New bars and restaurants.

[LancashireLass]

Hi five weeks today we will be back in Kalkan and needless to say its going to be a long five weeks, I'm so excited.  Last year we were there and sampled a fair few bars and restaurants.  Things can change in 12 months can anyone recommend any new places that have opened.

Many Thanks

LancashireLass.   

Linkback: https://www.enjoykalkan.com/forum/index.php?topic=10958.0

[Christina]

You have probably heard about the plethora of new kebab restaurants that have hurriedly opened up, no doubt trying to follow in the footsteps of Hunkar, which always does a roaring trade.  Well, I don't really want to name names, because that would seem unfair at the start up of their business - but I tried three of them, and they didn't really cut it for me. All of them were indoor, all lacked atmosphere, and one and seemed to be struggling to keep the smoke and fumes from the grill under control - leaving people with eyes streaming in a fug-filled room. The food was ordinary. Hunkar still wins hands down for me.

In March, many places were not yet open, but the old favourites were still delivering - Kaya, Isos Kitchen, Mussakka, Fener, Cafe Leon, Rose, Merkez, Aubergine. I'm looking forward to seeing the newly refurbished Kleo and Ozalp when I am there next week - much renovation work was going on at both over Easter. And now that the Little House has new-found fame through this forum, they'll have to think about strengthening that ramshackle little balcony with all the hammer it will be getting this summer!

[Christina]

There is one 'kebab' place I tried for the first time which I would recommend, and which I think might be new (I'm sure others can correct me) - called Findik. It overlooks the main roundabout/taxi rank, on the same row as the butchers and the Efes Shop, and it's got blue and white striped railings outside. It is small and rustic lokanta and has both indoor and outdoor seating. As well as having sea views, it also offers a most entertaining view of 'traffic action' at the roundabout down below - which is mesmerising.

It's local to my apartment and I popped in there on my own for a 'quiet tea' one early evening, exhausted after a day's hard graft preparing my place for the season. Others around me were enjoying delicious-looking kebabs, but I ordered the shrimp casserole at 16 TL. There was then a procession of complimentary goodies brought to my table as I sipped on a well-earned glass of red. They brought bread, tzatziki, smoked aubergine dip, and a lovely fresh salad. As a finale, they brought the casserole flaming to the table. All for under £6. I popped in again a few days later, just before leaving for the airport, and devoured a delicious tuna/yellow cheese/onion pide and a cold Efes - for around £3. Warm welcome, good service, and great value.

[HolmfirthNicky]

Will have to give Findik a try when we're there in Sep, sounds good.

[LancashireLass]

Findik sounds lovely, thank you for the recommendation will give it a try.  Of course I think we will have to go back to Hunkar and Fener.

[Bob & Jayne]

LancashireLass - good choice, we love Fener and Hunkars too 

Jayne

[michelle from newcastle]

Polish Christina that findik sounds fab and what really good value. I'm definitely going to try that one. X

[Christina]

Mmmmm. Whilst wanting your favourite Kalkan lokanta/new restaurant to prosper, It makes you think twice before sharing rapturous reviews of your own personal little 'gems' when you find that the lovely place round the corner where you have been dining regularly for years without a reservation, has a popularity explosion - due largely to the frenzy created by review sites and fora - and can no longer accommodate you. I've just been advised that the balcony table at Kucuk Ev (Small House) is now booked up for the whole of May! Low season! Good luck to them. But my idea of a holiday is spontaneity, yet some members now seem reduced to having to plan their holiday dining like a military campaign - emailing through reservations months in advance, rather than seeing what they fancy doing/eating on the day - and clearly distressed when they 'miss out' on a particular dining experience that has been recommended. How did it come to this? I understand how for some, this is all part of the fun of planning a holiday. Personally, I think it's a shame, but I guess a necessary evil of visiting a place with so many wonderful eateries, and also due in no small measure to the hype and obsession (not meant in an unkind way) that such a powerful forum as this can create. This is not a criticism of any place or any one by the way - each to his own - it's merely an observation and point of view. OK, now you can shoot me down in flames.

[onelove]

No shooting flames from me Christina I totally agree with you, spur of the moment nights out are Always Much more fun IMHO 

[macrefield mom]

Yes I agree with you too Christina!  I think when you are in Kalkan, wandering around either during the day or on an evening, we all meet local people in different ways whether it be for their kindness to us or simply because of their enthusiasm of what they are selling / serving from their business or restaurant.
This way, we all have our favourites, based on the friendliness first of all, lovely service every time you return and of course the good food they serve.  Sometimes because one restaurant gets rave reviews based on other people's experiences, this can then be difficult for the restaurant to live up to as they are so busy, the opposite can happen (obviously not intentionally but simply by not having as much time to spend with their customers)!

We always make our usual visits to our now 'friends' who have been in Kalkan in the 17 years we have been going and then leave the rest of our free nights to fate....some of our best meals have been spent in places we have stumbled on by complete chance by wandering off in a different direction and meeting locals who have encouraged us in somehow!  This is all part of Kalkan's Magic we think.  Sometimes we have made bookings in popular restaurants days in advance, only to then come across somewhere of our own on our daily wanders (you can really peruse and consult the menus during the day as you will not find you have to say 'No thank you so much)!

