I Still Love Popular Diners: Searching for Lokantas in Turkey
Merhaba! (Hello!)
This is surf anne from the Aegean Sea🥰
Since deciding to move to Turkey,
one of the painful things about leaving Japan
was that I wouldn't be able to visit my favorite eateries for a while.
It wasn't just about not being able to eat delicious Japanese food;
it was the thought of not being able to see the owner and their family,
and not being able to step into the space I loved so much,
which made my heart ache.
“I’m moving abroad, so I won’t be able to come for a while.”
When I looked at the owner’s face, I just couldn't bring myself to say those words...💦
I love old-fashioned popular diners.
Something like this...
Just looking at the menu is fun!
I’ve been drawn to their charm since I was young.
The clientele at local popular diners is mostly men older than me.
At lunchtime, they are overflowing with salarymen.
However, I don't mind at all eating surrounded by middle-aged men.
After all, that’s what makes a popular diner; a diner loved by middle-aged men is proof that it’s cheap and delicious.
During the lunch rush, sharing a table with such customers was an everyday occurrence, but I was totally fine with it.
If I were to dislike or hesitate over such things, I wouldn't grow at all.
After all, I’m only here because I want to eat this heartwarming, delicious food.
So naturally, my taste in restaurants didn't match that of women my age.
During lunch breaks at work,
“Let’s go to lunch together? Do you know any good places, anywhere is fine?”
being asked that was very painful.
(Is it really anywhere? Even a popular diner where we have to share a table surrounded by middle-aged men?)
was my inner voice.
Once you become a regular at a diner, you chat with the owner, get to know other regulars and greet them,
and sometimes you even get a side dish on the house...
Those human connections are truly warm,
and before I knew it, I wasn't just seeking the taste;
I had come to love the unique space itself and started visiting just to see the faces of the couple who ran the diner.
Even now that I’m in Turkey, I wonder if they’re doing well,
and I remember the faces of the owners of the places I used to frequent.
Of course, when I left Japan,
I made sure to properly say my temporary goodbyes.
“I’ll be waiting for you when you come back to Japan!”
“I’ll keep the shop running until you return!” were their happy words♡
That’s why, even after coming to Turkey, I naturally find myself searching.
For the popular diners I love,
for a comforting space, taste, and human kindness where hearts can connect.
Popular diners in Turkey are called"Lokanta",
and there are many, ranging from large establishments listed in guidebooks
to small, family-run shops not yet even listed on Google Maps.
The lokantas that my husband and I like, which rival Japanese popular diners,
are often not listed on maps or reviews, so we have no choice but to rely on our own intuition to find them.
Here are some of the lokantas I love and the dishes I selected that I found that way!
Çorba
The Turkish way is to pour plenty of yogurt over the vegetables as a sauce.
. A classic drink is the yogurt drink, Ayran
It tastes like ketchup rice, so it might be to a Japanese person's liking.
• Bread and salad are served for free at almost every lokanta.
This cost about 1000 yen total for two people! (As of November 2023)
It is delicious when eaten over pilaf.
・Soup çorba is also a staple menu item at lokantas.
You can enjoy a variety of daily specials.
It has a large number of menu items.
a fried version of köfte (top left in photo).
Also, takeout is available at every lokanta.
When you get tired of kebab rolls and the like while traveling in Turkey, don't you find yourself wanting to eat vegetable salads or some stewed dishes that are easy on the stomach?
(That was the case for me.)
In such times, takeout from a lokanta is very convenient.
They put the food in insulated containers so it doesn't get cold, allowing you to eat it while it's still warm at your hotel, and
there are also pre-packed salads available for takeout.
The fact that you can visit them casually is one of the charms of lokantas when visiting Turkey for travel.
you can order by pointing, which is friendly for travelers.
Turkish cuisine is one of the world's three great cuisines, and
it is rich in a wide variety of dishes, but
I feel that not many Japanese people know that.
“What kind of food is there in Turkish cuisine?
Kebab and Turkish ice cream?”
That is what my Japanese friends would say to me.
Authentic kebabs are certainly delicious, and there are indeed many shops, but
that's not all there is.
I want to shout to the Japanese people that Turkish cuisine is profound and has so many delicious things!!
By the way, even though we say kebab in one word, there are many types, and
in Japan, the common kebab roll is not the only kebab.
is minced meat skewered and grilled over charcoal.
It has no strong flavor and is easy to eat.
is a classic chicken kebab.
It's like a large yakitori and is delicious.
Finally, my favorite go-to lokanta.
It's not even on Google Maps, but unfortunately, I will keep the location a secret.
I am always grateful for the menu with plenty of vegetables.
It's almost like Japanese food!
The food, the atmosphere, and the encounters that you could never experience at restaurants aimed at tourists.
These are all packed into Turkey's popular diners, 'lokantas'.
It is precisely at a lokanta that you can encounter the home-cooked flavors that Turkish people love, and truly experience Turkish food culture in the real sense.
When you come to Turkey, I definitely want you to find your own favorite lokanta.