the random oracle

Istanbullus know how to eat, whether it’s on the street, in the cafe, or wherever. I’ve just barely had a few tastes of Turkish food and I’m in love already. None of it is too foreign since there are a great deal of Turkish restaurants in New York and they’re actually quite good, but the variety here is much greater and the ingredients are much fresher.

The baklava here is to die for… I don’t think I’ve seen them drenched in as much honey and rich sugary goodness as the place on Istiklal Caddesi where these photos were taken. The window arrangements would lure group after group of tourists and locals alike to come stare and drool.

The local street food is quite good too. I especially like the balik ekmek (literally fish bread) which is a grilled fish sandwich topped with tomatos, lettuce, and a big pile of onions. SG and I debated whether the fish was actually caught by the fisherman tending their poles on Galata Bridge, but given how clean (or not) the Bosphorus is I’d rather not think about where the fish came from and rather think about how it’s gonna end up in my stomach.

I also tried this fried doughy thing, which was filled with feta cheese. It was sizzling hot and yummy, and the couple running the stand were definitely hogging all the business near the Aya Sofia.

The one disappointment so far has been the Turkish tea. I’d expected something new and interesting but it kind of tastes like a watered-down Earl Grey. Hmm can someone say Chinese tea snob?