Turkey: internet restaurant reviews
 

(reposting, as I think I put this in the wrong place. Thanks, Michael, for your comments)

This board is full of comments on great restaurant experiences, but I don't know that I will be able to search our a Fodor's trip report on the spot while on our trip (our first trip to Turkey is in October).

Does anyone know of a website with restaurant recommendations?

While I am not quite a "foodie", I do like to eat well. On the other hand, i don't want my day constrained by having to get to a certain restaurant at a predetermined time. Often I am like "hey, I'm getting hungry...this place looks good". But maybe just around the corner is a wonderful place, famous among the locals.

I'll have my I-phone with me, so if someone can point me to a good internet site with honest reviews (not all written by the owner's cousin!) that might be a wonderful way to go. I did buy the book "Eating Smart in Turkey", so I am gearing up for lot of great dining.

Thanks!

I had written a long post with names and another site, and lost it. I will give the other info later, ifyou ask.

the following is a useful site:

http://istanbuleats.com/tag/esnaf-lokanta/

the following restaurants are among my favorites and most are not difficult to reach:

- Beyti, Florya
- Borsa, Harbiye
- Changa, Taksim or Emirgan
- Doga Balik, Cihangir
- Kanaat, Uskudar
- Oz Kilis, Fatih
- Sardunya, Sali Pazari

For a list of restaurants at different districts with star rating check the Turkish web site "dobiskom". There are no comments but ratings seem fair when theyt have them.

Thanks, otherchelebi. Am I correct that istanbuleats.com is just for Istanbul?

I tried reaching dobisko.com. That site seems to be no longer working.

Yes, if you can locate your "long post", I and my stomach would greatly appreciate it!

TripAdvisor has restaurant reviews by fellow travellers, you could look on there under whichever city or town you are visiting.

Kay

which cities in Turkey? I had posted a couple of restaurant reviews here under Fodor's Istanbul restaurants. I also have a Turkey travel file--if you want to see it, email me at
ESL1051 at yahoo dot com

Elaine,

I just emailed you. Generally, our route is Istanbul- Cappadocia-Antalya, then along the coast from Myra-Letoon-Xanthos-Dalyan-Pamukkale-Aphroisius-Selcuk-Ephesus-Prienne- Miltos...whew, then back to Istanbul.

- Istanbul eats appears to be just for Istanbul

- Dobisko.com worked when i googled it.

- check the former what to eat in turkey thread on Fodor's and the running Istanbul Restaurants thread on the istanbul forums of Trip Advisor (there is actually a running battle on TA between the DEs who are all friends and myself, because except for Kozano and Alper they all advise the touristy restaurants of the old city, and i recommend eating Turkish fast food in the old city and getting your main meals at the nicer restaurants where we the residents eat)

- Outside Istanbul, it is difficult to recommend specific restaurants. The following guidelines have worked for us when we traveled (frequently).

= do not eat at very cheap places in the towns, except the scenic ones on the highways (lots of them)
= tomato/cucumber salads and the Choban Salata, which includes onions and possibly green chilis in addition, are always very fresh and tasty. However, outside the Aegean, always ask for real olive oil, because although olive oil in salads is standard in the Aegean, it is a luxury further East.
= In most places outside the major cities of Istanbul, Izmir, Ankara and Bursa, what is sold as lamb/mutton will probably be goat and can cause some slight diarrhea.
= Fried eggplant, smoked eggplant, fried zuccini, eggplant salad, green beans cooked with olive oil are always tasty and good wherever you have them.
= Great Northern white Bean salad with onions is terrific as an accompaniment to grilled meatballs (kofte and Piyaz)
= You should try the same beans cooked and served hot with or without small pieces of meat or with Turkish sun dried beef (pastirma) with a bowl of Turkish rice (pilav) at some stage. This is standard fare at most modest restaurants, including the ones in villages, serving mainly locals.
= The Aegean has lots of special salads made with their regional greens greens. Trying them is easy because they are usually served in small plates like side dishes (meze)
= Do not eat fish, unless you are at a seaside restaurant and are willing to pay the high prices for John Dory/St. Pierre (dulger in Turkish). The bream and the sea bass are almost all farmed, frozen and then thawed. Other Mediterranean fish are not very tasty or atrociously expensive.
= However, trout served at restaurants near streams will taste good especially if smothered in village churned butter and garlic, and possibly with local mushrooms.

I am sorry but suddenly felt very peckish and have to visit the kitchen. :)

Any updates to this very helpful post?