant emphasizes the catch of the day, there is no set menu. We decided on local varieties, assuming they would be the most interesting, and were then directed to choose our own mezes from the refrigerated case.

Every meze was delicious here, dips, cold seafood salads, fried stuffed zucchini rolls. The fish was exceptional. The fillets were lightly grilled and drizzled with olive oil—no flavorings drowned out the character of the fish itself. One of our choices was scorpionfish, which our waiter recommended grilled on skewers. Absolutely scrumptious.

The staff really was almost too attentive—each waiter seemed to be assigned to just 3 tables with a team of other waiters, so they could materialize instantaneously whenever the need arose. Dirty plates were not allowed to sit on the table more than a few seconds. The instant a wine glass ran low they asked if we needed to order more. Water was constantly refilled so the glasses were kept full. It was amazing coordination and appreciated, but it was almost too much—it became entertaining to simply watch the waitstaff and time their reactions.

With drinks, Doğa Balik was a splurge, but the amazing view, service and level of care taken with the food made it all worthwhile. We didn't take as many photos of this place so please do check out the website—their photos are absolutely mouthwatering and the albums 3 & 4 really show how the various mezes were displayed.

If you're patient, there actually is an elevator to the top—it only goes all the way down or up even though it stops on any floor when the button is pressed; it's easy to end up going the wrong direction.

Cost: 45YTL each, with drinks.
Doğa Balik website

On my first visit to Istanbul, my host Doğan asked me what I'd like for my first meal. We were meeting up with his girlfriend, so I jumped on the chance for a group meal at a meyhane, where we could share mezes (small dishes). Seated outdoors in a lovely narrow lane, Doğan and his girlfriend treated me to a gorgeous feast of small plates and raki at Imroz. I hadn't been able to get it out of my mind since.

I dreamed of returning to Imroz with my friends—twice as many people meant twice as many dishes to try! I was admittedly pleased it only warranted a brief mention in our range of guidebooks, verifying that Doğan took me to a locals-only place, but worried that it would be harder to strongarm my group without a guidebook review. Luckily everyone's pretty easygoing.

Nevizade Street is a narrow, nearly hidden alleyway in Beyoğlu, filled with smoky meyhanes and bars. Our hotel's staff had to help give direction to the taxi drivers—Nevizade is tiny on a map and does not have car access, so not all drivers know where to stop. While mid-March was too cold for us to take advantage of the outdoor seating, raki-bolstered locals toughed it out.


Imroz caters mainly to locals, so the staff shuffled to locate the English-speaking waiter. Patiently he stood with a giant tray filled with cold mezes while we eagerly pointed out everything interesting. Many times on this trip I would be extremely thankful everyone wanted to eat everything. Pile on the garlic, pile on the sardines, dolmas, artichokes, we wanted it all. My favorite dish of the night was an incredibly garlicky creamy eggplant dip—we didn't catch the name, the waiter just said that it was "special." So special we ordered it twice.

For those concerned about eating delectable snacks such as stuffed mussels or fried mussels from street vendors, Imroz also has hot mezes available to order off a menu. As much as I adored cheap street eats last time, this time it was easier to get the scrumptious Imroz versions.

The packed restaurant was smoky enough to impede breathing, but the experience of mezes is too good to worry about a little cancer. The hospitality was as unreal as every other place we'd been in Istanbul. Imroz, and Nevizade Street in general, is an amazing local experience that I almost hate to share—but it's just too good to keep secret.

Cost: 15YTL each.

Even we couldn't eat all day long. Some minutes of the days were set aside for shopping.

Grand Bazaar
Let's get this one out of the way! After my varied souk experiences throughout the Middle East, I opted out of visiting the Grand Bazaar on my first trip to Istanbul. By this point I didn't really need anything and it wouldn't be much of a cultural experience for me. But the second time around, I was definitely wondering about it and tagged along with my eager friends—as long as they promised me we could go to Ortaköy afterwards.

