"Special" Anniversary dinner in Istanbul?
Aug 20th, 2006, 05:31 AM
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"Special" Anniversary dinner in Istanbul?
We'll be in Istanbul celebrating our 10th anniversary, and would like to have dinner at a wonderful restaurant. Doesn't have to be expensive, but superb food and something more festive is what we have in mind. We likely won't bring suits with us unless we'll need them for this dinner... "formal night' on the cruise we're taking (Louis cruise's Perla apparently is not formal even on formal nite, and we'd rather save the packing space/weight for purchases!
Suggestions?
Steve and John
Suggestions?
Steve and John
Aug 20th, 2006, 08:05 AM
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I've had some great meals in atmospheric restaurants in Istanbul, but unfortunately I was always taken there by a Turkish colleague and have no idea where we were.
On flyertalk.com, I've seen several recommendations for the "old Restaurant" in the Ciraðan Palace hotel. It's supposed to have a great view. One of the commenters said he would have liked to hold his wedding dinner there (so it sounds like it qualifies for a romantic anniversary dinner).
You might try posting your query on flyertalk.com, too (either the European discussion board or the GBLT board, which seems to have several Istanbul fans posting reviews on it).
On flyertalk.com, I've seen several recommendations for the "old Restaurant" in the Ciraðan Palace hotel. It's supposed to have a great view. One of the commenters said he would have liked to hold his wedding dinner there (so it sounds like it qualifies for a romantic anniversary dinner).
You might try posting your query on flyertalk.com, too (either the European discussion board or the GBLT board, which seems to have several Istanbul fans posting reviews on it).
Aug 20th, 2006, 08:28 AM
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If you like seafood, try the venerable Balikci Sabahattin (Cankurtaran, in the older part of town, behind the Armada hotel) and see if you can reserve an outside table. It attracts quite a few tourists but is not touristy, if that makes sense. More expensive than a fish sandwich at Eminonu but not outrageous by any means, and good food with nice service.
For a place with more local flavor, try Nevizade sokak, which you reach by entering the Cicek pasaji off Istiklal near Galatsaray square, then taking the first right and first left. Lipsos (forget the exact address but it is on the left about half way down) was great, and the other places seemed to be filled with local folks enjoying themselves.
And congratulations!
For a place with more local flavor, try Nevizade sokak, which you reach by entering the Cicek pasaji off Istiklal near Galatsaray square, then taking the first right and first left. Lipsos (forget the exact address but it is on the left about half way down) was great, and the other places seemed to be filled with local folks enjoying themselves.
And congratulations!
Aug 21st, 2006, 04:03 AM
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A second for Sabahattin. Be sure you eat on the ground floor outside. They tried to put us on the second floor inside with the other tourists but we wouldn't do it. An elegant casual place with a festive atmosphere. Even if it is a bit cool they have outdoor heaters and little "shawls" for guests made from the same fabric as the table cloths.
From another guide:
"There are no menus here, which is fine because not one member of the staff speaks English (or French, or German, or Italian), a minor inconvenience that's part of the charm of the place. Even Jean Paul Gaultier was recently able to enjoy an anonymous meal here, the staff is so clueless. First to arrive in the procession of courses are the mezes (appetizers), which include a mushroom yogurt "dip" and an intriguingly tasty smoked eggplant purée. For the main course, you will be offered a choice of grilled sea bass, a bubbling casserole of "red fish," or some other seasonal catch. Drinks and dessert are included (hopefully a scoop of their tahini ice cream), and what you can't finish you can feed to one of the hungry kittens milling about. When the weather chills up (or if you came too late for an outdoor table), meals are served inside a restored old Ottoman house on the fringes of Sultanahmet."
It was a single price, according to this other guide $17 so quite reasonable. I think with a nice bottle of wine it was maybe $75 for two. A highlight of our Turkey trip certainly.
It was recommended to us by the proprietor of the shop "Sofa" which is also a cool place with a great mix of contemporary and antique housewares.
From another guide:
"There are no menus here, which is fine because not one member of the staff speaks English (or French, or German, or Italian), a minor inconvenience that's part of the charm of the place. Even Jean Paul Gaultier was recently able to enjoy an anonymous meal here, the staff is so clueless. First to arrive in the procession of courses are the mezes (appetizers), which include a mushroom yogurt "dip" and an intriguingly tasty smoked eggplant purée. For the main course, you will be offered a choice of grilled sea bass, a bubbling casserole of "red fish," or some other seasonal catch. Drinks and dessert are included (hopefully a scoop of their tahini ice cream), and what you can't finish you can feed to one of the hungry kittens milling about. When the weather chills up (or if you came too late for an outdoor table), meals are served inside a restored old Ottoman house on the fringes of Sultanahmet."
