Turkey is famous worldwide for its beautiful mosques and scenic landscapes and Turkish cuisine reflects that vibrant culture and tradition. Turkish food is amazingly varied with an impressive range of dishes but one thing for sure is that they do know how to cook up some amazing meat dishes! Lamb, chicken, beef- you name it! They have got it all! This is definitely the place to be if you are a meat-loving fiend! So, let’s go try some Turkish food in Korea!
Istanbul Grill is located at 8, 102 Gongdeok Parkzai, 476 Gongdeok-dong, Mapo-gu, Seoul.
You can get here by taking the subway from City Hall Station in Seoul to Soedaemun Station. Switch to Line 5 and travel to Gongdeok Station. Istanbul Grill is about 5 minutes walk from Gongdeok Station exit 1.
Or you could get on the N16 that starts from the Samsung Main Building and runs till Gongdeok Station. Get off here and make your way to Istanbul Grill which is only 10 minutes away.
I have to say this place has a very modern vibe to it because of the soft lighting and trendy wood paneling on the wall.
The tables are also cleverly divided by glass partitions so that you can have some privacy from other diners.
Overall the restaurant has a very open and welcoming atmosphere. You can get a table directly in front of the open kitchen if you are curious about how they make some of that delicious Turkish food.
Want to know a fun fact? The blue talisman under the painting is actually believed to protect from the evil eye! Isn’t it an interesting tidbit about Turkish culture?
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Here, comes the fun part! Let’s go through their menu together! As you can see they have an absolutely stunning range of dishes on offer. There are about four different grill barbecue platters to choose from with a mix of lamb and chicken skewers.
They also have minced lamb meatballs and the signature lamb chop as well as chicken barbecue. Also check out their meat skewers available in lamb, chicken and beef so you can go with your meat preference here! I definitely recommend getting at least one of the skewer options because Turkey is literally famous for them so they are a must-eat!
They also have a large selection of side dishes to choose from including pilaf rice, salads, hummus and much more!
And to top it all off you have to get that world-famous Turkish ice cream: the dondurma!
Here are some of the things we got! We started off with a soup which has all the warm flavors of a rich Indian curry.
And we paired it with a traditional Turkish yoghurt drink made with honey and Turkish yoghurt. It was a bit sour but very frothy and refreshing!
Drum roll! Here comes the feast! Literally every inch of the table was covered!
We got three platters of skewers and the decadent eggplant dish plus cabbage pickle and cucumber salad.
Look at these close-ups! The meat is grilled to perfection and glistening with those meat juices. Believe me it doesn’t just look yummy but tastes yummy too!
Honestly, this is the go to place if you want to enjoy some real Turkish food in Korea!
And I have to say Turkish cuisine with its simple but elegant flavors is sure to please everyone’s palate which makes it an ideal place to treat some friends to a meal.
Istanbul Grill passes with flying colors! It has a welcoming vibe plus some great food options especially those meat skewers! An absolutely delightful place for a night out!
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