Eat & Drink
CONTACTCAREER OPPORTUNITIESADVERTISE WITH USPRIVACY POLICYPRIVACY PREFERENCESTERMS OF USELEGAL NOTICE
© 2024 Pride Publishing Inc.
All Rights reserved
All Rights reserved
By continuing to use our site, you agree to our Private Policy and Terms of Use.
Fans of Jason Goodwin’s popular Yashim crime novels know that the titular 1830s secret agent does more than just bust up government conspiracies. The guy can cook. Goodwin’s new book, Yashim Cooks Istanbul, highlights the hero’s hobby while helping home chefs unlock another mystery: Turkish cuisine. The globally influenced grub is historic—many of its recipes can be traced back to the Ottoman Empire—but it has started to make inroads stateside, thanks to Goodwin and a few inspired eateries trying to nudge Sultan’s Delight into the mainstream.
Until recently, it was a lonely time for Boston’s Oleana, which has been singing the praises of Turkish food for more than a decade. “It’s a cuisine that straddles East and West,” says chef Ana Sortun. “There are many influences from China, Russia, Armenia, Greece, and the Middle East. The use of spices is what sets it apart from the rest of the Mediterranean.” Fittingly, her elegant menu of grilled meats and fish boasts ingredients like za’atar, cumin, and sumac—the backbone of many Turkish dishes and a new draw for diners.
Other Turkish spots have followed. “Europe already has Turkish restaurants on every corner,” says Washington, D.C., restaurateur Hakan Ilhan, noting that America is playing catch-up. He’s on a mission to change that with his recently opened Ottoman Taverna, which serves traditional fare like pideler (flat bread topped with cheese and ground meat) in a swank setting more in touch with the 21st century than the 14th. Meanwhile, New Yorkers can swap their beloved bagel for a wider, flatter variation called a simit at Simit + Smith—if hummus isn’t your jam, you can even top it with salmon and cream cheese. And Prime Cutts, which opened last year, could very well become the Turkish Chipotle with its fast-casual model and Istanbul-inspired wraps and bowls.
The new wave of Turkish restaurants mostly showcases the cuisine without reinventing it. Still, while it’s doubtful that Yashim ever made anything like Oleana’s cinnamon-spiked aioli, that treat—along with simit with cream cheese and lox — certainly tastes like a classic.
If Turkish cuisine’s American moment has been a long time coming, it’s been totally worth the wait.
Life Beyond Doner—Three more Turkish classics you should be eating:
Adana kebab: Doner is meat sliced off a spit, but you can get this ground-lamb kebab (a popular street food in Turkey) on a skewer fresh off the charcoal grill.
Börek: A crispy pastry shell made of phyllo dough and filled with goodies like feta, spinach, potato, and sometimes minced meat, this old-school Turkish dish dates back to the Roman Empire.
Hunkar Begendi: More commonly known as Sultan’s Delight, it consists of lamb ragout served over an eggplant sauce that’s basically baba ghanoush’s creamier cousin.
Like what you see here? Subscribe and be the first to receive the latest issue of Out. Subscribe to print here and receive a complimentary digital subscription.
Want more breaking equality news & trending entertainment stories?
Check out our NEW 24/7 streaming service: the Advocate Channel!
Download the Advocate Channel App for your mobile phone and your favorite streaming device!
From our Sponsors
Most Popular
Ron Amato Retrospective: 75 Gorgeous Images of Queer Men
March 07 2021 12:00 AM
UPDATED: Here Are the Final 27 Surviving Lesbian Bars In the U.S.
October 12 2022 5:15 PM
Just in Time for Pride – The 15 Gayest Cities in the World in 2023
April 12 2023 6:47 PM
Turkish Oil Wrestling: Male Bonding at the Kirkpinar Festival
December 20 2022 2:20 PM
The 13 Least Visited National Parks
January 07 2023 5:00 AM
OnlyFans Star Reno Gold on His New Boyfriend and Travel Show
December 16 2022 3:10 PM
Here are the Best Gay Sex and Male Nudity Scenes in 2022
April 19 2023 5:23 PM
Get Soaked! with These 35+ Steamy Pool Pics From This Year’s White Party
May 25 2023 9:29 AM
12 Years of Intimate Photos of Same Man - Taken by His Partner
August 29 2022 4:00 AM
Slovakian Jocks With Nothing to Hide
September 28 2021 3:00 PM
Outtraveler: Featured Video
Latest Stories
Carrie Underwood solidifies herself as a can't-miss entertainer in Las Vegas
April 17 2024 4:31 PM
Lisa Rinna calls Donald Trump a 'dictator' and begs Americans to vote for Joe Biden
April 17 2024 5:00 AM
Asia O’Hara slaps Ricky Cornish during funny bit on stage at ‘Drag Race Live’
April 16 2024 6:00 PM
Grindr simplifies global hookups
April 16 2024 10:47 AM
Brian Falduto gives Dolly Parton classic a welcome gay twist
April 16 2024 9:09 AM
These are the 10 most challenged books of 2023
April 13 2024 10:06 AM
A local's guide to safe, authentic, and budget-Friendly San Francisco
April 12 2024 1:54 PM
From job loss to chocolate triumph: Gay man's journey from U.S. to Spain
April 11 2024 11:45 AM
Uncover Dublin's hidden LGBTQ+ gems
April 10 2024 4:56 PM
Ötzi, the world's sexiest world traveler mummy, reveals a thirsty secret
April 09 2024 5:13 PM
Discover endless fun at The Pride Store: Games & electronics for all ages
April 09 2024 4:25 PM
Unlocking a new level of beauty with Dr Botanicals' ethical skincare line
April 08 2024 3:39 PM
Unleash your wild side with The Pride Store’s beginner’s guide to kink
April 08 2024 3:35 PM
Today's eclipse forecast: prime viewing weather ahead
April 08 2024 9:55 AM
Celebrate 40 days of Pride on West Hollywood’s 40th anniversary
April 05 2024 4:27 PM
Rare pre-Stonewall ‘Gay Cookbook’ on sale in NYC this weekend!
April 05 2024 3:40 PM
Ugandan LGBTQ+ activist stabbed, left for dead, escapes to Canada
April 05 2024 7:00 AM
Adult entertainment icons Derek Kage & Cody Silver lead fight for free speech
April 03 2024 3:06 PM
'Drag Race's Morphine declares Miami a certified drag capital
April 03 2024 11:08 AM
Spring into The Pride Store’s top new arrivals for April
April 02 2024 4:39 PM