Unknown "balik" place at the back of the Karakoy Fish Market in Istanbul
My favorite cheap dining experience in Istanbul was at a seriously no-frills balik (fish) place along the water, at the back of the Karakoy Fish Market. Although I have a business card telling me the place’s name is Furran Balikcilik, there’s no signage anywhere, so you’d have to recognize it by the bright red, checked tablecloths made of some type of scratchy wool synthetic (I’m assuming they don’t change table linens). We came across this particular balikcisi after having braved the scary tout gauntlet known as the lower level of the Galata Bridge. Spotting the Karakoy Fish Market, we figured where there’s a fish market, there’s bound to be a fish restaurant, and sure enough, there were several to choose from.
What this particular place lacked in style, it made up for in fresh seafood at low prices. There was no menu, but even if there’d been one, I’m sure it wouldn’t have been in English. Our server didn’t speak English, but no worries – he walked me over to a nearby fish market stall so I could pick out what I wanted: sea bream, mackerel, calamari, and anchovies.
The “kitchen” is a shack made of what appears to be blue scrap metal, and while most of the cooking is done over a fiery grill, there does appear to be some electricity coursing in there via a portable generator.
Fifteen minutes later, our server brought all our goodies, along with a basket of cheap bread, iceberg lettuce, chunks of raw onion, and wedges of lemon.
fried anchovies at an unnamed Karakoy Fish Market place
Every table around us ordered these plates of fried anchovies. So we had to have them. And these were really good. Lightly battered and expertly fried, the anchovies were meaty and juicy inside. Just a squeeze of lemon and I was set. The anchovies alone would’ve made the meal worthwhile, especially for 6 Turkish Lira (£2.40) a plate.
grilled sea bream
grilled mackerel
Grilled sea bream was one of the pricier items at 10 Turkish Lira (£4), and of course it was still the bargain of a lifetime. Those guys working in the makeshift kitchen should come over to London and open up a fish restaurant, because the perfectly salted-and-crisped skin on this thing was how fish should be made. Always. Same with the grilled mackerel (a humbler fish with a humbler price tag of 6 Turkish Lira).
fried calamari
Last, but not least, our fried calamari was definitive proof that the man working the fryer at this place is a genius. All the makings of dream calamari came together – fresh calamari, a light batter, and a guy who must practice making this dish hundreds of times a day.
With drinks, our lunch for four people cost 40 Turkish Lira (£16), total. Everyone traveling to Istanbul should give this place a try. It brought to mind summertime eating at lobster shacks in Maine. I loved it.
Furran Balikcilik not far from the much-written-about Tarihi Karakoy Balik Lokantasi. From Eminonu, cross the Galata Bridge and turn left. Walk through the Karakoy Fish Market, and when the fish stalls end, you’ll see this place on your left, right on the water. There’s no sign, so look for the bright red, checked tablecloths made of some type of scratchy wool synthetic. If you want to keep your lunch down, try not to look at the frantically-rocking boats moored nearby.
Eurgh, we get so hideously ripped off in London. This place looks excellent – who needs fancy frippery when you get good food?
Yum, it all looks so delicious! Those fried anchovies remind me of buquerones fritos tapas.
Wow. Massive bargains! Another reason for me to make the long awaited trip to Istanbul then. I am such a huge anchovy addict – my stomach actually grumbled when I read about them. The simplest places are often the best aren’t they? No frills but just well cooked, fresh food. Why is that often too much to ask?!
Look at all that seafood, oh yummy, that just looks fantastic. I love fried anchovies, am reading this at 7.40am, at work, and really wish I was on holiday now
Lizzie – true enough, though I was also hideously ripped off in Istanbul a few times.
Jane – yes, it was a completely delish meal. And fried food is a globally-shared way of cooking, I suppose.
Helen – “no frills but just well cooked, fresh food” – I’m with you. Why *is* it so hard to find?
Kang – I cannot believe you’re at work at 7:40 am, but am glad the vision of fried anchovies doesn’t turn your stomach at that hour (because I’m the same way).
Hey there, just found your site and I am loving it. I am also an american who used to live in london, but now I live in staffordshire. Gosh, u really get around and eat at the most fab places! I have also come back from Barcelona recently. You had a link on your site for Taller de Tapas, which I did a blog on. We LOVED it! But now I am going to go through your site and see if i can get any recommendations for Paris. We are going at the end of august.
HH – I just read your post on Taller de Tapas, and I, too, very much enjoyed eating in Barcelona. For the money, Taller de Tapas was very good. I thought the quality of the tapas at Bar Mut was better, but Bar Mut was also about 50% more expensive. So you win some, lose some.
As for Paris – it’s such a great city. Everyone has their favorites, as I’m sure you’ve seen. My site isn’t super-easy to navigate, but I’d recommend choosing “France” from the country pulldown on the right. Most of my recent France posts were about Paris.
In any case, at the moment, my fave Paris bistro would be Itineraires, and I’m actually going back there in a couple of weeks. Hopefully it’s still as good as I remember. But the old-school Fontaine de Mars seems to be enjoying a renaissance thanks to the Obamas’ recent visit there, so for the celebrity factor, I admit I’m now curious to try the place out.
Jadis seems to be quite the darling in Paris these days, but despite my willingness to travel for good food, it seems a bit too out-of-the-way for me (which is funny given how much I’ve been enjoying the 11th and 20th recently).
And if you’re in Paris on a weekday (bc they’re closed le weekend), L’Astrance is worth the splurge.
I just saw that you went to Istanbul. Seems like you’ve enjoyed it. I’m glad. I may be coming back to London after my stint at INSEAD. I hope we can catch up next time I’m there. Take care!
Hi Gokce, yes, we loved Istanbul, and it’s a shame you weren’t there when we visited. You’ll notice we took your advice on the best time of year to go. : ) Living in France isn’t too shabby, though, even if it is in Fontainebleau.
I have been to the restaurant (if you can call it that) and I completely agree it’s fantastic.
My husband is Turkish, born and raised in Istanbul, so for the two years we lived he sent me on a culinary tour of the city hitting all the out of the way cheap spots. I will admit that I never paid too much attention to the names of the places we visited, but I will ask my husband and report back our top 10 in case some people are interested.
For anyone who has not been to Istanbul, I thoroughly recommend it as much for the food as the history and culture. The people are extremely nice, though it should be expected to typically pay more for items such as carpets and other ‘touristy’ goods, if the salesmen catch on that you’re a tourist. If you can go shopping with a native you will save a lot of money- I learned very quick to keep my mouth shut and let my husband do the talking lol.
Turk-lish: if you have tips for places like Furran Balikcilik, then yes, please share!