It was a single price, according to this other guide $17 so quite reasonable. I think with a nice bottle of wine it was maybe $75 for two. A highlight of our Turkey trip certainly.
It was recommended to us by the proprietor of the shop "Sofa" which is also a cool place with a great mix of contemporary and antique housewares.
Aug 21st, 2006, 04:18 AM
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A 3rd vote for Sabahattin. The best meal that I had in Istanbul was here. One of the appetizers, Sardines (or was it anchovies?) in olive oil was SO good, and for dessert, their Halva was to die for. We sat outside.
Aug 22nd, 2006, 02:11 PM
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laurie ann - that review of Sabahattin may be a bit dated, as they most definitely had menus, including english translations for most items, some of he staff did speak English, and it was more than $17 (not outrageous by any means, but more like two or three times that amount per person for a full meal with a glass of wine)
Aug 23rd, 2006, 08:33 AM
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So, to clarify -- no menus/prices at Sabahattin but it generally runs 60 USD (or Euro?) per person with wine?
If you've eaten here in the last two years, could you post a ballpark price of your meal? Friends have told me that Turkey isn't nearly as inexpensive as it was 5 years ago. thanks!
If you've eaten here in the last two years, could you post a ballpark price of your meal? Friends have told me that Turkey isn't nearly as inexpensive as it was 5 years ago. thanks!
Aug 23rd, 2006, 10:34 AM
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Prices in Turkey are most definitely not as low as you might remember..I was surprised at how high they were during my last visit last fall. I ate here last October...the outside tables are lovely. I think you can have a good meal for 50 Euro a person or even less if you are careful with what you order. The wine and raki are what jacked up the prices for us that evening. We ordered without really paying too much attention to the prices and I would guess we each paid 70 Euro or so with lots of drinks and wine and many courses. There is a menu but I would suggest ordering the fish that is in season at the time after a sampling of appetizers.
Aug 23rd, 2006, 03:52 PM
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It's been just over a year since my Istanbul trip, and prices were definitely higher than in the past. Not outrageous, mind you, just higher. There are certainly lots of options for eating on the cheap if you don't need white tablecloth ambience and, as in most places, higher prices are more likley in areas frequented by tourists.
Aug 24th, 2006, 02:23 AM
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I aggree with Seamus in general with one exception;
If we also go places with better ironed white table clothes (loved the expression)we also pay the same you would pay no difference at all. Alcaholic beverages are rocket high taxed in Turkey so a bottle of raki we used to buy for 6 lira two years ago now 23 lira !!!! Now you pay around 8 lira for a double in the glass. If more people are drinking Raki better to order a bottle - small or big- and should be about 45 to 70 lira per big bottle depending on the place.... Same applies to wine... with 65% tax local wine became an asset to invest on
In Cappadocia a big bottle of local wine goes from 20 lira a bottle and depending on the brand & quality goes up to 60 lira.
You can still have a nice Doner Sandwich for 4 lira ( 2 Euros roughly ) still better and cheaper than Mc. Donals ( I time to time miss Mc. Donalds too and eat while in a big city !) You can eat stew meals as low as 3 to 5 lira at local LOKANTA ofcourse. If you dine exclusive with nice Bosphorus view one should expect to Pay for the view and the meal from 40 Euros onwards. Seafood somewhat is expensive in Turkey at certain areas. Before ordering ask the price. Usually fish restaurants adopt the price according to buying Kilo price... So you will be quoted either kilo price or porsion, make sure to know this.
Bon A petite or Afiyet Olsun,
Murat
If we also go places with better ironed white table clothes (loved the expression)we also pay the same you would pay no difference at all. Alcaholic beverages are rocket high taxed in Turkey so a bottle of raki we used to buy for 6 lira two years ago now 23 lira !!!! Now you pay around 8 lira for a double in the glass. If more people are drinking Raki better to order a bottle - small or big- and should be about 45 to 70 lira per big bottle depending on the place.... Same applies to wine... with 65% tax local wine became an asset to invest on
In Cappadocia a big bottle of local wine goes from 20 lira a bottle and depending on the brand & quality goes up to 60 lira.You can still have a nice Doner Sandwich for 4 lira ( 2 Euros roughly ) still better and cheaper than Mc. Donals ( I time to time miss Mc. Donalds too and eat while in a big city !) You can eat stew meals as low as 3 to 5 lira at local LOKANTA ofcourse. If you dine exclusive with nice Bosphorus view one should expect to Pay for the view and the meal from 40 Euros onwards. Seafood somewhat is expensive in Turkey at certain areas. Before ordering ask the price. Usually fish restaurants adopt the price according to buying Kilo price... So you will be quoted either kilo price or porsion, make sure to know this.
Bon A petite or Afiyet Olsun,
Murat
