andy

we r on a cruise ship and will only have from 8 am - 2:30 pm to rush thru the area...
We wanted something special and authentic as far as a turkish restaurant goes that might also have a sea view...

If anyone has some great suggestions. please advise..

thanks

Andy

jmphilly

As you go through visa control turn to your right ( this is from some years ago) there are a bunch of restaurants right on the docks. They are all seafood restaurants so not cheap - fish price is by the kilo - expect to look at the fish before you order. Red Mullet is an excellent little fish - great grilled. Get a side of eggplant or stuffed zucchini and you will have a great meal.

jmphilly

Sorry correction! Go to your left. Sorry!

ira

Hi A,

I got these from www.cruisecritic.com.

Tourist information is just outside the port to your right.

The Caravanserai Hotel is several blocks SE of the port. It is in an old caravanserai adjacent to the Grand Bazaar.

Enjoy your visit.

otherchelebi

Cinar Fish Restaurant was selected as one of the ten best fish restaurants in Turkey by the largest national daily, and gets excellent reviews on most web sites.

We ate there two years ago and thought it was good also. However, it is difficult for us to give rave reviews to any restaurant, including Joel Robuchon atelier.

Cinar is on your left, at the end of the promenade, just behind the Kusadasi marina, and before Kismet Hotel.

However, unless you have already been to ephesus, it is a much better idea to arrange to visit Ephesus and eat in Selcuk, preferably at the restaurant of Hotel Bella.
I recommend that you get a private guide together with one or two couples from the cruise and make sure that the guide does not waste time with carpet, leather shops etc.

Also specify Bella Hotel restaurant for an early lunch and you will have time for Ephesus, including the terrace Houses,
the museum at selcuk and even St. John's basilica.

Jeff801

I've learned that watching the drama of a local diner picking out a fish for lunch in Kusadasi is both educational and entertaining. And, when, after watching a 5 minute long selection process, I asked for the fish that was "second best" I was responded to with humor and,with typical Turkish hospitality and kindness, a consultation designed to be certain I had the best possible meal. In that, they were successful.

otherchelebi

Some pointers for ordering fish at Turkish restaurants:

Except for certain fishes like sword fish, rouget, sole, grouper, your best bet is to get farmed sea bass or sea bream. If they offer you authentic caught sea bass or bream, i would take that supposition with a grain of salt, because they will charge double or even triple for that and it may not be true.

Always ask for the price of the fish and if you think it sounds too high, ask for a discount. do not accept per kilo price because you do not know how many grams your portion will be. ask the price per portion.

If you like sea bass, a delicious recipe is sea bass in block of salt. Simple, delicate, flaking, just some lemon and/or olive oil and your taste buds will roll around themselves and cozy up.

If you are in istanbul from september to mid October, try the bonito grilled and then from mid October to January, fried, and from mid september to mid December try the blue fish which is very special on the Bosphorus.

If you can get St. Pierre or john Dory, that will be very good also.

immimi

That would have to be the best fish ever to cause me to miss
Ephesus for a lunch in Kusadasi!