Kip and Patrick went off for "real" sightseeing while the women attacked the bazaar. Early in the morning and during low season, the bazaar lay almost empty and stall owners seemed a bit desperate. While I do love the bazaar scene and Istanbul's Grand Bazaar is particularly lovely, I always find with the tourist traps that only 6-7 products are really for sale; the more we wandered, the more I felt we were running into the same shops over and over.

Taking a quick break at a coffee shop, Jamie, Rubina and April all ordered gorgeous drinks that were extremely overpriced—welcome to the tourist zone! A few rings were purchased, but little else accomplished. I fell in love with some stunning textured pottery which came in many forms and beautiful shades of deep red, green and blue. However, seeing the same items repeated over and over in every stall took away my drive to buy a pretty blue plate at the bazaar.

Beyoğlu Turkish Art Store
I'm so glad we held off from buying ceramics at the frenzied Grand Bazaar, because this beautiful art store and its knowledgeable, friendly young owner provided the ideal shopping experience. Located on Istiklal Street down near Tünel, the store features the same gorgeous red, green and blue textured plates that are all over the Bazaar, but without any harassment. The store also stocks large replicas of famous Turkish ceramics, mostly displayed in museums around the world. The owner Fatih is happy to show the matching original in his picture books and is informative about Iznik, the town where most high-quality Turkish ceramics and tiles are produced.

Jamie spent a long time deciding between two dazzling plates painted in lovely blue and green designs, but Fatih was very patient with her. Of course, he was also harboring a massive crush. Rubina and April found very cute replicas of Turkish tiles in small magnet form. In addition to my beautiful blue textured plate I got a large copper coffee pot for a reasonable price. Fatih knew the quality of his products and wasn't easy to bargain with, but he wasn't unmovable. We left with piles of ceramics and the very welcome recommendation for manti at Otantik. Beyoğlu Turkish Art Store is a great shopping experience, and highly recommended.

Beyoglu Turkish Art Store website

Ortaköy
I learned about Ortaköy on my first visit. My host's girlfriend had great jewelry, and since I'm always seeking more unique pieces, she recommended I visit the small Bosphorus village of Ortaköy. It was set on the picturesque waterfront, filled with great jewelry shops at reasonable prices, and a good place to try kumpir.

The easiest way to get to Ortaköy is by taxi. We walked back to Eminönü from the Grand Bazaar, basically heading downhill in hopes we'd eventually reach the water. Normally the drive goes over the Galata Bridge and then up along the Bosphorous, costing about 6YTL.

To our utter confusion, there was some traffic issue causing the driver to go up around Beşiktaş instead. The driver helpfully turned up the radio, not realizing we couldn't understand Turkish news. Finally he kept repeating "Dölmabahçe...finished!" while he mimed shooting a gun and saying "savaş" (war). Totally puzzled and extremely worried, I thought he was telling us Dölmabahçe Palace had been targeted for a terrorist attack as part of the Iraq war.

Turned out it was just protest of the war that started at Dölmabahçe…unbeknownst to us, Kip had gone to the area at the same time, resulting in some great photojournalism. Meanwhile, we wound our way around hills of Beşiktaş—it cost 16YTL to get to Ortaköy but the views were magnificent.

On a normal day, Ortaköy's shops already have some of the best selection and price in the city, especially when it comes to silver jewelry. On a Saturday the town turns into a market, with vendors filling the plaza in front of the mosque. We found cute scarves, nice leather bags, and beautiful strings of brightly-colored beads.

Still, the best jewelry is found in the permanent stores, where the vendors do not apply pressure. I was happy that the tiny shop where I'd bought a couple rings for Rubina the year before still had an impressive selection of unusual designs. At one very nice shop, I bought myself a striking domed ring with nubs of black onyx dotting the sides and garnet at the top—the most Ottoman-style piece of jewelry I will ever own.


Ortaköy is also a pleasant place to grab some food and has a college-y nightlife scene of its own, like a little getaway spot from the bustling city. In addition to the ubiquitous kumpir (stuffed potatoes), Anatolian foods such as gözleme and mantı are prevalent here. In the summer it's especially recommended to sit at a waterfront café and wile away the day with lazy shopping.

