Browsing by Category: Istanbul

Liquid nitrogen aperitif at The Fat Duck.

2011 has come and gone and my 2012 calendar is beginning to fill up with what promise to be exciting culinary adventures. There is something very satisfying about planning meals half a year in advance but before I begin drifting in and out of food comas, it is high time to reflect on the meals, dishes and experiences that enriched (more…)

It started with a tweet. I was at a cafe in Bozcaada in August and ordered peynir helvası (a dense mixture of flour, butter, sugar, and cheese) for dessert. Maybe this wasn’t the best choice considering the sweltering Turkish summer heat, but damn was that helva good. I posted (more…)

It would be inconceivable to visit NYC without having a rare steak, Rome without digging into a heap of spaghetti alla carbonara, or Istanbul without feasting on succulent grilled meats. I have my favorite spots in all of these cities and while the NYC and Rome locations (more…)

The new House Hotel in Istanbul’s Ortaköy district offers rooms on the Bosphorus at a fraction of the price of the nearby Four Seasons and Çırağan Palace. Read my full review in the NYT this weekend for more details.

The streets of Asmalicavit, once packed with people, are now empty.

Before July 26, any Istanbul resident or visitor would not recognize this street in Beyoglu’s Asmalimescit district. Just steps from Tunel and the end of Istiklal Caddesi, this nexus of young Istanbul’s social life was previously packed with tables, where patrons sipped beers, knocked back (more…)