PRICE:
Frommer's Exceptional

Develi's success may have translated into a blossoming of sister locations around the country, but no matter how good the others may be, this Develi maintains a level of consistency and fabulousness worthy of more than a simple star rating will allow. For their regional specialties, they follow outstanding recipes from the Gaziantep region of southeastern Turkey -- this translates roughly as blisteringly spicy. Adventurous eaters should order the fiery çig köfte, beefy meatballs combined with every spice in the book, served raw in a soothing lettuce leaf. Other notable menu items include the muhamara, a delectable purée of bread, nuts, and chickpeas; the findik lahmacun, a thin-crust pizza made Turkish-style with chopped lamb; or the lamb sausage and pistachio kebap. Leave room for the künefe, a warm slab of baklava dough oozing cheese, dipped in syrup, and covered with crushed pistachio nuts. The rooftop terrace is stupendous in the summer, and there's a nonsmoking room for indoor wintry evenings.

Copyright: Excerpted from Frommer's Istanbul, 1st Edition, (c) 2008, Wiley Publishing, Inc.

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