Friends! I’m still over the moon after my trip to Spain…in the coming weeks and months you will see on Chef’s List some more of my thoughts and recommendations from Southern Spain, Barcelona, Madrid and more! Get your passports up to date as soon as you can…Spain is calling you, and she’s telling you you need more Cava in your life!
But before we get there, a few months ago (I know, it’s been a bit) we talked about Turkey/Türkiye and I asked for your Istanbul favorites. So I wanted to share a few of the places you love:
Community member Neville sounds like he knows a thing or two about Istanbul and recommended Dürümzade, a favorite of my dear friend Anthony Bourdain, who spoke poetically about their beautiful dürum wraps with incredible lamb kebab fillings. Now I’m hungry!
Istanbul is an amazing food city. One of those where if you have a bad meal you are either trying too hard or not at all! Three best (not fancy) places: Shehzade Ceg Kebap (very limited menu—but you are there for the ceg kebap and ezme); Dürümzade (recommended by the late great Mr. Bourdain)—street side shop with amazing rolls!; and Tarihi Kalkanoğlu Pilavcısı near Taksim Square (amazing rice pilav with beans).
Mike W recommends Moretender’s, a cocktail and sushi spot not too far from the historic Galata tower on the European side of Istanbul. I can smell the salty air of the Bosphorus as I picture it!
Moretender's. To me it's the best craft cocktail bar in Istanbul AND it has excellent sushi. It's tucked away on a side street like most good things in that part of the world, but still in the middle of everything and easy to find. The back bar itself is beautiful, there's great outdoor seating, and the bartenders are extremely talented and seem devoted to the craft. They bring unique Middle Eastern spices and flavors to the classic cocktails as well as or better than any place I've been.
Our friend Molly recommends a genre of restaurants, which can be found all over Turkey, called esnaf lokantası—which translates to “tradesman’s restaurant.” They’re meant to be comforting places where anyone who needs a break can enjoy a home-style meal, and believe me people, there is love in this food:
One of my favorite types of restaurants in Turkey are called esnaf lokantasi. Places for great home-cooked style food that are buffet style and just waiting to be picked out by customers! It has a humble origin and there are still many local neighborhood ones, but there are of course more upscale ones like Haci Abdullah Lokantasi and Ciya Sofrasi that are absolutely not to be missed! (Ciya also has a kebab place across the street from their sit-down restaurant.)
106 Seafood Underground (Inglewood/Lennox) - A uniquely L.A. experience: Fantastic Sinaloan mariscos and perfectly grilled snook, all from Chef Sergio's own backyard kitchen (literally this is his own house, which also happens to be under the final approach at LAX airport!).
Sapp Coffee Shop (Thai Town) - Order a bowl of their superb jade noodles with double portions of crab meat, BBQ pork, and roast duck. Wash it all down with pandan or longan juice. For more adventurous souls, get their equally famous boat noodles.
Langer's (Westlake) - The best pastrami in America. (Sorry, Katz's Deli, the double-baked rye from Langer's is just better.)
Bulgarini Gelato (Altadena) - I feel this is THE very finest pistachio gelato I've yet been fortunate enough to taste on this earth (and yes, this includes all the stuff I tried in Italy). Leo, who hails from Rome, is the reigning mad wizard king of gelato.
Northern Cafe (Monterey Park) - The clear, soulful and complex Lanzhou-style beef broth matches perfectly with the hand-pulled wide noodles. Get this with an extra side of beef tendon. Also, don't miss their "Big Plate of Chicken", a heaping mound of knife-cut cooked dough, with delicious, earthy, steaming chicken stew poured atop. This dish comes straight from the Silk Road.
Le Comptoir (Koreatown) - Here, Michelin-star Chef Gary Menes regards all of his ingredient (especially his vegetables, bread, and coffee) very, very seriously. The end result is a highly inventive and precision executed tasting menu for every guest. The man can cook!
Hayato (Arts District) - Chef Brandon Go stamps our passport for a few hours, because we've basically just visited Japan for a thoughtful, seasonal, and delicious kaiseki dinner.
Pizzeria Sei (Pico-Robertson) - The Tokyo "Savoy" style of Neapolitan pizza is truly respected here. Lucky diners like me cannot get enough of Chef William Joo's creations.
