Yes, everyone has tried mantı at least once Alizah Salario tries a little bit of this and a little bit of that and discovers why its such a favorite dish.

I confess: I was skeptical about going on a mantı marathon.  To be honest, mantı intimidated me. The first time I looked at a plain bowl of the translucent, oddly shaped stuff, little did I know that eating mantı plain is somewhat of an abomination and doesn’t do this delectable dish justice.  Certainly, the moniker given to mantı by foreigners (Turkish ravioli) is misleading at best and totally unappetizing at worst. (For the record, pide is not just “Turkish pizza ” nor is a simit a “Turkish bagel.”) Four days, three restaurants, and countless mantı dishes later, I can safely say that I’ve become a mantı fan – and learned how to mix it with creamy garlic yogurt, rich peppered butter, and pungent spices in perfect proportions.

Traditional mantı, or Kayseri mantı, is comprised of small pieces of flour dough (usually boiled) stuffed with ground beef or potato.  Each piece is pinched and folded by hand; due to the delicate handiwork and labor-intensive nature, making mant is traditionally considered women’s work. The product is something of a hybrid between pasta and dumplings – chewy, soft, and very filling – but mantı defies categorization and deserves a label all its own. Many will tell you that a plate of mantı is incomplete if not mixed with heaps of garlic yogurt, then drizzled with buttery pepper sauce and topped off with spoonfuls of three complimentary spices: mint, red pepper and sumac.  In short, mantı’s uniqueness lies in its contradictions; the cool garlic yogurt contrasts with the piping hot pieces, the refreshing mint tempers the red pepper and piquant sumac.

So go ahead and take your own Istanbul mantı tour, but only if you heed my warning – order one mantı dish and supplement with light mezes and salads – unless you want to end up taking your belt back a few notches.

Emek Mantı Evi

My first stop was Emek Mantı in Yeniköy, where I started my meal with fresh dolmas and spicy lentil köfte.  The manager had worked at Emek for over a decade and was attentive and eager to explain the world of mantı to an unassuming novice like myself.  Emek boasts a unique list of unconventional dishes that I failed to find elsewhere:  Uzbek mantı resembles tortellini in size and texture and is plumper and fuller than the traditional dish, while Emek’s scrumptious Saray mantı is fried and crispy on the outside, full of tender ground beef on the inside.  I still needed more carbs, so I also tried a crescent shaped piece of puff börek. Somewhere between a crepe and a popever, this pastry was so light and flakey I easily forgot it was full of cheese and grease.  A succulent slice of kadifye comprised of honey-saturated pastry dough resembling shredded wheat topped with whole pistachios was the perfect sweet to compliment my savory meal. 

Generous portions, the creamiest yogurt I’ve ever tasted, an extensive display of homemade desserts and mezes and an open kitchen where I watched mantı makers in action makes Emek the place for a traditional mantı experience. Rich mahogany fixtures and plush booths filled with local clientele make Emek a charming and comfortable spot for a relaxed lunch or dinner. Emek doesn’t offer alcohol. Prices could be steep for mantı (16+ ytl for specialty dishes) but well worth it.

Köybaşı Caddesi No. 218 Yeniköy  (212)262-6981

 

 

Casita Mantı Etiler Spanish flavor works in the decor, but not the food.

As its name suggests, Casita resembles a rustic little bungalow in the countryside. The brick inlaid archways and kitscy decor details create a cozy, homey atmosphere. Yet it was the ‘shabby chic’ vibe and perfectly coiffed clientele that reminded me I was not tucked away in a Spanish forest but sitting right below Chilis on Etiler’s congested main drag.  Casita offers full plates of their specialties or a unique mantı trio (20 ytl): small portions of Carina Italana (mantı in a spiced tomato sauce) Casalinga (pesto and cream), and traditional feriye served side by side.  Despite the eclectic flavor trio and artistic presentation, the pseudo-Italian options looked better than they tasted.  Conclusion: mantı should not try to be what it isn’t – specifically, Italian food. I suggest sticking with the traditional stuff: the feriye was addicting and the külleme, an eggplant and garlic meze, was just the right light starter to offset the heavy meal.  Casita also has wide menu of meat dishes as well as western fare, and their kağıt helva will satisfy your sweet tooth.

Nispetiye Cad. No: 5 Etiler İstanbul
Tel : 0 212 263 70 07

Bodrum Mantı  - Arnavutköy

I admit that by the time I got to Bodrum, I was nearly sick of the stuff. Then I discover the beauty of feriye, mantı’s cousin: crisper, drier, fried and delicious. I’d like to think its what you get when junk food goes gourmet.

Heaping bowls of feriye are only 12.50TL and come in many varieties: fresh spinach, creamy potato and cheese, ground meat, chicken, and even a surprisingly good light option made with wheat flour. All are fresh and stuffed to capacity. I still managed to room for their traditional mantı; it was serving sizzling hot, cooked to perfection and nearly bursting at the seams with meat filling.

Bodrum’s other forte is its outstanding mezes:  don’t miss their içli köfte, mini football-shaped croquettes with a crisp crust and stuffed with mince meat and chopped walnuts, delicious with a spritz of lemon and a dollop of hot sauce. The çökertme kebap - tender, juicy strips of lamb displayed on a bed of shoestring fries - was the type of hearty meat dish that reminds me why I left my vegetarian days in the past. 

Bodrum also offers a complimentary slice of kağıt bebek (literally, “paper baby”) for dessert.  Rich vanilla ice cream sandwiched between two wafers drenched in a burgundy sauce of wine, cherry, cinnamon and pistachios. Yes, it is as heavenly as it sounds.  Attentive service, a cozy bahçe where I had a Bosphorus view and outstanding food left me satiated in mind and body.

Merkez : 1. Cad. No:111 ARNAVUTKÖY 0-212-2632918 / 0-212-2632919 / 0-212-2638592