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But I still have some favourites - touristy and non-touristy, new and old, run by friends and by strangers... here are some, where to find them and why I like them! Oh and I am very open to some free dinners for the mentions, guys!
Istanbul Restaurant - on "the gauntlet" between main & second beaches. Never cheap but the food is great, the atmosphere's a lot of fun and if you make friends with Metin, the manager, he might just do you a grilled kalamari off-menu - yum!
Pinocchio's - on Main Beach. The best turkish food of all the beachfront restaurants (as well as international) and this great bread that's kind of like a pillow! Onder and the boys usually stay open most of the year (they only close for essential maintenance) so this is a real expat community haunt. And they do dance shows sometimes - V V amusing!
Dolunay - on Main Beach. Fabulous location and v beautiful, with a fountain in the courtyard. Excellent service despite making the waiters wear orange polo shirts and black cravats. Apparently Turkish people come to Altinkum especially to visit Dolunay! Anyway nice food, great desserts and they make their own ice-cream. Yummy.
Karcicegi - all the way down the other end of the beach, at the harbour. Believe it or not, I went to this place, fell in love with the food (delicious and well-priced), the decor (beautiful stone tiles) and the automatic paper-towel dispenser in the loos; I came with 5 friends, ordered 5 kebabs and ended up with enough food for 20; and then when I decided I needed gainful employment, my other half suggested the estate agency next door so now I work for the company, sort of! Anyway if I can still choose eat their food after eating it for lunch every day at work, it must be good! So try it! And if it's summertime, pop in and say hello to me next door.
Golf Pizza - on the main road, just up from the beach roundabout where you get off the bus to go to the beach or on to go to Soke/Izmir/Bodrum. On my way home late at night I have often stopped in here and had a nightcap; and then stumbled in the next morning red-eyed to have a delicious breakfast served by someone just as hung-over as me! Very CLEAN - which is very valuable when you are feeling under the weather! Oh and they have a big screen.
Pagos Ocakbasi - just down the road that Golf is on the corner of. I think it may be changing its name but fabulous barbeques. I was first lured in by the delicious smell of grilling lamb and the taste lived up to the promise!
Aspava - on the main road opposite the original million shop. There are a whole bunch grouped together here that look the same and serve the same food so it's a little confusing but nice, clean, fresh, cheap and genuinely turkish (ie not dressed up for the brits).
Sofra - next to Gima on the main road. For some reason this seems to have fallen out of favour a little but I love it. Great decor, excellent service, lovely wine (ask for the red Senfoni) and a choice of hot buffet food or off the menu. And a delicious dessert trolley too...
Arti - on the main road in between Bim and Tansas. Haven't been there yet but it looks lovely and I looked at the menu the other day - looks yummy. Someone will have to tell me if it is as good as it looks!
Name unknown - way past Apollo Temple, nearly at the Aquapark, on the sea side of the road. Actually, practically IN the sea. I can't remember what it's called but fresh food and an unbeatable view out towards the Greek islands.
Olio - somewhere in the region of second beach. I only went there once, with the council Turkish class to celebrate getting through the course without our heads exploding! But the food was great and they do beef carpaccio - excuse me while I grow long canine teeth and start to slaver unattractively. I was a vegetarian once, you know.
OK, those are my faves... now it's your turn. Do you agree? Disagree? Have I left something out? I probably have so tell us about it!