We all miss Somni, and look forward to Chef Aitor's re-opening of Somni in West Hollywood soon!
A surprising amount of good Italian - La Dolce Vita and Antico Nuovo are among current favorites. I am also a fan of LA old school: Musso & Frank’s for sand dabs and other classics, Taylor’s for an authentic LA steakhouse experience. Cassell’s for burgers.
Just had back to back great meals at Baroo and N/Soto. The tasting menu at Baroo was imaginative and innovative. N/soto was super solid Isakaya. (And of course there’s always the chili verde at the Los Tacos on Santa Monica Blvd near Fairfax. 24hrs of greatness )
I love San Laurel and Holy Basil. Both are downtown; San Laurel is in the Conrad and Holy Basil is in the garment district. Both are well worth the drive from San Diego.
Here's Looking At You, cocktails in the Normandie Club, Zhengyaloav Hatz, 3rd Base sports bar, About Time coffee shop, the Troubadour, Lulu, Pie 'n Burger
Just got to Valencia for 5 days. Then I'll be in Seville for 5 days. Suggestions?
106 Seafood Underground (Inglewood/Lennox) - A uniquely L.A. experience: Fantastic Sinaloan mariscos and perfectly grilled snook, all from Chef Sergio's own backyard kitchen (literally this is his own house, which also happens to be under the final approach at LAX airport!).
Sapp Coffee Shop (Thai Town) - Order a bowl of their superb jade noodles with double portions of crab meat, BBQ pork, and roast duck. Wash it all down with pandan or longan juice. For more adventurous souls, get their equally famous boat noodles.
Langer's (Westlake) - The best pastrami in America. (Sorry, Katz's Deli, the double-baked rye from Langer's is just better.)
Bulgarini Gelato (Altadena) - I feel this is THE very finest pistachio gelato I've yet been fortunate enough to taste on this earth (and yes, this includes all the stuff I tried in Italy). Leo, who hails from Rome, is the reigning mad wizard king of gelato.
Northern Cafe (Monterey Park) - The clear, soulful and complex Lanzhou-style beef broth matches perfectly with the hand-pulled wide noodles. Get this with an extra side of beef tendon. Also, don't miss their "Big Plate of Chicken", a heaping mound of knife-cut cooked dough, with delicious, earthy, steaming chicken stew poured atop. This dish comes straight from the Silk Road.
Le Comptoir (Koreatown) - Here, Michelin-star Chef Gary Menes regards all of his ingredient (especially his vegetables, bread, and coffee) very, very seriously. The end result is a highly inventive and precision executed tasting menu for every guest. The man can cook!
Hayato (Arts District) - Chef Brandon Go stamps our passport for a few hours, because we've basically just visited Japan for a thoughtful, seasonal, and delicious kaiseki dinner.
Pizzeria Sei (Pico-Robertson) - The Tokyo "Savoy" style of Neapolitan pizza is truly respected here. Lucky diners like me cannot get enough of Chef William Joo's creations.
We all miss Somni, and look forward to Chef Aitor's re-opening of Somni in West Hollywood soon!
Taqueria San Miguel (aka Tire Shop Taqueria) - tortillas pressed as you order and the best carne asada.
Paletas from Mateos (the smoked milk particularly!)
Gjelina never disappoints.
Also second Here’s Looking at You.
Cole’s for French dips.
And of course Canter’s is classic LA.
A surprising amount of good Italian - La Dolce Vita and Antico Nuovo are among current favorites. I am also a fan of LA old school: Musso & Frank’s for sand dabs and other classics, Taylor’s for an authentic LA steakhouse experience. Cassell’s for burgers.
Just had back to back great meals at Baroo and N/Soto. The tasting menu at Baroo was imaginative and innovative. N/soto was super solid Isakaya. (And of course there’s always the chili verde at the Los Tacos on Santa Monica Blvd near Fairfax. 24hrs of greatness )
Bon Apetite Chef !
I love San Laurel and Holy Basil. Both are downtown; San Laurel is in the Conrad and Holy Basil is in the garment district. Both are well worth the drive from San Diego.
Here's Looking At You, cocktails in the Normandie Club, Zhengyaloav Hatz, 3rd Base sports bar, About Time coffee shop, the Troubadour, Lulu, Pie 'n Burger