* I fully understand the trepidation behind eating street food, especially if street SEAFOOD is involved. But the mussels in Istanbul are not to be missed. Vendors stand behind giant pans of stuffed mussels all over the sidestreets of Istiklal, where a snack after bar-crawling is most appreciated. The mussel shells are filled with a spiced rice and pinenuts mixture. Delicious and only 300-400 kurus each. The "fish street" of Beyoğlu, Balik Pazari, has stalls with limited seating which may appear safer than the lone vendors. These mini-restaurants also sell 3 fried mussels for 1YTL, either served on a stick or in a hot-dog bun with a garlicky sauce. Golden Horn, second on the left when you enter Balik Pazari, is very good.

* Lahmacun is a mouthwatering treat. A rough circle of dough rolled very thin, spread with a layer of lamb, tomato sauce and spices, baked crispy. When I traveled on a stricter budget last year, I discovered lahmacun made the ultimate bargain meal, often 2YTL or less.

This time we had it as our first meal; while we waited for our boys who had missed their flight, we found a lahmacun spot near the hotel to tide us over. The waiter demonstrated putting parsley/tomatoes on top, squeezing lemon juice over it and rolling it up (hey, we're all buddies here…I guess). As we wolfed down the delicious food seated at a Snoopy-decorated table (Snoopy figured big at this restaurant), the all-male staff gathered around in curiosity and barraged us with questions. It's also been my last meal twice—at the airport. Even at the airport it's good and reasonably priced. Highly recommended, no matter where you go.

* Kumpir is basically the weirdest baked potato I've ever tasted. The locals adore it—on my last visit my host's girlfriend begged me to try it when I visited Ortaköy. Giant potatoes are pulled from steaming trays, their insides filled with butter and cream and then whipped into a beautiful yellow mound. Then toppings are piled on. But no bacon, cheese or broccoli here—option include couscous, carrots, beets, hot dogs, corn, olives, pickles, potato salad (potato on potato, anyone?), mayonnaise & ketchup…I really don't know what all the options are but they're quite…colorful. One try was enough for me last year, but Kip and Rubina happened to love it.

* Boreks are great for a filling breakfast or a light snack whenever! Last year I had a favorite place in Cihangir, near my host's home. Always received a large smile when I went for breakfast, always marveled over the delicious flaky savory pastries. This time we visited a place near the New Mosque, about an 8-minute walk from Hotel Askoç, called Hafiz Mustafa. Incredibly friendly staff as usual, and as usual intrigued by our multiracial group hanging around in places most tourists weren't. Boreks are priced by the kilo, and choices are cheese, meat, spinach or combination of all. One of our guidebooks claimed it was the best in the city, but I wouldn't say it was better than my old place on Siraselviler Street.

* Street vendors are everywhere. Vendors hawk freshly-roasted chestnuts and corn on the cob near the New Mosque. Just-caught fish is fried and sold in sandwiches near the Galata Bridge. Large sandwich carts with all the deli fixings can be seen in Beyoğlu, and the ubiquitous "Turkish fast food," simit is everywhere. Looking like a cross between a pretzel and a bagel, it never really appealed to me—two trips to Istanbul and I still haven't tried it.

* Definitely take advantage of the fresh juices! The best (and priciest) is pomegranate, or nar. It's topped up with orange juice, but hey, it comes from fresh-squeezed oranges, only costs 4YTL and tastes so much more delicious than a $4.50 bottle of POM, which comes from concentrate.

* April was dying to try salep as a drink, which was noted in our guidebooks as a winter drink. Well, it was damn cold in March so she was constantly on the lookout. The first place we tried was Pudding Shop in Sultanahmet (Divanyolu Street), which was also the best. Salep is basically hot milk with sugar and cinnamon, but the added salep powder makes it delightfully gooey. We tried it a couple more times but no other place matched the texture of Pudding Shop's version. Expect to pay around 3YTL, but it's worthwhile.