Turkey
TATBAK The speciality at this restaurant located in the city’s upscale Nişantaşı district is yoğurtlu kebap , sumptuous lamb kebabs marinated in Greek yoghurt, spices and tomato sauce that gets luxuriously poured over pieces of pide bread. Regulars, too, have been coming to this spot known for its retro decor to enjoy the house favourite dish since 1960, and it’s a treat to break bread among their enthusiastic ranks. ŞEHZADE CAĞ KEBAP A short stroll from Istanbul’s famous Spice Bazaar in the city’s Fatih district, Şehzade Cağ Kebap is considered one of the go-to spots for trying the speciality called cağ kebabı , made with lamb. Like a relative to the better- known döner kebap , the meat in this version is sliced thicker and cooked horizontally over hot coals instead of vertically. The word cağ refers to the small skewers the meat is served on. Wrap it into pieces of lavash bread, splash with the tasty bualo yoghurt and prepare to be wowed. SIIRT ŞEREF BURYAN Istanbul’s Fatih neighbourhood is the city’s most famous quarter for feasting on büryan kebabı , a whole lamb speciality from the city of Bitlis in Eastern Turkey that’s grilled in an underground oven for the most tender eect. And a stroll around Fatih’s open-air shopping streets around the pedestrian square of Kadınlar Pazarı reveals no shortage of restaurants serving it up. None can compare to Siirt Şeref Buryan, however. Situated near ancient Roman aqueducts, the longstanding restaurant
is a veritable temple to one of Turkey’s most exquisite dishes. Lamb meat is hung from hooks over the pit ovens to cook for more than three hours, which turns the outer bits of fat into crackling, greasy deliciousness you can sop up with the accompanying bread. BURSA KEBAPÇISI Head to this restaurant, in business since 1956, in the busy and vibrant Taksim neighbourhood to try Iskender kebap . This speciality hails from the Turkish city of Bursa, near the Sea of Marmara in north-west Turkey. Bursa Kebapçısı’s version of the classic is redolent with buttery lamb döner meat prepared with tomato sauce, pure Turkish yoghurt and butter from local farms. It’s served over fluy chunks of pide bread, leaving you just one thing to do — dig in and enjoy. Freelance travel writer Terry Ward is based in Florida but is frequently on the road (or at sea!) to report stories. Her work has been published by such outlets as Travel Channel, the Washington Post , Travel+Leisure and Cruise Critic. Visit her website to learn more, www.terry-ward.com.
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