Time-honored classy Bosphorus restaurant
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ISTANBUL - Throughout the decades, the charming area of Istanbul’s Tarabya has hosted a long line of fish restaurants. Within the fluctuating frequency of opening and closing of restaurants, only a few have managed to stand the test of time. The most famous is the Kıyı Restaurant, which is a classic of the city.
Many people consider the Kıyı Tarabya Restaurant as the "paper moon" of fish restaurants in
Established in 1964, Kıyı became popular and almost trendy as a fish restaurant in the 1990s for its clientele and unprecedented dishes. Getting a good table is challenging as staff keep prominent tables by the water and the corner open for its celebrity or fat-walleted clients who may walk in unannounced.
Set in a two-story building facing the Tarabya Marina, Kıyı Restaurant’s downstairs area is more informal and welcoming. Upstairs has a nice view of the marina and is ideal for hosting a group of
People watching
The decor is a mixture of modern and classic with a collection of black-and-white photographs of old
The highlight of Kıyı is undoubtedly the people watching. On one round table, Turkish celebrity Hülay Avsar and her daughter sit with a large group of friends, diplomats and bureaucrats host business clients at another table, in the corner a Russian football group make jokes while puffing on thick cigars and a casual family from the neighborhood sits with their children who are home from college in the United States.
To get a decent table, one has to drop a few names or come with a well-known client. The dishes at Kıyı are standard Turkish fish platters, yet the consistency of the chef’s high-quality cooking techniques and freshness of ingredients set the restaurant apart from other institutions.
For cold starters, a must-try is the Kıyı signature dish of eggplant salad. For decades, the creamy consistency of the salad has been legendary, causing spontaneous cravings from regular customers. Cold, olive-oiled octopus salad and the mixed green Kıyı salad are other noteworthy starters.
Selecting seasonal seafood dishes and chef’s recommendations is usually the best option, except when the waiter recommends lobster. Currently hamsi anchovies from the
Fried or grilled, hamsi are a personal favorite and can be enjoyed as a main course or as a warm appetizer to share. The sardines rolled in leaf and served as a warm appetizer are also very delicious.
Chewy grilled squid in soy sauce follows on a long list of warm appetizing seafood starters. The signature liver dish served with dill is a favorite of many customers.
If one has any more room for fish after all the seafood appetizers, the sis-kebab sea bass is a fine option. Fresh, juicy chunks of mouth-watering sea bass are lined alongside peppers and tomatoes in a Kıyı classic. It’s worth saving room for or skipping some of the appetizers.
Chocolate soufflé
No matter how stuffed or on a diet one might be, the chocolate soufflé dessert is a must. A favorite dish since the time of its establishment, some customers just drop by for the soufflé alone.
For fruit or lighter options, the imported raspberries are pleasant. But watch out for the flavorless kiwi, it tastes and looks more like cucumbers than fruit.
At this time-honored, legendary
Kıyı Tarabya Restaurant Kefeliköy Caddesi 126
Tarabya 80880 İstanbul Tel: (212) 262 0002