Cigerci Sinan: Best liver in Gaziemir

There are two reasons to go to Cigerci Sinan for lunch: (1) if you are in Izmir’s area of Gaziemir and (2) if you are looking to eat quality liver (ciğer) shish. In fact, people come from as far as Urla to Gaziemir just to have lunch here.

Other types of shish and kebab are on Cigerci Sinan’s menu, but liver is the specialty of this clean, unpretentious, and moderately priced restaurant. Ordering five skewers for starters is typical, and you won’t believe how quickly the pieces of liver will be eaten. Each order comes with plenty of lavash as well as greens, onion, salad, and a spicy vegetable-based paste.

Also on the menu
The meat shish was also delicious with just the right amount of fat on the skewer. Either ayran or fermented black carrot juice called shalgam would be a good choice for beverages. If you are ordering shalgam, note that the spicy version (acılı) has a rather strong taste. No alcoholic drinks are served here, as is typical of traditional Turkish restaurants like this. But complimentary tea is offered at the end of the meal, and the typical southern Turkish desserts are as good as they can get north of Adana.

How to get there
Atıfbey Mah. Etiler Cad. No:1/A, Gaziemir Merkez, Gaziemir, İzmir
Phone: +90 232 252 57 27, +90 232 252 62 11

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Begendik Abi boasts a reputation for being one of the best restaurants offering homemade-style food in Izmir’s Urla. Even the name playfully touts the meals here: “We’ve enjoyed it, brother.” To use a pun: we did.

Begendik Abi has a spacious entry floor with a dozen tables and a smaller garden by a creek downstairs at the back. The restaurant is situated next to an Urla mosque called Tatar Cami, so you can have a table with the view of this fine example of Islamic architecture. After the meal, feel free to browse the neighboring streets, many of which feature artisan workshops (look for Zafer Caddesi). You’ll probably need to take a walk after dining at Begendik Abi anyway.

Food-wise, one specialty of Begendik Abi — and that’s no surprise for Urla — is the olive-oil-based selection of appetizers. Make sure to try such classics as stuffed pumpkin blossoms (kabak çiçeği dolması), stuffed vine leaves (sarma), and stuffed artichoke (enginar dolması). The restaurant also offers a great selection of meat dishes.

We ordered a stuffed baby goat rib cage cooked in a special oven for about four hours (note: unless you’re planning to spend hours at the restraurant, place your order by phone before you come). The meat was soft and the skin finely roasted. While some patrons may fear that such a dish would have a heavy smell, we’ve detected none, as it was masked with the fragrance of herbs and spices. The pilaf used to stuff the rib cage received its taste not only from the meat but also from herbs and pieces of kidney added to the mix. Together with the salad, this dish was in excess for seven people, and it cost 180 TL (about 26 TL per person). It was well worth it.

A pleasant suprise from Begendik Abi was their offer of a homemade red wine, light in taste and rich in color. Most places proffering homemade food in Turkey have no alcohol on the menu (mainly because of high taxes and complex regulations). Roasted meat such as the stuffed baby goat rib cage had called for some wine.

Coffee at the end of the meal is served in traditional-style metal cups with decorative lids. The desserts, both pastry and milk-based, were delicious and, thankfully, very light.

Begendik Abi offers a culinary delight for any carnivore, and its location in picturesque and artisan Urla guarantees a wonderful weekend retreat from Izmir city center. If you don’t have a car, several buses and minibuses (dolmuş; including the Urla-bound dolmuş from Uçkuyular) pass by, and the restaurant is conveniently close to the Urla post office and the mayoralty (belediye).

How to Get Here:

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Address: Camiatik Mh. Tatarcamii Sk. No:12 (Malgaca Pazarı), Urla – Izmir, Turkey.
Tel: 0232 754 20 71
Email: bilgi@begendikabi.com.tr

Ali Usta Oltu Kebap, near Termal Hotel and the German Consulate in Izmir, is a small, non-touristy restaurant in Balçova that will appeal to devout carnivores.

It may be a little-known fact among foreigners: oltu kebap is the predecessor of the world-famous döner kebap. It takes its origins in Erzurum in eastern Anatolia. Unlike döner, oltu kebap is grilled horizontally; the slices are thicker (although not as thick as in şiş kebap) and served on a special oltu shish.

Ali Usta Oltu Kebap is a specialized restaurant. This means you won’t find a menu here. You may choose:

• what to drink (non-alcoholic beverages only; ayran is highly recommended) and
• whether you would like to have a salad (recommended).

The main course is oltu kebap, served with roasted peppers, onions, parsley and rocket salad, and Erzurum-style lavash.

Traditionally, the waiters will continue to bring you meat until you tell them to stop. It is more common nowadays, however, to mention whether you will want more after each round. Oregano, red pepper, and cumin are the spices for the meat. When eating oltu kebap, wrap meat slices, together with the side of your choice, into lavash, if you want to go all traditional.

Ali Usta Oltu Kebap has been in operation in Izmir since 1988, and is highly popular on weekends. It is minimalist in terms of decorations and tableware, which will allow you to focus on your food. It is a bit on the expensive side for a restaurant in Balçova, but this seems fair for the high-quality meat they serve. So, next time you are around Kipa-Balçova or on your way to Çeşme, stop by and let EatInIzmir know what you think!

How to get there:

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Address: Vali Hüseyin Öğütcan Cad. No: 27/A, Balçova, İzmir
Tel.: +90 232 277 3538

Topçu (Artilleryman) is the nickname of the founder of the place. Who served in the army as an artilleryman. Topçu is serving most probably the best “çöpşiş” a Turkish kebap made of small cuts of lamb.

Topçu was founded in 1957 and start serving ”choep shish“ as the first place in Izmir to do so. Eatinizmir visited Chesme branch of Topchu  which is equally mastered in cuisine as the main restaurant in izmir.

23 years ago Cevat Dev take over the place and make some gentle touches in order to perfect the service and ambiance without changing the taste and the recipe at all.

Topçu is ofcourse famous of it’s Choep Shish but there are also other alternatives that you should give a try if you are not a big fan of lamb. Still don’t forget that it is what you should try first.

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