We received recommendation to try Yengeç restaurant from the Swiss hotel concierge. The concierge…read moresaid that as part of their job they actually try different restaurants so his recommendation was based on experience.
We were very pleased with Yengeç. For starters you need to be prepared to receive it as an experience. The idea, which is common at Turkish restaurants, is not to order from a menu but allow your waitress who acts like a diner assistant help you through it. I did t even see a menu anywhere. In my experience, the waitress took me to the section where they keep their appetizers (called mezze) and takes his time explaining how each one is prepared, what's in them, and guides you by asking you questions as to what you want to taste. I went with a complex yogurt based mezze with grilled vegetables and some cold dolma. Then I was asked what type of cooking method I preferred for the fish. As not all fish taste good with all cooking kinds. Once I said I wanted grilled fish, then they recommended some fish that would taste good grilled.
I got 'levrek' for me and my mom, and grilled salmon for my son. All fish were expertly prepared and served. I also got some Turkish beer which worked really good with the meal. However if this was a night out with friends instead of my mom & son, I would have opted for rakı, which works incredibly well with any fish dish. It is a stronger drink and I didn't want to get buzzed with my son around.
The overall experience was great. I have been living away from Turkey for about 20 years now, and this diner really brought back memories. The best part, all this was less than $50.
