Nordsee first opened in 1986 in Germany as a fast-food fish chain, is well known all over Europe and has opened up many locations in Dubai as well. The first branch in Istanbul opened on Istiklal Caddesi.
All the fish come frozen from abroad; fish varieties from Istanbul are not available, but gilt-head sea bream (çupra) is on the menu, which is sent to Germany to be prepared according to Nordsee qualifications and then sent back to Istanbul. Seems like a hassle to us to go to all that trouble, but when you taste the fish, you’ll understand why. The fillets are served boneless with special sauces and garnishes, making them very different from a Turkish fish dish. The dishes would also go much better with beer (than rakı); however, no alcohol is available in the restaurant. The portions are rather filling and you can choose your fish at the entrance when you walk in. Apart from fish, there are seafood choices, side dishes and desserts, though that’s about it; definitely not a place for non-seafood lovers.
While there, we suggest you try the Nordsee fish dish, which is served with a side of fried potato salad and tartar sauce. The Alaskan Salmon with mushrooms, parsley, potatoes, and dill is cooked to perfection, while the fried Halibut made our mouths water. There are smaller menu options as well such as the Shrimp-Box, Potato- Box, fish & chips and fish sandwich varieties. The pricing is a bit higher than expected, but still reasonable given the fact that it’s an international brand; around 20TL is what you’ll be paying for a main course. Don’t go with high expectations though- from the décor to the atmosphere and menu, it’s a classic fast-food restaurant in every sense.
From the Menu
Fish soup ‘La Mer’ 12,75 TL
Alaskan-salmon fish 19,75 TL
Potato-Box 6,25 TL
Chocolate pudding with vanilla sauce 4,75 TL
Coca-cola 2,75 TL