Tuesday, March 19, 2013

Fried Turkish anchovies (hamsi tava) at Nam.I, Beyoglu , Istanbul


After many days of Turkish cuisine consisting of flat breads, kebab, yoghurt and pide, my friends and I were looking for a change. Spotted a small restaurant in the Beyoglu area which advertised its anchovies ( hamsi tava ) and fish soup (balik gorbasi) and we were all set to take the plunge. Hamsi season is at its peak during winter where supplies from the Black Sea are most abundant. The season then tails off when spring arrives. We were just in time as spring April was creeping up fast.

We were happily surprised when a huge platter of the fish (both anchovies and mackeral) were served, together with salad in a "fountain" style. Verdict : Fresh, crunchy, delicious and very reasonably priced too. The fish soup was good too, just like clam chowder.


For once, we went with our gut instinct and chose a place that wasn't recommended in any travel guide book. Luckily, that turned out well.

Nam-I 
No: 13/1 Beyoglu/ Istanbul 







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