So a few months ago I found out that I am a Coeliac which in a nutshell means no gluten
Last week I took my first holiday since finding out this dietary requirement and so I figured I would share some of the things I learnt
This bad boy came in very useful and is highly recommended for visiting overseas...
So what did Istanbul hold for me...
Tip One - They don't really understand what you mean unless you have the card...I was told a few times that things were ok no gluten only to take one look and have to explain that things like breadsticks do have gluten in them...
Tip Two - You MUST visit the Neyzade Restaurant www.neyzaderestaurant.com - this place made Gluten Free bread fresh for you - waiters made you feel welcome and were able to say exactly what you could and couldn't eat as well as explaining how they would modify dishes to fit a gluten free diet! The food was excellent, it's a lovely restaurant with brilliant service and it's great value for money
Tip Three - If in doubt stick to Shish Kebab Meat...be careful here as many of the mincemeat kebabs are claimed to be pure mincemeat (no breadcrumbs) but once you delve deeper you can realise they are loaded with them - I found out the hard way that claims of 'don't worry just mincemeat' aren't always true
Tip Four - Depending on your view on Corn Starch (and some do differ) Turkish Delight can be eaten in certain places...after showing the card in many places they said no you couldn't have Turkish Delight but upon further discussion at a nice little place just by the Sultanhamet Tram stop they showed that you can have the Turkish Delight in Hafiz Mustafa store, and it's really good
Tip Five - Just try not to get too jealous of others desserts...deep fried ice cream, baked rice pudding, baklava, crepes - you name it you can't have it! It's good to know going in that you are pretty much limited to just fruit or ice cream for desserts and you can avoid instant food jealousy!
So those are my tips for Gluten Free in Istanbul - hope they help
Cheers
Richard
