Fish in Ankara: A winter tradition

by  Bernard KENNEDY

Seafood from Turkey’s extensive shoreline is nowhere better appreciated than in the more affluent districts of the country’s land-locked capital. Among the apartment blocks, a plethora of small fish houses pursue both quality and custom. And January’s cold winter evenings provide the perfect opportunity to compare and contrast just a few of these “theme restaurants”.

Eating fish is one thing; eating in a fish restaurant is another. Here, the scent of salt air filters through the decor as well as the menu. The fruits of the Sea are displayed at the door, prepared by specialist hands, and served in all their variety from the mighty swordfish to the simple sole. Bustling sanctuaries from the bitter winter nights, the ‘balık lokantaları’ preserve their own language, culture and rituals. A procession of lovingly-selected hot and cold starters, salads, side-dishes and cheeses, collectively known as ‘meze’, initiates the long and liquid ceremony. And long after the night has ended, the flavour lingers on.

Pick of the catch

Although far from the coast -  or perhaps because of it – Ankara has much to offer the discerning fish eater. By tradition, the capital claims the pick of the Black Sea catch -displayed at its freshest on Kızılay’s Sakarya Caddesi, which bulges with shoppers whenever a chill wind blows and sturdy bonito (‘palamut’) or  flickering anchovy (‘hamsi’) burst the nets. In bygone decades, the bounteous side-streets spawned a shoal of eating places designated after seas and ports - or after the trail of light which the moon casts on the waves: ‘Yakamoz’.

In the half-light, friends and families would await the multifarious ‘table d’hote’ – calamari, shrimps, octopus, stuffed mussels... - or order ‘meze’ and grills to a theatrical backdrop of starfish and shells. The smoke rose unhurriedly past mesh-draped walls, and the scent of rakı drifted out into the cold.

Today, “Sakarya” remains a by-word for revellers and good company, but the best of the eateries have spread uphill and upmarket. Among the ground floors of villas and apartment blocks, provisions arrive daily from all of Turkey’s four seas. The names on some of the signboards are familiar, and larger parties still sign up for long drawn-out fıxed menus, but today the fare and presentation are more sophisticated. Meanwhile, new airy centres of marine cuisine are appearing in the suburbs, with car parks and Anglo-Saxon trade marks, such as the ‘Blue Marlin’ in Oran or the ‘Bilkent Fish House’.

Popular fare

Among the venues better known to foreign residents, ‘Evim’ (“My Home”) has been laying on a genuine Black Sea atmosphere for the past eight years at its prime site a stone’s throw from the EU Delegation and numerous embassies. Evim serves not only fish - including the characteristic anchovy ‘tava’ (pan) - but also other Black Sea specialities and homely Turkish vegetable dishes. Its home-cooking ethos has earned it a “special” touristic licence.

Descend the arteries of Gaziosmanpaşa and double back towards Çankaya, and you will find yourself taking a virtual journey, anti-clockwise, around the Turkish coast. ‘Trilye’ takes its name from a town on the south coast of the Sea of Marmaris. It made its name almost overnight when it opened in 2002, and has remained popular ever since. “Trilye” is also another word for the rightly popular red mullet, an Aegean speciality more commonly known as ‘barbunya’ or ‘barbun’. Like Evim, the restaurant it is an all-year-round destination with outside seating for the summer. But its menu is modern and health-conscious rather than traditional, featuring marine specialities from all over Turkey and throughout the Mediterranean basin.

Attention to detail

Just minutes away is one of Ankara’s most accomplished and exclusive venues: ‘Agora’ – a modern restaurant designed in an ancient style. An olde-world fireplace, white walls and dark wooden furniture and fittings quickly put you at your ease. There is a pleasant garden too, and as the many ornamental urns suggest, a strong Hellenic influence is apparent in the cooking. At www.agora.com.tr, you can peruse the menu in advance. Agora stays open until midnight; reservations are ‘de rigeur’.

The right unintrusive music, the right wine, the right olive oil – these secrets are also shared by the ‘Yosun’ (“Seaweed”) Fish House, whose narrow portal looks out on Embassy gardens and whose canopied garden backs onto Arjantin Caddesi nightlife. Reds are more popular than whites these days, explains English-speaking chief waiter Halil Akkuş, and properly decanted. They come from Chile, Spain, Italy, Croatia, Moldova, Turkey and Georgia. Ten years of experience goes into the dishes they accompany.

‘Akdeniz Akdeniz’ (“Mediterranean Mediterranean”) is an up-market yet popular restaurant, whose Bodrumesque decor defines both the atmosphere and the food: a favourite place for fun and celebrations, with a catering service to match. There is a hint of Ankara’s older fish-eating traditions among the life-belts at ‘Lagos’ – named after the grouper, possibly the most relished item on everybody’s menu.

A taste of Mersin

At the more formal ‘Liman’ (“the harbour”), situated half-way up Cinnah Caddesi, the diner encounters one more endless list of meze and middle courses. Yet it would be a pity to exit the warm saloon without tasting one of the more demanding of Mevlut Usta’s main dishes – say a marinaded open sea sea bass (‘levrek’) in foil, or a steamed turbot (‘kalkan’) stew.

Meals here are accompanied by live piano and vocals including Turkish ‘Sanat’ music. The kitchen is open until late, attracting members of Parliament and the business community as well as family and business groups. Mevlut Usta hails from Mersin - thus ending our virtual tour. Şanlıurfa, however, provides the peppers, Cappadocia the wines and Gaziantep the walnutty baklava that presages your coffee.

(DIPLOMAT  -  January 2006  -  Ankara)