Istanbul's new international airport is massive, but the number of options for Turkish cuisine is surprisingly limited! TurCuisine is located in a food court near the domestic terminal, along with other "fine" options like Popeye's, Burger King, and Sbarro. Umm.. pass.. TurCuisine has a variety of stations, including salad, grill, prepared stews, appetizers, and even a separate oven/bread station! Though the food here is expensive by Turkish standards, it's definitely a solid choice if American fast food joints just won't do.
On my visit, I got the köfte salad--the salad came with a bunch of different customized ingredients, including romaine lettuce, spiced chickpeas, corn, cucumber, tomato, herbs, croutons, and cooked veggies. On top came the freshly grilled, hot meatballs, which were so juicy on the inside and perfectly charred on the outside. I also had the eggplant/tomato stew (very simple but does the job) and a cucumber yogurt soup, as well as lahmacun, a freshly baked thin, crispy flatbread topped with a thin layer of meat and spices and served with herbs, tomato, and lemon on the side! How delicious! read more