LOW INTEREST TO TURKISH FOOD

[ayse]

Hi

It could be that some people are afraid of the unknown, i.e the ingredients that the Turkish dishes comprise of. People may be too shy to ask for information so will go for dishes that they are more familiar with. Hope that more people try the traditional turkish food as they will enjoy it.

[blondie]

I agree with you completely - personally, when I'm on holiday I want to eat the local food, and I happen to think Turkish food is wonderful. I would love to see far more restaurants in Icmeler serving authentic local food. I don't understand why people go abroad on holiday and want to eat the same things they have at home (that's just my opinion though). The best meals we've had in Icmeler have been at places like Hanedan and the Lal, as well as the local kebab/pide places. More "proper" Turkish food - yes please for me!
We've always found restaurant owners more than happy to explain what is in dishes - they're usually delighted that you're showing an interest in their food and will go out of their way to make sure you enjoy it. I wish more people would try Turkish dishes - they are absolutely delicious!

[blondie]

I think Turkish food is very under-rated as a whole. If you mention Turkish food to people in the UK, many tend to assume it's just the fast-food style kebabs which you get in the UK - and they're amazed when you tell them what a vast range of delicious dishes are available.
As you say, it's all down to personal choice - but I think if more people gave the authentic dishes a try, they would love them.

[Amy- Mansfield]

hi, i know slightly off topic but where is the hanedan? x

[blondie]

Hi Amy - if you know where the Romance Palace is, just keep walking up that road and it's a bit further up on the same side.

[alexsam]

Hanedan - have you tried maybe doing a taster menu?

Create a few small dishes that people can buy - similar to the spanish tapas

I guarantee that when I there in just over a weeks time that i will be only eating turkish food every night and i will come to eat at your establishment.

Never understood the point of flying to another country and only chips and beans - why bother - and I love chips and beans at home

[Chris221273]

Well, apart from the odd toastie at lunch times we don't intend to be eating 'british' food.
Having never tried Turkish food that is high on the agenda.
I would never come to another country and eat burgers n chips, not that I eat them anyway as I don't like chips too much and really don't see the point in travelling all that way to just eat the same stuff you do at home.
So we will definitely be coming to your place and have added you on my list of things to see/do/eat whilst there
Chris & Anita

[dksbbs]

The reviews on Trip Advisor are very good, we will come along in August for a meal and hopefully we will persuade our friends to do the same.

Dave

[smc4761]

I dont think that your restaurant is quiet due to a low interest in Turkish food. I believe that there are several factors

Familiarity; people tend to go back to the same restaurants they have been going to for years. The food is good and they kniow what to expect plus they may see old friends

Rightly or wrongly people are worried about getting an upset stomach on holiday. They perhaps then may not be too adventurous with their food choces and stick to what they know.

Location. In Icmeler location is everything and I think that your restaurant may be in the wrong place as itis not in the centre of the town. Most of the restaurant in the area, Robin Hood, Sonys, even Ozzys old place, Wembley bar etc are slightly out of the way.i tend to stay in the village area and walked past these restaurants this year and generally they were quiet as they have been on previous years. yet when you go into town some are very busy

I wish you evryluck with your restaurant and hope to see you perhaps next year

Stewart

[gh1878]

The problem as I see it is that you very rarely get everyone in a group wanting to eat turkish food, especially if you have children or elderly people with you. Therefore, there is no option but to find a restaurant which serves a variety of dishes (chinese, indian turkish etc). Most reataurants in Icmeler have therefore moved over to catering for these mixed groups which leaves Turkish restaurants being the niche market. The trouble with niche markets, by inference, is that they are for the 'chosen few', in this case those people who love Turkish food. The same is true over here in the UK, for example it has only been in the last few years that we as a family have been able to 'go for a curry' as the kids wanted pizza, chicken nuggets, burgers etc before that. This is only an explanation of the situation, unfortunately I cannot offer a solution other than maybe suggest that take the food to the people. From memory, the Turkish restauarants seem to be away from the centre so maybe take a barrow loaded up with free samples into the square and get the people passing to have a taste. Good luck !!!!!

