This place was out of this world. Family-owned and operated, in Sariyer, in the Bosphorous. Reservations strongly recommended. Traveling from Beşiktaş to Sariyer during rush hour is around 70 minutes and my taxi car was 75 liras.
The restaurant has three levels. Main level on the street side, where you choose your meze items, second level overlooks the water, and the third level has a patio and is smoking area.
We began with meze and rakı. Raki is grape or anise-based liquor. Definitely an acquired taste. But I find it a definite must try when in Turkey. The meze was so good, it could have been a meal. However, that is not the Turkish way!!
After meze finished, we ordered fish balls. They are a meatball but made with fish. It was exquisite. My mouth is watering thinking about it. Oh it was incredible! We also ordered a tuna that is cooked in salt. The consistency was so interesting - not mushy like raw tuna, but not dry and flaky like cooked tuna. It sits on top of a piece of onion and it was also delicious.
We ordered seabass for the fish. MIND. BLOWN! What I first noticed was how fresh the fish was; not a farmed fish like in America. Oh, it was fantastic. The seasonings... ahhh!! They quarter the fish, so we each got a huge piece (it's the whole fish, FYI). Oh, I'm hungry.
After the fish, we had dessert - plates of fresh fruit (omg. I cannot handle the deliciousness!!!), and of course, I ordered baklava. Haha, as if I would miss out on that. The fruit, although the same as America, tasted different. Most noticeably was the kiwi. So good. And the pear. Ohhhh my!
We were there for a good 4 hours and that is completely normal. The service was excellent. The food superb. It is the perfect place to socialize and enjoy food, friendship, and good old conversation!!!
Note: I had problems connecting to the WiFi; not sure if it's because of my phone in particular, or the fact it's American and some settings are whack. read more