Thanks to a tip from Istanbul Eats and the Guardian's top ten Kebab Restaurants in Istanbul (actually brought to you by the Istanbul Eats crew), I decided to drop by Kebapçi Enver Usta and give their kebabs a shot. Why? I know many travelers won't eat where the locals do for fear of getting sick, getting inferior meatstuffs, etc. Well, if that's you, that's ok, but there is a reason to eat on the local economy. 13 lira! That's what my meal, to include a bottle of water, cost. I ordered the Adana Kebab and Ezme Salatasi. Compare that to the 29 euro bill for breakfast at my hotel and you can see that venturing out is well worth it.
More importantly, the food was delicious! What made it delicious? The fresh bread, spread of condiments, fresh meat grilled to perfection (and this particular variety had a nice mix of spices on the inside of it), and cool basement atmosphere.
And they have variety. But be warned, the place is not easy to find. When you get close (off the pub trans in the area and start walking up the faint hill), start asking around (or use FourSquare).
Kebapçi Enver Usta Şahkulu Mah. Tramvay Sk. No:5, Tünel Beyoğlu, İstanbul, Turkey 4 of 5
Mmmmm... Adem Baba's sole shish kebab. This place is a bit of a local institution, and on recommendations from Trip Advisor I ordered the fried calamari and some shishes. A brief tangent, I have not found TripAdvisor to be very reliable. I was able to find another review of Adem Baba from Istanbul Eats who I do greatly respect. I'm glad I made the trip.
The bread they give you is good. The cornbread stuff is dry. The calamari tasted delicious, and were the right non-chewy, toothy consistency. Their little sauce that comes with them was also pretty decent, they were just a bit too greasy. But, the Sole shish kebabs were so delicious I still think about them. I still crave them!
They were delicious because they were simple. Sole. Peppers. Tomato. Lemon. Simple grilled, perfectly cooked. They had the right blend of natural flavor, heat, acid, and grill. And a few leaves of sorrel. I love sorrel! I've tried to replicate them at home, and thus far have failed. It's not cheap by Turkish standards, but it's not too bad for the average traveler.
Adem Baba Arnavutköy Mh. Satış Meydanı Sokak 2 34000 Istanbul, Turkey 0212 263 2933 3.5 of 5 (shishes get a 5 all day long)
Located near Causeway Bay Metro in Hong Kong, on Hong Kong Island (and elsewhere around) is the dumpling chain restaurant BaFang YunJi. I ate at one between Perceval and Patterson Streets on an unnamed road also near Jaffe Rd. My pot stickers were devoured too quickly to get a picture, but luckily I snapped one of the place. Here is another review and a few good pictures.
Apparently this is a Taiwan-based chain which loosely translates to "Everywhere Gather Here." I gathered, and got some super delicious street food. They had a perfectly crisped skin, porky-vegetable flavor, and just the right amount of oil. Unfortunately, the guy charged me a bit more than he should have (pictured below). He must have added a "tip" for himself, though even after that they were dirt cheap and some of the best pot stickers I have ever eaten (Taiwanese McDonalds or not).
BaFang YunJi (Dumplings) Causeway Bay Near Perceval and Patterson (though locations vary) Hong Kong Island, Hong Kong 4 of 5
