Archives for “raki” tag

Boncuk has been my favorite meyhane (Turkish tavern) for more than 10 years. They’re located on the famous Nevizade street in a four-storey building with a summer terrace. Few tables also available in front which are popular in summer for people watching. Although Rakı is the most popular, a local wine menu available with moderate prices besides other alcoholic or non alcoholic drinks.

Sharing food is a tradition at meyhanes, starting with mezes (cold starters) where they’re usually on table till the end of night. Mezes are served over a large tray to choose from and Boncuk is famous for Armenian meze “topik” and whiting fish with basil sauce. Another specialty is grilled liver as a hot starter where they also offer calamari or shrimps generally followed by fish of day according to season. After 21:00, a street band of Turkish musicians sings around tables working on tip basis. They are not the best but great fun when people join them to sing their popular songs!

Boncuk is an ideal restaurant to experience traditional Turkish food with moderate prices and I advice reservation for summer weekends especially for outdoor seating.

Do you want to try a good kebab or any kind of meat? If you are not vegetarian, you have to try it.

Imagine you came to Turkey 50 years ago. Can you imagine? No? So come to Adana Ocakbaşı and try the flavors.

First I want to explain the name. Ocakbaşı means fireside, so there is a Turkish grill in the middle of the place and if you want to sit near it, you can take the meat from the fire and eat in a second. Adana is a city in southern Turkey and situated 30 km inland from the Mediterranean Sea. Adana is famous for their kebabs.

Eating in Istanbul is a mixture of other cities and cultures. Maybe you do not have enough time to go Adana or somewhere else, but you can easily taste their cuisine in Istanbul.

After a good sightseeing or after work like us, you want to drink rakı with meat. The place has a maximum of 50 seats and it is better to make a reservation before you go. Actually I did not make a reservation until now. But no need to take risk, just call and take a place in their mezzanine.

If you like eating and drinking rakı like me – this costs 70 TL per person. I am sure that you will not forget this delicious night until you go there again. It’s all about the taste of meat.