Eating Istanbul

Story & Photos by kampunghouse

This article is part of a series of recollections of Istanbul, more of which can be found on the writer's website www.kampunghouse.wordpress.com

It was barely two hours ago that I was on the plane hovering over the Istanbul skyline, and now I found myself sitting on a bench at the Uskudar pier, enjoying the warm sunshine, the blue waters of the Bosphorus and the wonderful realization that I am really on holiday.

I was waiting for Ekin, my Turkish host for the next two days. It would be my first time staying with someone I’ve never met, and thus I was busy crafting jokes in case our conversation descends to an awkward halt.

The joke-crafting session was interminably disrupted by the scenery ahead of me – women in colourful silk shawls boarding the ferries, the extravagant Dolmabahce Palace across the Bosphorus, the mass of buildings vying for top spot along the hills of Istanbul.

A trolley filled with delicious breads and pastries.

I thought to myself how wonderful it would be if this sumptuous scenery was accompanied by a delicious snack.  I spotted a red trolley selling an array of bread and pastries, and not really knowing what they were, simply pointed to the smiling bread seller.

I bought a simit – a type of Turkish bagel topped with sesame seeds and pogaça (po-a-cha), a plain savoury pastry with a tantalising golden brown crust. Both had a dense, satisfying crumb that was a world away from the limp, plastic bread often found in Asian bakeries.

As I was enjoying my snack, I felt a sudden tap on my back.

“Hello, how are you?”     
                                                                                          
“Oh, hello Ekin! Nice to finally meet you,” I replied to Ekin.

“I see you’ve had something to eat,” Ekin said.

Turkish Bagel.

“Yes I have,” I replied again.

There was an uncomfortable silence for a while before Ekin said, “OK then, let’s go to my house so you can drop your luggage.”

I think the time has come to unleash my arsenal of jokes.

Later in the evening, I found myself waiting once again, this time in front of Burger King at the start of Istiklal Avenue, the commercial centre of the city. One of the effects of globalisation is that one can now find McDonald’s, Burger King and the rest of their ilk at every major city, even deeply romanticised capitals like Istanbul. Their bland familiarity takes away some of the excitement of visiting a foreign land, but I have to admit their bright lights and unmistakeable signpost make for a great landmark.

The evening crowd at Istiklal Avenue.

I was waiting for Mikayil, an Azerbaijani living in Istanbul, in search of a restorative winter drink called sahlep. It is a hot drink made from the dried starchy powder of wild orchids found in Turkey, and has a taste similar to vanilla chai latte – only a lot thicker. Due to its popularity, wild orchids have become expensive and increasingly hard to find, so many of the sahlep drinks now have been rather crudely thickened with cornstarch.

We settled for Ozsut, a modish patisserie overflowing with cakes, ice cream and traditional Turkish sweets. Despite the temptation I stuck with my sahlep, though we also ordered a plate of profiteroles doused with chocolate sauce to share. It was an indulgent end to my first night in Istanbul, harking back to the excessive days of Ottoman court life, but what is a holiday if not a revolt against moderation?

Quote for Day 43

Images: Red Hearts-EVOBRAINED / Cats In Love-NELLART / Amor-JMJVICENTE

http://www.sxc.hu/

True love sticks through thick and thin - Anon

Justice For Sisters

Good day for today :)

The Team will be out all afternoon and in the early part of the evening. We will be at the Justice For Sisters event held at MAPKL in Solaris Dutamas.

As many of you must have already known, this is a campaign to help our Mak Nyah sisters who do not enjoy the same privileges simply because some parties regard them as outcasts.

The event, which will see many interesting Indie acts and performances kicks off at 2pm before it breaks for an hour at 4pm. More interesting performances continue at 5pm and if you have the time to spare just hang out in the area till 10pm when the event ends.

Hoping to see a lot of support there!

Quote for Day 42

Image: Water 1-MORDOC

 http://www.sxc.hu/photo/411953

I am no more in pain because yesterday is history,
today does not stand still and tomorrow a must.
Even if I fall as I run and then leap,
I will stand again because I am ME!
- Anon

Speed Maniacs On The Road

I recently had the pleasure of driving from Penang to KL during the festive season. Yes, the latest public holiday and the hoards of traffic returning to KL in time to start work on Monday, Tuesday, or even Wednesday, depending upon how much time could be squeezed out of employers for leave.

As I was driving, safely in the left hand lane, I was shocked at the volume of traffic who were obviously so self-important and precious that they needed to drive fast in the emergency lane.

At the time, I thought to myself what absolute twats they were, risking their lives, and the lives of others by undertaking at such speed, in a lane that really isn’t the right width for even a small car, not to mention, one that is reserved for people who have car problems to stop and safely tend to their car.

Cliparts: Dog In Sports Car-WILDCHIEF/Tire-J ALVES/Skeleton-JOHNNY AUTOMATIC

http://www.openclipart.org/

I mean, imagine if blasting up the hill, they suddenly rammed into a poor motorist who had stopped to change a tyre. I know this happens quite a bit, but these stupid imbeciles put their lives, those of their passengers, and other road users on the lines for what, to save five minutes on a congested highway?

Oh, I forget, these people are the self-appointed VIPs of Malaysia, who think that they have more rights to the roads than anyone else.

Just hope that one day, when they’re broken down on the side awaiting the AAM to change their flat tyre (yes, they're too self-important to change it themselves), a large lorry speeds along and takes out their precious vehicle, which is clearly too good for the ordinary traffic that the likes of you and me have to endure.

