This 9-day group tour around Turkey started and ended in Istanbul and gave us so many opportunities to try different Turkish dishes along the way. A Turkish staple, köfte is balls or patties of ground beef or lamb, and can be … Köfte. When I was sixteen I stayed with a turkish family for 3 weeks and almost every morning they served this flatbread stuffed with cheese and chicken. The guesthouse comes with free WIFI and rooms have a flat-screen TV. The oldest known recipe dates back to the 15th century and the Ottoman empire, and according to that recipe, Mantı should be filled with pounded lamb and crushed chickpeas before they are steamed and served with yogurt on top mixed with crushed garlic and sumac. The Turkish version of meatballs,... 3. Saksuka. Nothing is more cosy and comforting after a long day of sightseeing than a steamy cup of salep. Hey! This Turkish dish is very appetizing and looks beautiful on the plate. Mercimek koftesi is the vegetarian version of kofte meatballs. You can find all of your favorite smoothie and fruit juice blends in Turkey. The pastry also comes in several variations, for example, su borek (also known as ‘water’ borek) is a very soft, wet pastry whereas sigara borek (“cigarette” pie) comes in the form of a long, thin puff pastry. Some common fillings and toppings include cheese, onions, peppers, ground beef, eggs, pastrami, sausage, tomatoes, etc. Kumpir sounds exotic and all, but the reality is that kumpir translates to… baked potato! Kazan Dibi is a wonderful Ottoman Turkish dessert that is in some ways like the Turkish answer to Panna Cotta. It is found in a lot of bakeries and restaurants and can be enjoyed either hot or cold. Hot sauce and some kind of yogurt sauce is typically added as well. Most probably a Doner Kebab or a Shish Kebab right? The meat is slow-cooked over many hours. They use canned food. Want to learn more about Turkish food? Menemen is a savory breakfast dish that is made of eggs, tomato, green peppers, and spices. However all of the meat dishes that you will find in Turkey use cuts of the highest quality. Some typical mezze includes stuffed vine leaves, grilled eggplant salad, fava bean puree, pickled sardine salad, pastirma, fried liver and onions, marinated sweet red peppers, meatballs, and many more. The other famous kebab, the döner offers the same diversity in the choice of meat, which is seasoned with herbs and spices and cooked on a vertical, rotating spit. It has similar toppings to Pide – mainly spicy minced meat, tomato and herbs, but traditionally served without cheese. Thanks. This puree is then garnished with cilantro and a squeezed lemon slice for added zing and flavour. It is made with corn starch and castor sugar, flavoured, sometimes with fruit and nuts added and covered in a dusting of icing sugar. “Yesterday my boyfriend and I went to Cactus Club Station Sq location for the first time yesterday. It’s very difficult to prepare and there is even a saying that those who can make a good water borek is a good candidate to become someone’s bride and impress her mother in law. As such, many Turkish desserts are also enjoyed in Greece, the Middle East, etc. If the break of the pot is not clean you might find shards of clay pot in your food so be careful! Traditional Turkish cuisine incorporates a mouth-watering blend of seasoned meats, fresh vegetables, indulgent mezes, and fresh juices. If you’re having a busy day sightseeing and you want to grab a quick yet delicious snack, lahmacun is a great option. However Turkish food goes far beyond kebabs and grilled meats. Borek is a stuffed pastry that is essentially Turkey’s answer to the pie. You’ll see lots of street vendors peddling Simit. Tea is an important part of Turkish culture and is the most commonly drunk hot drink in the country. More than 120,000 tons of tea are consumed yearly by Turks. This results in a flavorful mix that is topped with sauteed lamb. Menemen is somewhat similar to Huevos rancheros, which is a classic Mexican dish. Because of this, it is known as ‘Lion’s Milk’ and it is serious business. BUDGET: GOJI’S APARTMENTS – A fantastic location just 1.2 km from the Column of Constantine and 1.8 km from The Blue Mosque. The owner is really nice to all of his regulars, and will happily make any changes like, extra sauce, at your request. Here are the best Turkish restaurants in Toronto. It is commonly made with sesame or nut flour. Although in saying that, even those that don’t like aniseed have been partial to a night on the Raki. As always, our opinions are all our own and are an honest and true account of our experience. Imagine meat-stuffed miniature raviolis!