Also, I guess your meal at any time is remembered for what you choose to eat and one persons taste may not be yours.  I have sometimes been into a great restaurant and chosen something I really didn't like, yet others had loved it...so each to their own....

Fe me, the joy is in getting great service in a lovely setting where I can eat lovely food and Kalkan can deliver that in spades.  Enjoy finding your own little gems.  It's all part of the fun!

[Babs]

You certainly have a point Christina.....I think the way to use people's reviews on here is to try and work out from the places they say they like and see if you think they like the same sort of places as you.....then have a look at places they recommend when you are there and see if they appeal.....a bit scientific??
However it certainly is a case of each to their own in some ways, we have really good friends who with socialise with a lot at home who also go to Kalkan each year and their list of favourite restaurants is different to ours!
Oops.....just completely disproved my own theory!!

[Sandancer]

Christina is right. We were in Small House when someone booked the balcony for every night of his holiday. It may well be our fault. To say he was not pleased when he arrived and saw us sitting there is an understatement.

[Babs]

Just read my post above and it makes no sense...even to me and I knew what I was getting at! First day back to driving and back to work after 6 weeks with my foot up and I'm gaga!

With all the lovely restaurants in Kalkan why would anyone want to go to the same one every night.....no matter how amazing it is? 

[kalkan4eva]

It seems a bit mad to go to the same restaurant every night of your holiday when there are so many wonderful places to go. I hope it wasnt a block booking that gets cancelled at a whim when they feel like eating somewhere else We never email or phone to book a restaurant, but have booked boat trips in advance during July and August. When we go in June or late Sept/early Oct we will wander into the village and book for a couple of evenings at different places but it generally isn't a problem to get in anywhere....especially for two who like to dine a bit later than most.
I hate to say it but Small House was also featured in the Grazia review....I want them to do well there and hope they can cope with the sudden surge in business.......and there are other tables BESIDES the balcony one

[Christina]

Christina is right. We were in Small House when someone booked the balcony for every night of his holiday. It may well be our fault. To say he was not pleased when he arrived and saw us sitting there is an understatement.

I read with dismay Sandancer's comments above. What is going on? For anyone arriving in Kalkan on Monday for just a week and planning to eat at the Small House, it must feel like coming down to the hotel pool on the first day of your holiday to find someone else has bagged all the sunbeds, then buggered off to the beach for the day.

I feel for the restaurant who not only must feel under extreme pressure to perform, but who will doubtless have numerous 'no-shows' as people who got caught up in the hype/booking frenzy weeks earlier, have either forgotten about the reservation or changed their mind. I also feel sorry for other Kalkan lovers who are in town next week (like myself!), who have been denied the pleasure of a lovely dining experience thanks to someone who grabbed the whole week for himself. It just feels wrong.

Luckily, there are plenty more wonderful places to eat in Kalkan. I'm just wondering which will become the next on the 'must do' ticklist that will have members scrambling for tables.

[Babs]

Very well put Christina!
K4E when are you going Sept/Oct?

[kalkan4eva]

Its not just this forum, Christina. They are being touted on TA, and as I mentioned, Grazia. I just think its ridiculous to block book a restaurant for every night unless this person is just hedging his bets as he doesn't know which night he might like to go.....I'd still pop down and try....it's worth a chance if there's a no show. Last year you couldn't get a table in Sade for love nor money....even in June for a couple of late diners like us because everyone was booking it It was getting rave reviews on here and so the same thing happened. We gave up and didn't eat there at all, hoping now the world and his wife are trying to get the balcony table in Small House we might actually get a table in Sade in June
Babs, we won't be there in Sept/Oct this year again as its BH's big Five Oh and I'm taking him on a special holiday towards the end of the year. Hope to be back to normal next year - we normally go last week in Sept first week in Oct for about 10/12 days. Are you there Sept this year?

[Babs]

We are there at the beginning of October.......maybe a chance of a table in Small House by then?! Although I have to say all the hype just makes me want to rebel and not try!

[Bob & Jayne]

We never email or phone to book a restaurant, but have booked boat trips in advance during July and August.

Agree with you there K4E. We normally book a couple of boat trips from the UK, but not restaurants - except for the Wednesday Cafe Vita BBQ night as that gets booked up beforehand, and that does have quite a few covers. The other one you need to book is Cafe Leon's Wednesday night surprise menu, but we've never done that one yet.

We're glad we booked the balcony at Küçük Ev on two separate evenings last year now. Both booked on the day. Ercan (Jan) and Asuman are such wonderful people, reflecting what Kalkan is all about. I'm not sure how they will cope with this sudden influx in such a small place though.
B

[Blue Lizard]

We never book restaurants....i don't like making arrangements on holidays as i have the attention span of a moth and am easily led!!i eat when i'm hungry and we like to eat in the place we rent but tend to snack out...(air conditioning is a great invention and it's far nicer eating comfortably chilled!)..as soon as i hit a rooftop restaurant in the boiling heat  they light a fire on the table...Pheeeew!!..i still have my secrets that i don't divulge especially where i stay so it won't be booked next time