The cuisine of Antalya, the capital of the Turkish Mediterranean, is just what you'd expect: fresh whole fish, vegetables and fruits are the main events. The standard Turkish dish of Shish Kebap (cubes of lamb), doner (thin sliced pressed and seasoned lamb)and kofte (grilled meatbslls) are widely available, but they're not the specialty of the region. You can order the local fish, levrek (sea bass) or cipura (sea bream) in many places, including the simple bar/restaurants at Baki beach. But for the best quality head to your neighborhood Balik Evi (fish house) , where you can see the fresh fish on display and pick out the one that looks good to you. At the Balik Evi you can get the usual vegetable mezes, but you should take this opportunity to start with some tender fried calamari or the local specialty, stuffed mussels. The mussels are stuffed in their shells with seasoned rice. They tend to be a bit on the spicy side for my taste, but I've been called a " wimp" in this regard, so try at least one. They're usually sold for 50 kurus (about 30 cents) a piece. The traditional beverage to drink with fish is Raki, Turkey”s anisette flavored spirit. It's served with water to dilute it, and I'd recommend diluting it a lot. But come to think of it, I'm a wimp in this regard as well. Another option is to go for the local beer, Efes, which is a perfectly respectable lager. Of course the most authentic (and economic) way to eat the freshest food is to buy it at your local pazaar, the weekly market where farmers sell their produce. Buy a variety of beautiful greens and some tomatoes for a salad, and pick out a fish from the cheerful guy selling them. He'll clean and scale it for you, and all you have to do is throw it in the oven. A side dish can be a saute of zucchini and eggplant, or you could make some zeytinyagli fasulye, green beans cooked with tomato, onion, garlic and olive oil. As a starch you can try the fresh noodles , or fry up some tasty potatoes. Both are as authentic as the rice you get with most of your kebap orders. For dessert, buy some fresh figs and serve them with yoghurt and a little honey drizzled on top. Delicious and nutritious!
About the Author
Ellen Rabiner has been writing about travel since her teenage years on the road as a violist in a youth orchestra. After college her focus shifted to singing, although she did some creative writing as a lawyer in Los Angeles. She returned home to New York as a soloist at the Metropolitan Opera and resumed traveling as a guest artist with opera companies around the world. She is currently traveling and writing from her home in Antalya, Turkey. Follow her blog Talking Turkey.
