Gizem Ünsalan

Istanbul is a goldmine of culinary variety, and unlike some other foodie cities on the map right now (we're looking at you Copenhagen), tasting the best won't have to cost you an arm and a leg. Whether you’re in a hurry to fill your stomach or your funds are running a bit low, our list of the best street foods is sure to come in handy the next time you’re on the hunt for a quick and delicious meal.

Gastronomes know him as the man who worked with Michelin-starred Chef Alfons Schuhbeck before opening his own fine-dining restaurant among the kebab shops in Sirkeci. Average Turks recognize him as the TV chef who promotes regional ingredients on CNN Türk. A few months ago, he made national headlines when he flew to New York to receive the BID International Quality Summit Award 2016 for his work at Can Oba Restaurant. So how did Can Oba achieve all this with a hole-in-the-wall restaurant in Sirkeci?Oba is someone doesn’t hesitate to issue a challenge, yet who can be incredibly modest at times. “When I was a kid, I couldn’t even break an egg,” he says as he recounts his early years in the business: while working at a bar in Germany, one day Oba finds himself in the kitchen, assisting the chef – who, upon noticing Oba’s talent, recommends that he train under Schuhbeck. Train he does, for eight years, before going on to work at various restaurants in the U.S. and Latin America. Upon his return to Turkey, Oba opens a restaurant on a side street in Sirkeci, surrounded by kebab shops… And the rest, as they say, is history: the restaurant becomes so successful with both Turkish and international gourmets that it’s nearly impossible to reserve a table in its first year, thus cementing Can Oba as one of the most recognized chefs in Turkey. Oba is quite candid about his success. “This restaurant is the most important thing to happen in recent years in the world of gastronomy – doing fi

Onu mıchelın yıldızlı şef Alfons Schuhbeck’in yanında çalıştıktan sonra Sirkeci’de kebap dükkânlarının arasında bir fine-dining restoranı açan, CNN Türk’teki ‘Can’lı Tatlar’ programıyla Türkiye’nin yöresel ürünlerine dikkat çeken bir şef olarak biliyoruz. Bir süredir BID International Quality Summit Awards 2016’dan aldığı, Dünya Kalite Zirve Ödülü olarak Türkçeleştirebileceğimiz ödülün heyecanını yaşıyor. Ödül komitesi her ülkeden sadece bir ismi bu onura layık görüyor, nihai kararı vermeden önce sessiz sedasız üniversiteleri, büyükelçilikleri de işin içine katarak araştırmalar yapıyorlar. Peki Sirkeci’deki minicik mütevazı restoranıyla nasıl bu noktaya geldi Can Oba? Meydan okumaktan çekinmeyen ama yeri geldiğinde alçak gönüllü olabilen biri o. “Ufakken iki yumurtayı kıramazdım,” diyerek başlıyor hikâyesini anlatmaya. Gençken Almanya’da bir barda çalışırken eleman eksikliği sebebiyle kendini mutfakta şefe yardım ederken bulur. Oba’nın yeteneği şefin ilgisini çeker ve onun tavsiyesiyle Schuhbeck’in kapısını çalar. Ünlü şefle sekiz yıl çalıştıktan sonra Amerika’da deneyim kazanan Oba, Türkiye’ye döndüğünde Sirkeci’nin ara sokaklarından birinde, kebapçılarla aynı hizada bir restoran açar. Gerisi malum: Açıldığı yıl yer bulmanın imkânsız olduğu bu mekân, yerli-yabancı gurmelerin gözdesi haline gelir ve Can Oba’yı Türkiye’nin en tanınan şeflerinden birine dönüştürür. Oba, başarısı konusunda sözünü esirgemiyor. “Son yıllarda gastronomi dünyasında yaşanan en önemli şey, şu gördüğün

Paul’s Lasagne is a tiny eatery stands out in the hegemony of coffee shops and bars in Kadıköy. The restaurant first caught our attention with the great reviews it received on Yemeksepeti. As the name suggests, the specialty here is the classic Italian lasagna. “I was inspired by the pizzerias I saw on every street corner while living abroad,” owner Hakan Ersoy says, “so I thought, ‘why not a lasagneria?’” He then got to work transforming the former tattoo parlor into Paul’s Lasagne, named after his father. The restaurant currently boasts four tables, and all of the decorative elements – like the table legs made out of steel pipes and the industrial-looking lighting fixtures – come straight out of Ersoy’s workshop. Meanwhile, the tattooed ladies and gents peering down from posters and the pool table that greets you as soon as you walk in serve as reminders of the venue’s former identity. Since everything is made fresh the minute you place your order, it’s a good idea to get yourself to Paul’s Lasagne before hunger strikes full force. When our classic beef lasagna arrives in a special crock after about 20 minutes, we are first taken aback by the sheer quantity of it. The texture is perfection, although the omission of salt has us both reaching for the tiny salt and pepper shakers Ersoy sends out with each other. In addition to the classic lasagna, the restaurant serves lasagna with seafood and veggie filling, and aims to add new varieties to its menu each month. Paul’s also of

Some of you might remember the original Tünel location of La Paz, which was opened three years ago by two siblings with a love for all things Latin American. As the restaurant’s popularity grew, the need for a larger space became crucial, so La Paz transferred to the Asian side and relocated to a three-story building in the heart of Kadıköy. Although its name is a nod to the Bolivian capital, La Paz’s menu – overseen by Argentine chefs Gustavo Denis and Viktoria Escudero – combines dishes from all over Latin America. You’ll find nachos, burritos, fajitas, pastels, tropical salads that will appeal to vegetarians, as well as arepas and empanadas to please any true carb-lover. If you’re looking for a hearty meal, we recommend going for the star of the menu, the kokoreç burrito. A perfect blend of Turkish cuisine with Latin American cooking techniques, this spicy dish had us wondering why it never occurred to us to put kokoreç and avocado together before. During the day you’ll hear Latin American melodies in the background, but La Paz truly comes into its own on Friday and Saturday nights, when there’s live music after 22.30. Grab a cocktail and sway to salsa, bachata and rumba with Cuban musicians – you might even encounter guest performances by Brazilian and Argentine groups from time to time. All in all, La Paz looks poised to fill a void in ethnic cuisine in Kadıköy.