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 The fish market, Bosporus Waterfront
We were lucky enough to be in Istanbul for the start of the annual fish festival. The fish market down on the waterfront of the old town was filled with fishmongers shouting “balik, balik” (fish, fish). We dine at one of dozens of local seafood restaurants in the vibrant Kumkapi quarter—where street buskers play violins, tambourines and lutes to all the diners sitting at a long row of al fresco tables on the street. We feast on cold and hot mezze, calamari, shrimp and sea bass. Make sure to leave room for dessert! Turkey is renowned for its sweet pastries: baklava and kadayif stuffed with almonds, pistachio and walnuts, as well as halva and sutlac (rice pudding in rose syrup) and Turkish delight. And if you have a sweet tooth, watch out for the tatlici (sweet shops)!
Dinner at Asitane, one of the top restaurants in Istanbul, is a major highlight of our trip. Asitane is the ancient Persian name for Istanbul, and the cuisine served here is edible, living history. The restaurant, which recreates the royal Ottoman cuisine of Constantinople in its heyday, has received rave reviews from critics in the British and US press for reinventing exotic recipes from the Sultan’s palace of 500 years ago. Set in a courtyard restaurant next door to the famous Chora Church, it’s a sanctuary from the crowds. Asitane tempts visitors with authentic dishes layered with subtle spices and exotic flavours, and authentic live music.
 Mark Potgieter
Over dessert, we chat to talented South African chef Mark Potgieter, who is spending a year in the kitchen at Asitane studying Ottoman cuisine. Mark was previously at Peter Ayub’s ‘Sense of Taste Cookery School’ in Cape Town, which has now opened a branch with Asitane in Istanbul. It’s a small world when it comes to the global culinary village.
For more about these restaurants visit www.asitanerestaurant.com and www.senseoftaste.co.za
WHAT TO KNOW
 The Balik (fish) Festival, Kumkapi Waterfront, Istanbul
Visiting there: Turkey is not in the EU yet so the currency is in Turkish lira (about R4 to one lira), and the cost of living there is far cheaper than in western Europe. Food and accommodation costs are about the same as in South Africa. Hotels vary from backpackers to five-star hotels, depending on your pocket. TIP: Stay in the Sultanahmet district for proximity to the main tourist attractions, and to cut down on transport costs.
Eating there: The street-eats, souks and local cafes are very affordable. Turkish street-eats pide (like pizza), mezze (dolma, humus, kofte), savoury and sweet pastries (borek and baklava)—as well as the ubiquitous doner kebab are tasty and cheap. For a cheap meal, keep your eyes peeled for esnaf locanta—a typical local café serving traditional home cooking.
Graham Howe is a freelance travel writer based in Cape Town who specializes in gourmet tourism. He is wine and food editor of Habitat—and a contributor to Business Day's Homefront, Eat Out, www.iol.co.za and www.wine.co.za.
• Photography Graham Howe
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