Istanbul is a lush metropolis for meals lovers. I’ve lived right here for 12 years, and I’ve by no means gotten tired of its delicacies—from native road meals to artistic reinterpretations of Turkish classics, from Istanbul-specific dishes to flavors from throughout Anatolia and neighboring nations like Syria, Iran, and Georgia. In a metropolis with so many choices, it may be laborious to know the place to start out consuming. After all, most guests have heard of kebab or doner, however I consider essentially the most fascinating native delicacies goes effectively past these world-famous staples.
The one dish I like to recommend vacationers begin with is deceptively easy however consisitently scrumptious: lahmacun.
A skinny layer of round dough is rolled out and topped with a combination of minced lamb and spices, then baked in a brick oven till the sides flip completely crispy. It’s served scorching, and the right technique to eat it’s to squeeze some lemon juice, sprinkle it with spices like sumac and Aleppo pepper, and pile on a handful of parsley. Then, you roll it up like a burrito and dig in.
One or two is often sufficient to fulfill your urge for food. It’s greatest paired with a chilly glass of ayran, a salty Turkish yogurt drink that completely balances the spiced meatiness of the lahmacun.
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A lahmacun restaurant sits someplace simply above quick meals—meant for folks on the go, however nonetheless providing one thing you’ll be able to savor. It is meals of the folks, equally gratifying for vacationers and locals alike.
My favourite place to eat lahmacun is at Borsam Tasfirin in Kadikoy, the neighborhood the place I reside. The place is all the time bustling with folks of all ages, and lahmacun flies out and in of the huge stone oven that dominates the small area. Whereas the restaurant has a tiny upstairs salon, the easiest way to take pleasure in Borsam’s lahmacun is perched on a stool inside or outdoors by a window, watching the colourful foot site visitors of the neighborhoods cross by. (Borsam presents just a few different choices, together with a lahmacun topped with cheese, however I like to recommend sticking iwth the basic.)
There could also be fancier or extra advanced dishes to strive within the metropolis, however you’ll be able to by no means go unsuitable with the standard lahmacun.