As the protests in Taksim Square continue, I am reminded of our trips to the wonderful city of Istanbul. All the clichés are true - East meets West, ancient meets modern, religious meets secular - and this makes for a welcoming and fascinating place to visit, even though the underlying and inevitable political tensions that this brings are clear to see.
Strolling along Istiklal Cadesi (Independence Avenue, the main commercial street), we saw burqa-clad women, teenagers in tank tops and short shorts, cherry juice vendors in classical ottoman gear and business people heading for meetings in the surrounding offices and posh hotels, as well, of course, as other tourists, there to sample the history, culture, natural beauty, food and shopping for which Turkey is famous.
Istanbul has been a favourite tourist destination for centuries. In the '60s and '70s, the hippie trail crossed Turkey to India and Nepal. In the days before budget airlines, the only option was overland. The Pudding Shop is the nickname for the Lale Restaurant in Istanbul, which became famous for its noticeboard: the place to hitch a ride to the East, or find a details of the next bus heading in the right direction, or even to pin love letters. It was also featured in Midnight Express, which no doubt helped to build its reputation.
Strolling along Istiklal Cadesi (Independence Avenue, the main commercial street), we saw burqa-clad women, teenagers in tank tops and short shorts, cherry juice vendors in classical ottoman gear and business people heading for meetings in the surrounding offices and posh hotels, as well, of course, as other tourists, there to sample the history, culture, natural beauty, food and shopping for which Turkey is famous.
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| The original bulletin board (From The Pudding Shop's website) |
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The Pudding Shop interior (from The Pudding Shop's website)
The interior is nothing special. Some old photos and the bulletin board can still be seen (with just a few messages remaining from 1960's travelers, as well as some more modern notes). It's a self-service cafeteria downstairs, with waiter service upstairs. The menu offers a reasonable selection of Turkish favourites: stuffed vine leaves, aubergine, lamb with potatoes, shish, kebab and mixed grill. Lamb, tomato, yogurt and spices come together in recipes that are unmistakably Turkish.
The selection in the self-service section (from The Pudding Shop's website)
With its great diversity of influences, Turkish is among the most interesting and flavoursome of the Mediterranean cuisines. Food at the Pudding Shop is no better than the average, but then average is pretty good. Desserts include the classic Ashura, or "Noah's pudding" (a custardy sort of pudding containing dried fruits and beans - better than it sounds). Because it's something of a cult classic, it is often crowded. Don't bother to queue if it's full, but if you find The Pudding Shop on a day that is not too busy, enjoy this little piece of Istanbul (and hippy) history.
The Pudding Shop is on Divanyolu, close to the Blue Mosque, Hagia Sophia and the Hippodrome, so convenient for a spot of lunch while sight-seeing.
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