Kebapçi Enver Usta

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

Adem Baba (Seafood)

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)

Sultanahmet Fish House

Oh Istanbul, city of deliciousness.  Kebabs.  Fresh honey.  Olives.  Fresh fish.  Istanbul Eats.

Who would have suspected that Trip Advisor could be counted on.  Anything touched by Microsoft deserves being scrutinized just a bit more than average (I mean, come on, just clean up your code and build from the ground up).

Imagine my surprise when I showed up at Sultanahmet Fish House in the old city Sultanahmet area of Istanbul, and had some extremely delicious fish for a reasonable price.  In my estimation, this restaurant caters more to expats and visitors than locals.  They proudly display Trip Advisor, and other English language reviews on the walls, and the owner is a comfortable English speaker.  More to the point, they have their own special Sultanahmet Fish House wet naps with a little man, a happy customer, and a steaming fish.  Oh well, delicious is delicious, and although he might cater to vistors with money to spend, he clearly does not water down his traditional Black Sea/Bosphorus foods.

You get complimentary olives, bread, bread garnishes, and if you ask (or are lucky) oil, herb, and garlic "sauce."  Good thing I answered "Yes" when the owner asked "Do you eat Garlic?"  It was a perfect addition to the grilled bonito fish, which did need a little salt.  Most notably, the little shop reminded me of eating along the Baltic Sea, which provided a nice side dish of nostalgia.  

Remember, the answer to "Do you like Garlic?" is "Yes."

A note for navigating the confusing streets of Istanbul, Google Maps is not always the most reliable.  Oddly, I found FourSquare more reliable for finding out of the way restaurants.  Also,  I must admit that I was jealous of the fish "stew" that my neighbors ate... mmm... that's what I'll get next.

Sultanahmet Fish House
Prof. İsmail Gürkan Cad. 16 
Fatih (Istanbul), Turkey
0212 527 4445

4 of 5