What a wonderful city; what friendly, helpful and tolerant people.
Where to stay: I stay at the Valide Sultan Konagi, a 17 room hotel of charm. In Ottoman times the Valide Sultan was the name of the sultan's mother. The staff is always ready to help you. The rooms are small, but beautifully kept. The last time I stayed here my room was in the shadow of Saint Sophia, which was just outside my window. The delicious breakfast is copious and interesting and included in the room price. The hotel restaurant serves simple, but often delicious food; try the stuffed vegetables. The filled eggpant, or imam bayaldi - translated as the imam fainted because the dish was so delicious - is indeed very tasty.
Where to eat: To note - food in Istanbul is not overpriced, but wine is. My favorite restaurant is Asitane, away from the center. The restaurant serves traditional Ottoman food, often based on recipes for dishes served in 1539 at the circumcision of the son of Sultan Süleyman. The meze, or first courses, are delicious, carefully prepared and beautifully served - I began with fava bean purée (hummus) and creamed cheese Turkish cuisine, like the cuisine of ancient Rome, often serves fruit with meat. Try the quince stuffed with lamb. Desserts are sublime.
For excellent meze and fish, but not always pleasant service, Balikci Sabahattin in Sultanahmet is a good choice. When I was there with an English speaker the waiters were polite, but when I was there with a French friend, and we were speaking French, the waiters were very rude. The grilled sea bass and rice with mussels are very good.
In one of the hans near the Grand Bazaar, I ate in a tiny restaurant that served only fresh, batter fried anchovies and large, light crepes stuffed with herbs and spinach. The drink was ayran, a yogurt drink that I like but that may not be to everyone's taste. Unfortunately the restaurant had no name. You will have to follow your nose. About 5€ for lunch.
Another inexpensive and always crowded spot, especially at lunch time, near Saint Sophia, is Tarihi Sultanahmet Köftecisi, where you eat köfte - lamb meatballs - white beans, rice and salad. Yummy and inexpensive.
Hamdi, filled with both locals and tourists - large wandering Japanese groups who would not touch their desserts - from its top floor overlooks the Bosphorus and the Galeta Tower. Enjoy the many sorts of kebabs, especially the one of ground lamb with pistachios. The baklava is exceptionally good. The tablecloths are white and the waiters are professional and helpful.
Where to shop: I cannot stay away from the Spice, also known as the Egyptian, Bazaar. I go there everyday just to inhale the smells and to look about me. All kinds of spices and food products are on sale.
The Grand Bazaar is fun, too, but the prices can be exaggerated. For Turkish carpets go to Adnan and Hasan, whose owner speaks perfect English. Do NOT bargain here. The store only sells good quality merchandise.
Food and ceramics are my two weaknesses.
For the best Turkish Delight, or lokum, go to Haci Bekir; there are two locations, one near the New Mosque, near the Spice Bazaar, and the other in Beyoglu.
For beautiful ceramics, often real Iznik, and sometimes just copies of Iznik designs, you cannot go wrong at Fettah, just across from the restaurant Asitane. Look at the beautiful work by Emine Peker, who was born in Kütahya, one of Turkey's ceramic centers.
Lamb with Quince
Brown 1 chopped onion and 500 grams lamb, cut into small pieces, in 4 tablespoons olive oil. Add 3 tablespoons pomegranate molasses and 1 cup water. Then add 1/2 teaspoon each of ground cinammon, ground allspice and salt and 1/4 teaspoon of freshly ground black pepper. Cover and simmer for 1 hour.
In a separate pan brown in 4 tablespoons butter two peeled quince, cut into small pieces, until caramelized. Add the quince, 2 tablespoons brown sugar, a pinch of ground cloves and 1/2 teaspoon of ground cinammon to the stew. Continue simmering uncovered for 30 minutes.
Serve with basmati rice. For perfect rice every time, soak the rice in cold water for several hours. Drain and put into a pan with water that is 1 and 1/2 times the amount of the rice. Cook on high heat until the water has almost evaporated and there are pock marks on the surface of the rice. Turn off the heat and cover the pan tightly for 10 minutes. Fluff up and serve.
If you cannot find pomegranate molasses you can make it yourself: Boil a litre of pure pomegranate juice - best place to find it is in a health food store - with 100 grams of sugar and the juice of one lemon. Simmer for an hour until syrupy.
