Our affair with BOZCAADA ISLAND was never going to be long term – just one night – but that didn’t mean it was not enjoyable.
Following an afternoon fling around the island in the rental car and refreshments at our favourite cafe (if indeed we could claim a favourite after so short a visit), we browsed through shops selling gourmet gifts beyond our budget and prowled around the harbour, the left side of which housed the fishing fleet and a smattering of seafood restaurants.
That night we were one of the first couples to arrive at the restaurant strip in the Greek part of town. Having no dining recommendations we wandered till we found a place with fish stencilled on the external walls and a welcoming island vibe.
Being a firm believer in eating fried fish after a day spent near the ocean, I ordered a mix of deep fried julienned vegetables, prawn and squid. My vision of individually tempura coated strips, materialised into a mix of calamari, bean and carrot strips, formed into a log and fried whole. There may have been prawns, but I am not sure where.
Was this strange looking vaguely squid shaped beast an island speciality – or something the chef dreamt up after one too many wines? The outer skin seemed to contain most of the calamari strips and was pleasantly crunchy while the vegetables within were tender and yielding without being too soft. Eaten with the bed of salad greens and teemed with a loaf of unbleached artisan bread and herb chilli oil, it was a meal to remember.
My meal was the attention grabber while Marty’s calamari in a cheesy/garlic possibly yoghurt sauce didn’t even warrant a photo. Such is life.
Just one more spin around the harbour followed by a visit to our cafe for an ice-cream night cap and our island affair was all but over.
Budget Talk
Bade-i-Ask Restaurant – Two Meals and a large bottle of water, bread and oil 38tl.
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Visit Townsville in Springtime
Reminds me of carefree times. Thanks for sharing 🙂
I would’ve been startled at that unusual presentation too! Thank goodness for ice cream. 🙂
It is on my bucket list – was one night enough though?
Hi Natalie. It reminded me of Magnetic Island off our hometown in Australia, in that it would be the kind of place that locals would return to on a yearly basis. If I had plenty of time I would stay for five days for a relaxing break. If time is limited, two nights would be better than one. It also would depend what season it was. It was quite sleepy when we were there (September). In season the atmosphere would have more of a buzz. We just scratched the surface. One night was not enough.
With that initial description of what you ordered, I also wasn’t expecting what you got. Glad that it was delicious, and I hope you at least shared a few bites with Marty.
Hi Michelle, I offered him some but he wasn’t interested,lol.
I think your meal looks lovely, Jan. Too bad Marty’s calamari wasn’t as memorable. I love the idea of an ice cream night cap 🙂
Thanks for linking up this week. #TPThursday
I love the fish stencils on the wall, I think they would have drawn me in too.
We saw those in other places in Turkey as well 🙂
I love that fish design in the restaurant, and that weird dish sounds amazing.
Agreed lol. I like surprises 🙂
Those fish stencils definitely look inviting and I would have gone in for that reason. Looks like a wonderful place to spend the day. Your meal is certainly memorable. Sometimes different and unique are good too. That dish looks very appealing.
It was such an unusual presentation for sure. Thanks for commenting Mary.
I feel so disappointed for Marty. Of the two, I would have thought his was the easier dish to prepare (and not mess up). Maybe it was just too easy for the chef. By the looks of it, I wouldn’t expect yours to be that delicious. Glad your affair didn’t end on a sour note.
No we had a lovely night. Marty’s food was fine, just not as unexpected as mine was 🙂