Tunç Balık — Restaurant in Kadıköy

This was probably one of my favorite food experiences this time coming to Istanbul. Even though I didn’t speak Turkish, the staff was very kind and tried helping me the best they could with recommendations and stuff.

I was going for the shrimp in butter which normally us the main way to win me over. However, they told me I should really consider the fresh fish of the day, and invited me over to see what they had available. After some consideration I went for the grilled skewer with some white fish.

As I was waiting for my dish to come, I was getting a bit skeptical since I know white fish can easily be a bit flavorless and easy to overcook. But all of these feeling la dissipated the moment I took a bite from this fish. They had scorched the fish enough to get this beautiful subtly charred surface, but the inside was so soft and juicy it really held the flavor of the fresh fish so well. In terms of seasoning it really felt like this very light but beautiful flavor of the fish getting on the skewer next to some lemon and bayleef, and after adding some needed salt to this I feel like the flavor of the fish elevated really got to shine. I always love dishes that don’t hide their main ingredient, but champion it and let every other component of the dish support it.

If you want a good seafood restaurant in Istanbul, I don’t think you should doubt for a second to go here.

Edit: I went back here on my last day because that fish really stuck in my mind. Unfortunately this time around, while it was still good, I don’t think it really captured that other’s night of the charred surface and super moist and juicy insides. So maybe it’s between the chefs that make the result vary. Additionally, I also ordered the calamari hoping it would maybe hold the same standard, and while the squid itself was really tasty, the batter was a bit soggy and didn’t really do the superb squid justice. The complimentary sauce also didn’t really highlight the calamari and lacked flavor. I think on the fish I had on the first night, this place is def a 5, but now with overall experience in consideration I’d maybe say 4. However, all in all I recommend to still visit this place. If you go here, for sure just head to the fresh fish aisle and skip the ala...

We have been to the restaurant a few times as we live nearby. During our recent and last visit, we noticed they charged us 200tl extra for a service fee!. More than 20 percent of our totaI bill! I was not sure if they had done that before but they just renovated the restaurant that has become bigger and more people coming. Previously, It was quite a new small restaurant selling fresh and cooked seafood. By charging us 200tl service charge for normal meals and service which was not extraordinary, it was like telling us ...'Don't come again and do not recommend us to your friends and neighbours'. I asked my Turkish friend to call the restaurant, and the person who answered the call said that they do not charge any fee for their service. So is this a fee they impose specially for 'yabanci'? We have been living here for many years, went to many fish restaurants and other restaurants but we never experienced this. The most we had been charged if there was a service charge was 50tl although it was very rare. We are more than happy to give reasonable tips based on service, food we eat and total amount of the bill. We always do that. But 200tl that they just simply put in our bill is simply...

Originally from Beyoğlu Balık Pazar, I finally had the chance to visit Tunç Balık's Caddebostan branch. The place is very elegant and clean, with friendly and attentive staff.

I tried one of their classic sandwiches, the lakerda salmon sandwich with tarama, and the ingredients were fresh and delicious. The harmony of the lakerda made from bonito, smoked salmon, tarama, red onion, and arugula was impressive. However, the bread was soft and not fresh, which overshadowed the flavors and disrupted the sandwich's integrity. Therefore, the sandwich fell short, but the quality of the ingredients was excellent. It could reach perfection with a good baguette, so bringing your own bread might be...