Istanbul's Beyoğlu becomes a hub for authentic Asian restaurants
In recent years, Istanbul's food scene has become much more international, and the Beyoğlu district is now home to a number of new and excellent Nepali, Indonesian, Thai and Pakistani restaurants.
I remember a time when there was only one proper falafel restaurant in Istanbul. (Falafel House in Talimhane) That was the sad reality 10-15 years ago, but now there are literally dozens of great places serving the classic staples of the Levant, which are mostly run by Syrians and Palestinians.
Back in the day, in order to enjoy authentic Georgian cuisine, you had to go to a sketchy bus station in Aksaray. On one boozy night there in 2012, my Samsung flip phone was stolen from the table. Today, one can dine in a much more comfortable setting at Galaktion in Beyoğlu, which serves food as good as one might find in Tbilisi. The prices might be higher but the chances of leaving without your phone are slim to none.
In the early 2010’s, there were two or three Korean restaurants, whereas nowadays the cuisine has become perhaps the most sought-after non-Turkish food in the country, in no small part due to the popularity of K-Pop among Generation Z and the performance on Turkey’s Masterchef of a likable young Korean chef who now operates a chain of restaurants called Sopong, which has numerous locations in Istanbul and eleven other cities in Turkey.
It was exciting to discover an Indonesian restaurant in Zeytinburnu about a decade ago, which I spotted while on the tramway that passes through the bustling district. Today, due to an increase in Indonesian tourists and migrants to Istanbul, there are lots of Indonesian restaurants throughout the city, including around half a dozen in Beyoğlu alone. I first went to Koali, a a popular street food concept spot in the Tophane neighborhood, which was packed with both Indonesian and Turkish diners.
The spicy vegetable fried rice and noodles topped with a fried egg and the corn fritters served alongside a sweet and sour chili sauce were excellent. The owners of Koali also operate a more upscale restaurant in Osmanbey called Darmawangsa which is also worth a visit. Urip Indonesian Food is a more traditional restaurant located on Ipek Sokak in Beyoğlu. Their ayam sate, skewers of grilled chicken slathered in spicy peanut sauce, was fantastic.
It’s not surprising that Beyoğlu now boasts a treasure trove of authentic Asian restaurants. The district is packed with tourists searching for alternative flavors while the younger Turkish generations are increasingly more open-minded when it comes to foreign cuisine.
There had been no shortage of inauthentic and overpriced Asian restaurants in Beyoğlu for years, but the tides have turned. It was thrilling to discover Tomyum, just steps away from Taksim Square tucked away on Utarit Sokak, where the chicken Pad Thai and spring rolls were delicious. Finally, a proper Thai restaurant actually run by a Thai family exists in Istanbul. It was a bit on the pricy side, but totally worth it. The red pepper flakes served alongside the Pad Thai were perfectly spicy, as was the chili sauce that came with the spring rolls. The next visit will surely involve yellow or green curry.
Also on İpek Sokak a stone’s throw away from the Indonesian restaurant is Nepal Everest, one of two Nepali restaurants in Beyoğlu that demand repeat visits. The fried momos and samosas were filling and tasty, and I’ve been meaning to go back, but have been occupied by the other Nepali restaurant The Himalayan, located in Tarlabaşı which I recently profiled for Culinary Backstreets. I was blown away by the Nepali thali, the spicy chicken biryani, and most of all the fried momos, available with meat or vegan/vegetarian options and a variety of spice levels. I first asked for a 6/7 out of ten, and pleasantly sweated and cried while demolishing those dumplings. I asked for a 3/4 on the spice scale the next time, which was the smarter move.
There are several other places worth mentioning, but I’m sure I’ve made anyone reading this hungry, including myself. Time to make a visit to what appears to be a promising Indian/Pakistani/Desi restaurant in Beyoğlu, their chicken biryani is calling my name.