Kalkan: nice but pricey

[Layla]

Having just returned from 12 days in Kalkan, I thought I''d share these thoughts.  6 years now into my ''relationship'' with Kalkan and it''s becoming more and more difficult to recall the days when ''value for money'' was one of Kalkan''s selling points.  The fall in the pound notwithstanding, we had too many indifferent, high priced meals with occasionally rather sullen service.  Coming from the UK where food, service and value for money has come on in leaps and bounds, most post dinner (Kalkan) discussion mourned this passing.  Frankly the comparison in quality and price between Kalkan and London (yes, London), will make us think twice about returning again.  We were dreading a week in Palma, Majorca earlier this year - the Euro was going crazy, and we completely expected to feel fleeced.  Not the case.  Well priced and good food and drink, sunny days . . . . . In Kalkan you now pay more than in London for a small glass of medicore white wine.  And, £3.00 for toast and honey!  I feel ripped off - especailly when the toast tastes of garlic, presumably from the order the night before. Hmmm.  Here are my highlights and low lights.

HIgh-lights:  Ak Deniz continues to delight.  A genuine bargain, nice people, genuinely wanting their customers to enjoy their restaurant.  I don''t eat steak - but my partner and others tell me that it''s still the best steak in Kalkan.  Go there people - lots of Turkish tourists do!  Olive Garden:  Very good service, it feels like an occasion and the food is good.  The newly opened Vite/Vida(??) Cafe on the Kalamar Road.  Doing very good business, great home-cooked chips.  Cheap and cheerful and hits the spot.  Good luck to them!

Low-lights:  What on earth has happened to Carretta Carretta??  It looks shabby and unloved.  A previously favourite breakfast spot, we were served a dubious omelette with bread and rancid butter (not a favourite breakfast spot anymore then).  Doy Doy - usually a treat - the food was still nice - but very over-priced and the service sullen.  It was Omar''s Kitchen that served us the most fantastically over-priced and inedible breakfast (garlic/honey toast) and fresh orange juice with the pith slung in - horrible. 

And then there was too much mediocrity.  From the huge range of medium/upper priced restaurants - none of them distinguishable from the other.  Not very good pizzas, over-priced and over-cooked fish . . . All that choice and actually, in our experience, it was no choice. 

Eating in is cheap.  Fresh meat, fish, fruit and veg is a treat and a delight.  The raw materials are there - what''s going on and who''s picking up the tab here?  Are the restauranteurs struggling with rip-off rents or is the tourist just seen as an endless cash cow?  On my flight home I sat next to a woman who repeatedly told me that France, Spain and Italy were now cheaper than the Turkish Tourist spots.

Layla x

Linkback: https://www.enjoykalkan.com/forum/index.php?topic=2437.0

[Mercimek]

I do think high rents are often at the route of the problem, as it isn''t generally the restaurant owners who are driving around in nice cars.

I also agree there are alot of average meals being served.

Just one question....did you tell all the restaurants you named of your complaints and give them a chance to put them right ?

[kalcamp]

Hi Layla,
 I think this is a post well said. I don''t think kalkan will get away with charging like it does without the quality that is difficult to find for too much longer

your right of course when you say there is much better in London and at a lot lower cost

kalkan has a long way to go to bring it up to the tourist resort it wants to be at these prices. And I think it''s both that they see foreigners as a ''cash cow'', as much as the high rents.

There are some honest to goodness people in kalkan, but they''re in danger of becoming swamped by the ever frequent ''we''ll charge what we can get away with'' brigade, who''s pricing and quality are not always in sinc.

Don''t suppose you used a taxi did you?

          K

[felicity]

Sorry - but I still think that the price you pay in Kalkan - which IS around what we now pay in the UK - STILL gets you FAR SUPERIOR and better quality service than in the UK! 

Down our local indian - it will cost us £25 per head for a shared starter main course and no dessert some Tiger beers - I know what meal I would rather be spending my £25 on...!!!

I appreciate costs have gone up - and quality has not necessarily (if not gone down in some places - which is why a forum like this is needed) - but I still think the prices are certainly not MORE than you would pay in London and the quality and food is definitely NOT better in London - IMHO!!!

Cheers!

