Friday, December 14, 2007

Where Food and Culture Meet

What's on your travel itinerary in the new year 2008? Do you have difficulties to make a decision? Well, this news is exactly for you;)

New York Times issued an interesting article about the 53 Places To Go in 2008. Additionally, it gives advice about year's Adventure, Budget, Family, Foodie, Luxury, Party, Cultural and Emerging destinations. For example, if it is a good food destination what you look for, then your address will be the City where I live Istanbul:) If a family destination, pick African colors that I have talked about it a few days ago too. (I started thinking to become a journalist by the way;) If a budgeted vacation, then select to Argentina.

In the following, the destinations are put into categories to help you decide:

Adventure destination- Greenland

Budget destination- Argentina

Family destination- Africa

Foodie destination- Istanbul:)

Luxury destination- Moscow

Party destination- Dubai

Cultural destination- Berlin

Emerging destination- Almaty


Today's food scene in Istanbul is international but local, forward-thinking but deeply rooted and, above all, D.E.L.I.C.I.O.U.S. just as well stated by NY Times:)


Turkish cuisine is one of the three dominant cuisines in the world, the others being French and Chinese. Turkish cuisine, as seen a few traditional plates in the photo above, is a combination of the select dishes of countries ranging from the Balkans to North Africa, which were under Ottoman rule, Anatolian cuisine and Asia-originated dishes were introduced by nomadic Turkmens.

It's possibile to find a restaurant to suit all budgets and all dining habits in practically every corner of Istanbul. In addition to places where one can find noteworty samples of Turkish and world cuisine ranging from Japanese to Californian, it is also possible to encounter cozy cafés and buffets. Continue reading at Cultures Meet at the Dinner Table in Istanbul


To give an example where to eat, Konyali Topkapi Palace Restaurant has a unique Bosphorus view serves not only taste the distinguished flavors of traditional Turkish Cuisine but also a rich dessert menu. It is also one of my favorite restaurants because of its finest quality and elegance that I go for lunch/dinner in the City. For years, it's been visited by the most number of presidents, kings, queens, empires, stars, inside and outside of Turkey for years.


Let me note that Istanbul you know stands not only for foodie, but a perfect blend of culture, art, full of history every where! You will find more than ''the food'' here:)

What a glorious City waiting to be explored...


5 comments:

  1. Hi Nijal

    It seems that i also miss a lot of your post:) Be back later to read all of it.

    Love to visit Istanbul one day, and hopefully next year.

    i would love to taste turkish food especially the sweet baklava!!

    Best regards and i hope all is well down there!

    Aura

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  2. Where do I get a ticket? I've been to both places mentioned in Mexico, also London and NY and I live right in the SF area. I think that leaves me 49 places to visit.

    Thanks for the link to the article.

    Darla

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  3. I love to travel, great article, thank you!

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  4. @ Saude: Surprising! Did you hear Baklava? You've got one more reason to travel in Turkey that's to taste those delicious sweets of course:) One of them is Baklava, a rich and sweet pastry developed in the Ottoman cuisione. Made of layers (advised 40 layers!!!) of phyllo dough with chopped pistachios or walnuts and sweetened with honey or syrup. Make note, city Gaziantep in the southeast is famous for its baklava and it is widely regarded as the native city of this dessert. My mom is perfect making homemade Baklava. Me? No, I still pay too much to buy it;) Hope your Istanbul dreams come true:)

    @ Melissa: Welcome to my home, and thanks for your comment:) You're right. I too love travelling. Reading book is OK, but it's much more important to travel because culture thrives on knowledge, I think.

    Aldous Huxley says that 'To travel is to discover that everyone is wrong about other countries'. How true:)

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  5. such a beautiful place to explore.
    one day i'll be enjoying my dinner here, perhaps you'll join me then!

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