Local Expert
Jessica Tamtürk
Welcome to PlanetEye's Istanbul City Guide! My name is Jessica Tamtürk and I'll share with you insider's tips on how you can make the most of your trip to this intercontinental city.
Originally from…
Welcome to PlanetEye's Istanbul City Guide! My name is Jessica Tamtürk and I'll share with you insider's tips on how you can make the most of your trip to this intercontinental city.
Originally from Belgium, I now call Istanbul one of my home bases; the other being Los Angeles, California, the place where I grew up.
Whether you hail from the European or American continent, my roots – biological and experiential – makes me the virtual guide with the most to help you conquer this metropolis of over 15 million.
What you'll get through these pages is my unbiased opinion of destinations, hotels, and restaurants. You may even learn a little Turkish in the process through my STRICTLY SPEAKING segments at the end of each post. I'm a stickler for responsible tourism; that means that I firmly believe that the industry should integrate with a country rather than the destination complying itself to the whims of its yearly visitors. I hope you'll agree and use the language tool to mingle with the natives. You'll be glad you did!
Aside from keeping you updated on the ins and outs of the greatest city in the world (at least I think so), I'm hard at work developing a first edition, 500-page travel guide to Turkey for Avalon Travel Publishing.
If you like what you're reading, have a question or just need general info on Istanbul, then by all means drop me a line by visiting my website....
STRICTLY SPEAKING
Hos Geldiniz = Welcome!!!! (pron. Hosh Geldiniz) –
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ISTANBUL'S CHEAP EATS I
Mention Sultanahmet to locals and the first topic of conversation will be köfte, but only those served at Tarihi Sultanahmet Köfteci. Packed everyday from noon to 10 p.m., the menu is slim but who needs more when the main draw is so sumptuous. Who knew ground lamb with breadcrumbs could be blended to a pulp, then grilled to such perfection? Obviously Selim Usta did when he began serving those walnut-sized patties to the area's blue-collar locals more than a century ago.
Sure, this haunt's included in most guidebooks cause it's so popular. But most writers profess to just try a plate of köfte. But go out on a limb here and order bir büçük porsyon (one-and-a-half portions), which comes with nine flattened meatballs, with a mouth-watering, white bean salad. This simple, yet delectable cold side dish of plump legumes's best enjoyed with limon rather than vinegar, and plenty of the house's own olive oil. Wash it all down with ayran--a refreshing, creamy yogurt drink. Top it all off with a hefty slice of delicious irmik helvasi--a dessert of sweetened semolina--for an experience definitely worth the occasional queue for a table.
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ESSENTIALS
ADDRESS: Divanyolu Cad. 12; Sultanahmet
PHONE: +90.212.520.0566
PRICE: 15TL/Person w/ dessert (no credit cards)
STRICTLY SPEAKING
FOOD = YEMEK (Pron. as it's read)