[foreverkalkan]

Yes I definitely agree with you felicity

[Gary]

we have the same problem here in fethiye i do not eat out much as my wife is turkish and she does the cooking but when we do, we have a few places we go to. i think one of the problem is consistency where the restaurant has a good chef one year and the owner sees the restaurant is doing well, gets one of the waiters to cook the following year trying to save money possibly because his rent has gone up this is very common

[kevincat99]

You may pay those prices in London but would certainly not pay them further north in the UK.
Then of course food prices in Turkey are much less than in the UK -the correct comparison is to between Kalkan prices with prices in other resorts in Turkey
Gary  - How do you think they compare with Fethiye for example?

[Hilary]

While eating out in Kalkan isn''t cheap it is cheaper than in the UK for food of comparable quality. some of the meals we ate on holiday for standard of food and and surroundings I would expect to pay at least double in some restaurants I have been to in both london and Kent. Fish and steaks were fantastic

[chunky]

I am shocked by Felicity''s comments. I can certainly get better and cheaper meals in London with a good bottle of wine and everyone who works there is earning a minimum wages and living in properties that cost on average £150 - £200. HOW ON EARTH can we justify the costs in Kalkan.

[Lougie]

I agree with Felicity, the quality and service is far superior than what you get in this country, I would rather pay more money for nice food and friendly service, for example the Olive Garden, you get treat like royalty there and the food is fantastic, I personally can''t say I have enjoyed a meal in London or anywhere in this country like I have in Kalkan!!

I think you have to go to the right places in Kalkan, if you stick to the smaller more traditional Turkish places then you get better quality food & more value for money, I think the ones on the harbour & the more popular ones are expensive with not such good food.

[turkeyfan]

On Saturday, I went to a restaurant not far from my home in Wirral and on the menu was fillet steak for £18.95, this included chips but no side orders of vegetables or salad. The restaurant was very mediocre for the prices they were charging and the service wasn''t a patch on most of those in Kalkan.

Although I agree the prices in some of the restaurants in Kalkan are at the high end of the scale, I don''t think that ANY are charging nearly twenty pounds for a steak and there are still plenty of restaurants that serve food at low to middle prices too.  

[Em1]

Hi

When it was suggested the Kalkan taxi prices were too high earlier this year, members said they were going to avoid using them.

Can I ask if those members who think the restaurant prices in Kalkan are too high are going to avoid using them?

Em

[bowbad]

Hi Em

I used a taxi only once whilst in Kalkan this year and that was for the whole day to Fethiye for 100 tl which I think is not bad. I did eat in some of the more expensive restaurants but made a point of eating at some of the more reasonable places on the out skirts of the town. As I agree prices are high and the current exchange rate is not helping.
I have been coming to Kalkan now for three years and recommended friends to visit (a family of six) they were so shocked at how expensive it was they are not planning to return!

[fidimax]

Hiya EM1,the difference is,you can decide to use a cheaper eating place,you cant decide to use a cheaper
taxi,if I fancy something a bit more special, maybe a special occassion,I can opt for a more expensive,up market place,the choice is mine,but saying that,on our first two visits we did eat in all the "usual suspects"
and now we tend to eat in the smaller places which seem to be cheaper,but I think that is just because
we have heard about them on EK.

                                     Back on sat will try a few more !
                                                      Neil.

[Blue Lizard]

we have been going to Kalkan for over 20 years..yes it''s got expensive ,but we still love it !!we now rent near the village so don''t use taxis and eat in on loveley fresh produce from the market and Bulent the butcher,our bread is fresh everyday and doesn''t cost anywhere near the price of  loaf in the UK..we occasionally eat out when we feel like it..but in places we know will give us a good meal for a fair price..if we don''t feel like cooking we have food delivered,this way we can slop about in shorts etc ,we buy wine from the supermarket thus avoiding large mark-ups ..and we go out when the sun''s gone down!! i can pay over the odds for poor quality in almost any town in the UK..equally i can find decent food at decent prices. I do think next year will be a tough one for Kalkan with the way utility prices have risen in the U.K,mortgages are stifling and flight prices are high(not counting the Whos next to go under factor?)
      i just hope i will be seeing some of you next year!!
                                        

[johnl]

Is it possible for "those in the know" to say which are the more reasonabley priced restaurants and roughly what prices we can expect? I know it is subjective and depends on what we have but some examples of what you have had would be very helpful and save time when we are there.Thanks. John

[turkeyfan]

Hi John,

This is just my opinion and a list I left for my sister who was a 1st timer to Kalkan.

Oz Adana – They sell pides, kebabs, wraps and gorgeous home made chips.  They also do takeaways and deliveries (pakets).  It can be found in the side street next to Tesko. 