[bikerjambo]

Ok, you've talked me into a visit in Sept.
See you then.

[Elayne]

HI Hanedan

we will visit you in september we know exactley where your restaurant is as we were in icmeler in june and walked past it most nights, we didn't go in as we went for a meal there last year and it was just ok but didnt realise that you are new owners and have delicious turkish food so we will see you in september x

[callum]

we have passed your place lots of times .BUTwe wont walk passed when we come in september promise to pay you a visit cant wait.

[Elayne]

we have passed your place lots of times .BUTwe wont walk passed when we come in september promise to pay you a visit cant wait.

we will all be there the same time ha ha

[D Craddock]

We first visited Icmeler in 1998, been ever since apart from 1 year.
Having half board facilities we never ate a restaurant meal, only snacks.
In 2005 we did our 1st s/catering and ate out at night.
Still reluctant to experiment we stuck mostly to what we recognised.
Later having asked what a particuler item was from the Turkish menu I started to try
different foods. Now always turkish, have never had a bad meal all ver delicious.
Mostly lamb/beef/chicken based, so if you like that sort of thing, please try.

Dave.

[yorkshirerobin]

We have been coming to Turkey for 12 years but am ashamed to say we only discovered Turkish food 5 years ago. Since then we always eat turkish when we come over and also at home as we have a lovely Turkish Restaurant in the town. Our holiday is not complete without eating out and having the delicious food, will definately visit you at Hanedan when we come only 7 weeks to go yippee

[Teeeny2222]

Last year we came to Icmeler and we had all Turkish meals and no complaints about any of them all excellent, even if I had a sandwich in the afternoon had Turkish Bread and very good it was, my other half who is not one for trying different foods tried Turkish food and was converted all the hols. and every plate was cleared. coming back also in Aug/Sept this year and looking forward to sampling some more Turkish Delights

[booker]

i love trying local food, will be here end of sept to find bacstreet local places.

[jonnyb19782]

If you ask me to name a few dishes from different cuisine. Italian, Indian,Chinese,French I could name a good few. Ask me for a Turkish one I would not have a clue before reading this forum...why?

Maybe your country as a whole has not widely advertised and marketed Turkish food. I knew nothing of it before joining this forum after booking our first holiday to turkey...maybe a international campaign is needed to get people to take notice.

In resort Im guessing there is a lot of British and people do seem to shy away from the unknown and prefer their beans on toast.. It a way of life.

I never knew what pide was so if I seen in on a menu I would ignore it unless it had a brief description turko would consider it along with other unknowns as long as I knew what was in it.

Icmeler as a whole seems to be packed with restaurants so Im assuming competition is fierce.

As a whole ive never bothered with Turkish food as I never knew what it consisted. Maybe more people from across the world need to be made aware of what kind of dishes there are. Having found this out I cant wait to try some traditional food.

[Erik The Viking]

This has got to be one of the best conversations of the forum for ages. I too find it strange that people go to Turkey and buy what they get at home, it always amazes me that people tuck into Sunday roasts etc but if thats your thing then fine. I was talking to another tourist in a restaurant and they said they dont eat Turkish food because 'its too spicy' which goes to show how little they knew of the various Turkish dishes.

To be honest, and I for one am guilty, dont try lots of new things because to be honest, i havent a clue what they are!! I love hot and spicy food and want to try different things but i suppose we are scared of ordering something we wont like, especially if your on a budget.

The idea of a Tapas style bar is fantastic, lots of small taster dishes that can be shared, it wouldnt take long to work out what you like, and if the dishes were literally a couple of mouthfuls it wouldnt be too expensive.

I personally would not visit the Lal again, as the experince i had personally means I would never return and was a bad advert for turkish food. We too will visit in August and give you a try