Quote for Day 41

Cliparts: Pink Pig-MACHOVKA /Felix the Cat-LIFTARN

Don’t waste your time with fear.. Fear won’t keep you safe from being hurt - Tiffanie DeBartolo

Happy New Year To You Too

I loved the Chinese New Year celebration. Not because it meant I had to yet again pay my staff not to work for two days, or the good restaurants being closed for four days while everyone gets together, nor be it the following-the-partner around to visit family members who I don’t remember meeting before, but because of the ironic situation that happened with respect to petrol prices.

A friend put it to me this way. Just before Chinese New Year, the price of petrol was raised yet again. Yes, in a country where most people are struggling with the existing prices, the added burden will no doubt cause unnecessary stress on quite a few.

 

Cliparts: Money Bags-JOHNNY AUTOMATIC /Oil Kills-KAESO

http://www.openclipart.org/

The ironic part, as I was told by one of my friends, was on the first day, the Government sends everyone a Gong Xi message to wish happy CNY to all and sundry, but as it was so eloquently put, really more like saying “thank you for the ang pow”.

I got the point on this, because it seems so timely. Just before a major celebration, up the prices or up the tax, so that you can collect, knowing full well the huge number of people travelling.

Government tax is, as a former colleague put it, “legitimate theft”.

Quote for Day 40

...cOs i FeEl liKe 

tHe

wOrLd iS 

uP agAiNst mE!!!

Service With A Capital S

Story & Photos: M ISMAIL

WE have not been posting any food reviews of late. My guess is everyone’s been stuffing their face during the Chinese New Year that they forgot to do some work after. But all’s good as we continue to write about the things that make us happy as well as unhappy. And, today’s food review is an unhappy piece.

My friends and I used to hang-out at this food outlet called Asam Pedas at The Curve since it first opened a few years back. Its main hook is its food concept – serious Malaysian food such as my all-time favourite Roti Canai (something akin to chapati) normally served at the Mamak.

Initially the outlet was called by a different name. After a while it changed to the present and has been Asam Pedas ever since. But, again, it remains under the same company, just a name change.

When it was the outlet by the first name, which I can’t remember (and that’s how impressive it is) I hated the Nescafe Panas so much I feel like puking when I first drank it. But Malaysians being Malaysians, none of the wait staff asked if there was anything wrong with the hardly-touched drink when I left after settling the bill. Thank you. That’s very thoughtful.

I still frequent the place now and then despite one or two irritating things that happened whenever I was there (small, annoying service-oriented flaws that I can close my eye to). But the service got worse every day until it became unbearable.

Besides the Roti Canai I also love the Nasi Lemak Rendang Daging. Reason: the outlet serves Rendang Tok, a special traditional meat dish originating from Perak (a state in Malaysia). One day the Rendang Tok was BASI (stale)! Now that was off-putting. When the wait staff was informed, he returned everything to the kitchen and I had to order a different dish.

A highly exasperated, frustrated and speechless hungry customer at an EMPTY table after such a long wait.

Question: If the food is cooked fresh, it will not be basi, right? So what’s your guess?

The incident that made me completely stopped having my meals there was when my friend waited for her food order for nearly 45 minutes and it never came. By the time they reassured us her meal is coming I had (1) finished my meal (2) my friend was starving.

After almost an hour the “missing” food arrived. Well, one part of it – the sauce minus the main dish. We stared at the sauce, then the waiter. We couldn’t speak. Several minutes later the main item arrived. It was cold. We got up; paid for the meal we ate and left, not saying a word. I guess that was for the best because a hungry stomach makes a woman’s mouth seriously celupar (foul-mouthed).

That was somewhere in mid 2010. I’ve been to the mall a few times since but never ever again stopped at Asam Pedas. But one day I saw The Terrace, which is opposite of Asam Pedas and has been given an impressive facelift.

The Terrace looks crisp and clean with its white tables and chairs and open concept, very much like an European al-fresco dining outlet. The outlet covers a big area such that it can afford indoors and outdoors seating. My friend and I sat outside.

The wait staff came with the menu. We ordered our food – one Watermelon drink, one Teh Tarik, one Roti Jala and Roti Canai served with Chicken Curry and Dhall.

We chatted and laughed and chatted and laughed while waiting for the food to arrive. Five minutes passed then 10 then 15. We stopped chatting. Then we stopped laughing. Our faces became grim. My fingers started tapping the table furiously. One sentence came out from my mouth: “We are THE only customer?!”

Here's the bill. Sorry you didn't enjoy the food???

The Watermelon drink came first. Much later I saw the waiter brought a Teh Tarik. Phew, finally. But the waiter took the corner, entered the indoor section and the Teh Tarik was placed at the bar counter. I looked at it puzzled. Minutes later the Teh Tarik, Roti Canai and Roti Jala finally came to our table. And surprise surprise! Everything was either cold or lukewarm.

Then something struck me! DANG!!! Asam Pedas and The Terrace are sister outlets under the Royale Bintang hotel!

Conclusion:
1.    Good food concept but low food quality.
2.    Super crap service, worst than a snail’s pace.
3.    Inefficient and ignorant wait staff that ignores you when you waive to get some service.
4.    Same menu served at both outlets with food coming from the same kitchen – the hotel’s – so why so bad? Answer: my guess is they take the food ordered from the hotel’s buffet line and isn’t cooked fresh.

If a four-star establishment wants to charge me RM14 for a Watermelon drink, RM8 for a Teh Tarik, RM10 for Roti Canai and RM12 for Roti Jala they had better be damn sure they spruce up their act. Otherwise, they can take their 4-star hotel tag down the bin!

ASAM PEDAS & THE TERRACE

G86A & G53 The Curve

Mutiara Damansara

Petaling Jaya

Malaysia

Quote for Day 39

Clipart: LETFOVER-BACON

http://www.openclipart.org/

Not everything in life can be understood. Sometimes, we are forced to understand - Anon