Ali Baba – This is the first restaurant after Deniz bank on the way into the old town.  They do not have a menu, they will take you to the kitchen and show you what is on that day.  Really good Turkish food.

The Kebab House – This is the last restaurant on the harbour and services all different types of kebabs.  Puffy bread and meze dips are given as a free starter.

Merkez – This is in the centre of the old town and serves pizza, pasta’s, salads and more traditional food.  It is fab for people watching.


Mid range (£10-£15 per head all in)

Kaya – This is on the main road into town.  Food is very good and the owner Kadir does magic at your table.

Marina – Lovely here for lunch.  They have fantastic salads and pastas.  On the harbour next to the Pirat hotel.

Belgins Kitchen – In the heart of the old town.  They serve traditional Turkish food and you can sit on ottoman cushions or on normal table and chairs.

Oz odak – Above Ali Baba’s.  Really good meze and loads of steak and chicken dishes to choose from.  Restaurant not particularly fancy but food good and staff try really hard.


Expensive (£15-£25 per head all in)

Aubergine – The menu here is huge, loads of stuff to choose from.  Don’t have a starter as the portions are massive.  This restaurant is fairly expensive (about £80 - £100) for 4 but well worth it for a special occasion.  It’s on the harbour front.

Olive Garden – This is in the old town above Merkez.  It has a traditional Turkish menu, with a special meal every day.  The serve lovely olive bread and dips to start.

Kosk – In the old town.   The menu is quite big and service is very good.

Sofra – Nice roof terrace and a more international menu.  Famous for their chocolate cake.

We are in Kalkan for a week from 3rd October so we may see you around 

[jofoss]

Indeed Kalkan has become more expensive over time, where hasn''t?

However we spend on average very little more now than we did when we first visited 8 years ago. We just spend differently and have just as good an experience, in fact better.

In the early years we stayed in hotels and accumulated rather large hotel food and drink bills. Now we too self-cater and stay close to town, ensuring no taxi''s needed. We also enjoy local produce for long, late, at-home brunches. An afternoon snack is then all that''s usually required, followed by pre-dinner drinks [duty free spirits or local supermarket-bought beer and wine] on the terrace before venturing out for dinner.

Dinner out has now become more of a value consideration and we enjoy some evenings at more traditional venues that tend to be cheaper and others at the more up-market venues. Our favourtes have changed over the years, yet there are some that always remain constant, high quality, good value places to eat.

We never feel that we skrimp, but are just a little more selective and have certainly found that the freedom that self-catering affords us, and the home-from-home feeling that it brings, suits us best.  

Still enjoying Kalkan, just doing things differently to accomodate our budget.

[Lougie]

To also add to Turkeyfans list:-

Iso''s Kitchen - up the road next to the moonlight bar, past the Istanbul Restaurant, in my opinion Iso is the best chef in Kalkan, good value for money, excellent quality food.

Bezigan Kitchen - on the roundabout, run by Adem & his family, the food is Delicious, again excellent value for money, traditional Turkish.

Both these restaurants are small family run places, friendly, nothing fancy, good quality food at good prices.

I wouldn''t recommend any of the "popular" with the English ones as they are not my cup of tea.

[kalkan4eva]

Kevincat, it''s obviously sometime since you ate out in the UK if you think "London" prices are confined to London
We eat out in Chester, Merseyside and Manchester and the prices we pay are on a par with what we pay when we eat out in London at similar types of restaurants. I''m afraid the provinces are catching up with the capital on that score 
I agree with other posters when they say that whilst the quality of the food may be similar, the setting, the service and the overall ambience is far better in Kalkan than in UK so we''re prepared to pay for it. Also, like other posters, we don''t eat out every night and we don''t do the "expensive" places every time we eat out...Aubergine is a treat as it is by far the most expensive meal we have in Kalkan - my BH likes to order the rack of lamb 24hrs in advance there so it pushes our bill up considerably. We find Sofra, Ibo Terrace, Olive Garden and Trio cheaper and the likes of Rendevous, Kaya, Istanbul and Oz Adana cheaper again. The Kebab House on the harbour is fantastic value for money, and Kalkan Fast Food Cafe is a real gem.

When we return to Kalkan next June, we will have our two daughters (age 20 and 16) in tow, so I suspect we will eat less in the top-end range and more in the mid-to cheap establishments - as well as a fair number of bbq''s chez nous. You cut your cloth etc etc... ..oh and btw, we walk...EVERYWHERE in Kalkan, more money for lovely food and more room in my clothes..Result!