Elite Traveler Summer 2019

EXPLORE ISTANBUL GUIDE TO ISTANBUL

The spellbinding interiors of the Blue Mosque

TURKISH DELIGHTS

Istanbul — the honeyed sound rolls off the tongue like a mystical spell. Gilded domes, glittering minarets, aristocratic pavilions and sultans’ palaces rise amidst a vibrant, über-cool metropolis. An intoxicating fusion of warm spices and Middle Eastern flavors scent the air of an outstanding, contemporary culture, alive with all the bustling background notes of a 21st-century city. Magnificently Turkish, it’s the only destination on the planet whose footprint spreads across two continents. One embellished slipper firmly planted in Asia, the other testing the cooler waters of Europe, separated by the majestic Bosphoros, seemingly a narrow strait yet a great slice of ocean flowing through the center of this throbbing, colorful city. This impressive central waterway never fails to thrill with its ever-changing panorama of passing ships — from working oil tankers, grimy tramp steamers and fishing caïques to gleaming yachts, gin palaces, flashy motor launches and slick ocean liners. The mercurial mood of the Bosphorus remains a constant backdrop to the magic of Istanbul. When night falls and the crescent moon hangs with the stars over the water, the party begins.

You can’t possibly eat your way around Istanbul in one visit, but it’s well worth a try. Driven by the cultural and culinary influences of ancient Greeks, Romans, Venetians and the Ottomans, it’s no surprise that the gastronomic scene in Istanbul is equally vibrant and colorful; diverse with aromatic Asian dishes, Mediterranean mezze and European classics along with the omnipresent variations of the local köfte . Breakfast is a huge deal in Istanbul, usually taken banquet-style with trays of freshly baked flatbreads to soak up the array of delicacies on offer, some off the radar yet worth leaving your hotel to experience. It’s not your regular fresh fruit and a skinny latte, but often lemony rice-stuffed mussels, salty white cheeses, muhammara (an addictive red pepper and walnut spread), bal kaymak (a delicious clotted cream with honey) and

(a white- n fruity olive ato sauce:

kuru fasulye bean stew i oil and tom Turkey’s un dish, served any time of fresh figs th fist, and eat tomato and condiments Tugra Rest

official national at breakfast or

the day). Look for e size of a baby’s eggs scrambled with chilies alongside of pickled everything. aurant at ırağan

Ç Palace Kempinski hotel has loads of atmosphere, live music and some of the finest food in the city — world-class cuisine, with traditional Ottoman-style palace dishes for the venerable purist and a contemporary take for the more modern palate. Aqua is a fine- dining restaurant at Four Seasons Hotel Istanbul with an imaginative fusion of Turkish and Italian influences. Expect impeccable dining with outstanding service, great food and even greater waterfront views. For vertiginous

value alone, nowhere tops Mikla , owning its lofty location atop the fashionable, 18-story Marmara Pera hotel. Hailed as the most ambitious and revered restaurant in the city, and consistently receiving rave local and international reviews, Mikla is now showcasing its new Anatolian kitchen — that’s traditional Turkish and Kurdish cuisine conceived with mind-blowing flair. ciragan-palace.com, fourseasons.com, miklarestaurant.com

by Peter Clover

Photos Eric Laignel, Shutterstock