Afiyet Olsun, Part 3: (Cunda Edition) Rakı Balık

A more traditional and refined example of the local seafood offerings were the many types of local fish that could be paired with a glass or three of Turkish rakı for a leisurely Rakı Balık dinner. This usually consists of a few shared appetizers like cucumber-tomato salad that precede the main course of a whole grilled fish and a shared bottle of rakı, the local anise-flavored liqueur (which will get it's own post soon enough). Since the meal consists of several courses it takes longer than some of the other offerings I'll describe, but it is a great excuse for a leisurely dinner at a seaside restaurant that can last for a couple hours at least. Ordering can be a bit confusing at times since the Turkish names for the fish used by the restaurants are unfamiliar to most people; the ones that I came across most often were Çipura (Gilthead seabream) and Levrek (European Seabass). Luckily, in my experience no matter what you order it's always delicious and well worth the price, which is higher than the papalina but still pretty reasonable. And since the rakı is served over ice it makes for a refreshing companion to the grilled fish and a great summer evening dinner. Just be careful not to try finishing the bottle on your own!

Afiyet Olsun, Part 2: (Cunda Edition) Papalina

One of the best things about being in Cunda for the summer was that I  had easy access to all the great seafood that is part of living in the Turkish Aegean. The city's waterfront faces the exit from the harbor to the Aegean and fishing boats come and go all day bringing fresh catches into the city's restaurants. The first dish I tried this summer was called Papalina, which consisted of small fish resembling sardines that are deep-fried whole and eaten by the bowlful. When we first arrived they were described to us as the local equivalent of french fries, since they were available at every restaurant and were a great casual snack. At 10 YTL a bowl they also made for a nice, light meal between classes. It wasn't the most sophisticated offering available on the island but it did hit the spot for those times when we were out having a beer and looking for some great local food that wouldn't break the bank. And since it's apparently just a local specialty around Ayvalik and Cunda we had to take advantage of our chance to have it while we could.