Oh Turkish breakfast, how I have missed you!!
For my first breakfast in Istanbul this trip, I visited Piraye Kahvalti Restaurant in Kadikoy ( the “asian side” of Istanbul). It was recommended by several food nerdy websites, but I was convinced to go when I saw they offered an Izmir breakfast set. Izmir is on the Aegean coast of Turkey and the cuisine is characterized by an ample use of local produce and fresh, wild herbs and vegetables. The Aegean Coast of Turkey is one of my favorite spots in the country so far, and I was looking forward to having some of the same great dishes Steve and I shared when we spent time in Ayvalik last year.
This breakfast set (15 Turkish Lira, about $5) came with the standard sliced tomatoes and cucumbers, two types of olives, and bread of most Turkish breakfasts. It also had a couple of slices of white cheese from Izmir, olive oil with herbs, pepper paste with walnuts, crumbled cheese with walnuts, poppy seed paste, and a fresh fragrant “gypsies salad.” The salad was a tumbled mix of crumbly cheese, small chunks of tomato, peeled cucumber and raw zucchini, topped with a mound of a variety of herbs, including dill and parsley. Super refreshing. Add in several cups of the ubiquitous tea and the whole heysap came to 19.50 Turkish Lira (about $9.25). A steal.