Haydari is a yoghurt dip that makes the perfect accompaniment to any Turkish foods. Simple yet delicious, Turkish lentil soup, or “Mercimek Corbasi” is a blended puree of lentils and spices. That’s what Mantı is– boiled or fried beef/lamb... 2. This light and creamy dessert is made from rice blended with milk, cinnamon, and sugar. Eat pide in an environment designed to look like a cave at this Wilson Ave. destination that also does staples like Iskender, served with heaps of yogurt. Turkish cuisine is renowned for its sumptuous marinated meats, spiced teas, and sweet sticky dessert pastries. Zehni's Turkish Kitchen brings the authentic flavours of Istanbul to northern Canberra, served in a warm and inviting atmosphere. Pilav is a major staple of Turkish cuisine and is often served as a side dish alongside meats and mains. Lamb, beef, and chicken are cooked slowly over open fires or grills until they become so tender and juicy that they fall apart in your mouth. A unique selling point is the rooftop terrace which has views of The Blue Mosque 300m away. To add more flavors and make it more filling, white cheese or pastirma can be added as well. comments, The Best Middle Eastern Restaurants in Toronto, The Best Parks to Have a Picnic in Toronto, The Best Gluten-Free Restaurants in Toronto, The Best Caribbean Restaurants in Toronto, Sign up for our free email newsletter so you’re always in the know. If you’re familiar with tapas, it’s somewhat similar, but Turkish Meze typically consists of a larger collection of smaller dishes. The chef tried making a concoction of cream and sugar but all of the ingredients burned and stuck to the bottom of the pan. This type of kebab was created by Iskender Efendi, who also gave rise to its name. Crumbled sourdough, which again another staple in Turkish cuisine -Tarhana, the word refers to small house hold-, to cook the poor man's soup, check. Straddling Europe and Asia, where East meets West, Turkey's melting pot of cultures is best reflected in its cuisine. The hotel offers air conditioned rooms and free WIFI. Sitting in a quaint Turkish tearoom and people watching a nice way to pass the time. It is then stirred with milk, butter, and roasted flour. It is usually enjoyed with a few dollops of sugar. A typical breakfast in Turkey is rich and typically consists of cheese, butter, kaymak, tomatoes, eggs, olives, sucuk (Turkish sausage), pastirma, börek, and many other food items. My name is Alex, and I’m a Professional Travel Blogger and Photographer from Sweden. Meze dishes are a huge part of Turkish culture. Even those who believe that they don’t actually like Turkish Delight find themselves pleasantly surprised when they visit Turkey for themselves and try the authentic versions. Everywhere we went there were plenty of delicious Turkish dishes to choose from. İskender Kebab originated in northwestern Turkey and dates back to the Ottoman Empire. It shares some similarities to dolmas. We use cookies to provide you with the best experience possible and to help our site run effectively. You will note that it is widely available at most restaurants and eateries. My Turkish friend Betul and I had been wandering around Taksim in Istanbul. Gullac is the unofficial dessert of Ramadan in Turkey. The shapes left by the coffee grinds on the cold cup can be used to read your fortune! It’s commonly served as an appetizer or for mezze. This blog post has made me hungry and miss Turkey! It’s popular to have after a meal as a digestive. Gozleme is a flatbread made from a basic dough, filled with either cheese, spinach, minced meat or potato. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. It’s usually served with lettuce, tomato, onion, parsley and lemon on the side. There are hundreds of different types of Turşu across the country, with various regional varieties of pickles. You can find pide at many takeaway establishments around Istanbul. Durum is the Turkish cuisine alternative to the Mexican burrito or the Greek gyro. The difference between Simit and bagels however is that Simit are baked in a stone oven whereas bagels are boiled before they’re baked. The best Turkish restaurants in Toronto are home to brilliant breakfast spreads, kebab feasts, more dips than you can shake a stick at and some of the most unforgettable coffee and tea you've ever had. You may have unknowingly sampled many Turkish desserts in the past. You stop drinking the coffee when the grounds at the bottom start to show. On Eglinton East in Scarborough, there’s no better place to take a big group for a Turkish feast, complete with tons of apps like cigar rolls and a shot of raki at the end. Sampling traditional Turkish food is a highlight of travelling to Turkey. It is a soft dessert that is made with milk, pastry, and sweet pomegranate. I'm gonna go there again! Suggested Read: This Is How You Can Impress Your Soulmate On Valentine’s Day In Turkey! We ate numerous Baklava throughout our time in Turkey and we can’t say we had a bad one. Get easy-to-follow, delicious recipes delivered right to your inbox. Turkish food is diverse and beloved all over the world, and due to the country’s large size and various ethnic groups, there is also a wide range of regional dishes in Turkey. However, who doesn’t love a good old fashioned baked potato? p.parentNode.insertBefore(s,p); Disclaimer: Our trip to Turkey was made possible thanks to Travel Talk Tours. Unsurprisingly, it wasn’t a hard task. Tea and coffee culture is huge in Turkey. You can select the toppings that you want to add to this. It’s an inexpensive Turkish food that is great if you want a quick bite or something on the go. The Ottoman Turks also ruled over Greece for centuries. Grab and go. It is usually topped with minced meat, salad, and lemon juice. It’s very similar to Tzatziki and is served alongside bread or salad. Traditional Turkish tea is black and flavourful. Iskender Kebab is a big, hot, delicious mess. This concept is great as it allows you to try a little of everything. Feel free to reach out to me via the comments below. This type of “shashlik” dish is very popular in Southern Europe, the Middle East, and the Caucuses. However, different variations of lahmacun are available. This might be surprising to those that assume coffee would be the most popular. It is barely food honestly. They can be boiled or fried and are then served with yoghurt and a range of spices. Street vendors selling fresh fruit juices can be found all over Turkey. We’ve lost count of the number of Turkish kebabs we ate. It’s a delicious, one-pot dish usually eaten with bread. Not easy to find Turkish style coffee at all in this city. If you find yourself exploring Turkey during this holy month, then you will find gullac in plentiful supply. However, it is completely different when it comes down to taste and texture. The similarities in Mediterranean cuisine make sense when you think about the different empires that ruled these lands over the years. A meze selection typically consists of hummus, yoghurts, and perhaps an assortment of other such dips. Although at first glance Turkish food seems to place a lot of focus on meat dishes, you will quickly discover that there are also many options for vegetarians.