-
Istanbul In Pictures | Until Dusk Do Us Part
We love travelling and although each place that we’ve visited holds a special charm for me, Istanbul left me spellbound. I found the city absolutely fascinating – a myriad of art, culture, cuisine and religion. It was like a kaleidoscope and put my senses on an overstimulated mode {reminding me very much of Kolkata, the city that I come from}. The charm of old buildings combined with the quirkiness of the modern Istanbul peeping through it that effortlessly blended into a palpable throbbing that could be felt at every corner, each historic site that we visited and each alley we passed by. Every single brick in each building seemed to…
-
A Culinary Journey of Istanbul | From Street Food To Fine Dining
Where do I begin? On the streets of Istanbul? In cafeterias? Or in restaurants? If it is a restaurant, how expensive do you want it to be, or how cheap? Or perhaps one of the random alleys tucked somewhere in the city? Istanbul is definitely a place for foodies. The culinary heritage is reflected by the various influences that has shaped Istanbul’s history. There is a lot of influence of Ottoman Cuisine which itself is a fusion of Middle Eastern, Mediterranean and Balkan cuisines. As Wikipedia describes – Turkish cuisine varies across the country. The cooking of Istanbul, Bursa, Izmir and rest of the Aegean region inherits many elements of Ottoman…
-
Sultanahmet Köftecisi, Istanbul | Turkish Meatballs or Izgara Köfte
After spending the entire morning sightseeing in the Sultanahmet area in Istanbul rushing from one historical site to the other, our lunch halt was also in a historical site – the ‘Historical Sultanahmet Meatballs Restaurant’ (the quoted portion is exactly as it says in their website). The promise of the ‘best Izgara Köfte in town’ in a restaurant which originally ‘created’ them, awaited us. Sultanahmet Köftecisi is located in the crowded and the very touristy Sutanahmet Square in Istanbul, still housed in the original building where the restaurant was established way back in 1920. Although there are more than 20 franchises of the same all across the city and many restaurants…
-
Grand Bazaar, Istanbul | Drenched in Turkish Tea And Sugar Cubes
From the moment we landed in Istanbul to the time we left, the two things that come to mind are the constant servings of Turkish tea and Turkish coffee – everywhere and at all times. This post handles only Turkish tea. Turkish coffee, for me, is too much and too strong to handle. Entering the Grand Bazaar or the Kapali Carsi (Kapalıçarşı, meaning covered bazaar), I was immediately pulled into the crowd. The non-stop hankering from the shop keepers trying to lure us into buying their ware, the crumbling ceiling desperately holding on to the main structure and giving away the faint traces of the grandeur of the mosaic art…
-
The World of Emirati Cuisine And Culture
Tasting traditional Emirati food cooked by the local ladies and sharing a traditional meal together with them while sitting down in a traditional ladies’ majlis/seating, was an amazing experience. The UAE’s expatriate population had till now, a very limited opportunity to know about the Emirati Cuisine, until and unless someone has had the chance to be invited by an Emirati into his/her home. Our previous experiences of tasting Middle Eastern food had been limited to mostly Lebanese food, Jordanian food, Egyptian food and Iranian food. Although, we have been living in Dubai for quite a while, every time a guest would visit us and wished to taste local food, we…
-
Sheikh Zayed Mosque or Grand Mosque In Abu Dhabi | A Photo Essay
What better time to visit the Grand Mosque, but now. More than 40,000 people gather here for worship during Eid. This is also one of the few mosques where non-Muslims are permitted to enter. Inspired by Arab, Mughal and Moorish mosque architecture, the design of the mosque is an amalgamation of cultures. Do plan your visit to the mosque around sunset. Arrive much before sunset and soak in the beauty of the architecture and the intricacies of the design by daylight and then watch the sun go down slowly, the golden rays fleeting in through the pillars. The grandeur of the mosque resplendent in its white glory during the day time…
-
Day Trips From Dubai During Eid Holidays | Part 1
Oh, why can’t we break away from all this, just you and I, and lodge with my fleas in the hills? I mean, flee to my lodge in the hills. ~ S.J. Perelman, Will B. Johnstone, and Arthur Sheekman, Monkey Business A Wildlife Safari, a drive to the East Coast and Friday Market, and a visit to the Grand Mosque in Abu Dhabi It’s not even a week left for the Eid Holidays to begin. The half term in most Dubai schools coincide with Eid this time and we are suddenly gifted with a week promising to act as a breather. Back from the summer holidays (or summer hibernation, as…
-
Masqouf in Bait Al Baghdadi | Tasting Iraq’s National Dish
This must be one of the fishiest moments of my life – of course in the most awesome way. Tasting the Masqouf, also known as the Masgûf, is a culinary journey by itself. Located on Al Muteena Street, Deira, Bait Al Baghdadi is not very difficult to find. Bait, which translated into English means ‘home’, leads to the peculiar English name – Al Baghdadi Home Restaurant. The Maskouf here is a must-try for all fish lovers. And for non-fish eaters – if you happen to be a foodie, this is a culinary experience that you shouldn’t miss. Considered the National dish of Iraq, this grilled Carp is genuinely unique. The…
A culinary travel blog
