Istanbul at night. Pic by picture by Moyan Brenn on Flickr

I will be in Istanbul for three nights of good food! I do have to say that I am extremely excited about eating in Istanbul because it is shared by two continents.

Day 1:

Snack: From the pictures and descriptions I’ve read, it looks like simit is sort of like a sesame seed bagel.  While many drink it with tea, I think it would work perfectly with some turkish coffee! Here is a great post about how to best enjoy a turkish coffee.

Lunch: Durum sounds like schawarma here in Venezuela except it uses lamb. Tasty meat rolled in a thin tortilla like bread with tomatoes, onions, parsley and a side of spicy peppers.

Dinner: I’m not sure what I will have for dinner, but I know that I want some Tavuk göğsü (chicken breast pudding) for dessert! People say that it doesn’t taste like chicken, but that the chicken gives it the correct texture.

Day 2:

Snack: One of my favorite desserts of all time is baklava.  I fell in love with this delicious dessert while I was volunteering in Azerbaijan. I learned how to make my own, but I haven’t found the ingredients while living overseas for the past five years so I am really looking forward to trying the Turkish version! The combination of the flaky phyllo dough, honey, hint of spice, and nuts always brings a smile to my face.

Lunch: Döner is a quick sandwich made with melt in your mouth meat.

Dinner:  Istanbul is split in half by the Bosphorus making me think that seafood should be excellent.  Many bloggers recommend trying balık-ekmek, better known as the fish sandwiches.

Day 3:

Snack: Yet another food that I quickly fell in love with in Azerbaijan is Dolma. Usually it was a side dish at dinner, but I think it would make a great snack.

Lunch: Mantı is like little raviolis made with a variety of stuffings to choose from served with yogurt sauce.

Dinner: Meze is sort of like tapas even though they are generally served before the main entree.  I’ve read in various places that the eggplant options are really good.  I want to try them all and just make a full meal out of it! The meze at Mr. Cook is said to be good AND it is ranked number four on Tripadvisor.

Snack for the road: who hasn’t heard of Lokum, or Turkish Delight, it’s a nougat-like dessert served with a variety of flavours and fillings and often topped with powdered sugar

Read More about Turkish Food:

Turkish Foods that Will Ruin You For Life

Top Ten Things to Eat in Istanbul

10 Best Turkish Street Foods

My 16 Favorite Foods in Istanbul