T.G.I.T.F.F: Midye Dolma!

This week I would like to share one of my favorite foods I have eaten in Istanbul, Midye Dolma (MEED-ye DOL-ma). It literally translates to "mussels stuffed", which are cooked, stuffed with a spiced rice pilaf and then flavored with fresh lemon juice just before you pop them into your mouth. While I'm not ready to proclaim it as my most favorite food EVER, it's very high up on the list. As a post drinking food, it's definitely above the Sweet Potato quesadillas at Earwax but below the Carne Asada tacos at La Pasadita (both Chicago references). A common street food, there is man standing pretty much on every street corner with a tray full of these bad boys. You can also get them at restaurants but often they end up just going to the closest seller on the street and bringing them back to you for a slightly higher price.







I have not seen this myself but was told you could see some of the sellers (or their brother/cousin) actually dive into the Bosphorus themselves to collect the mussels before taking them back to the women of the family to stuff for the following day's inventory. Pretty smart since all you have to spend money on is rice, spices, and lemon. The rest of the money they make is pure profit.

At first glance, it's intimidating and even a little scary to try them. Aside from the sheer number of people selling them, the food inspector is definitely not around checking each stand for health code violations. The description in one Lonely Planet guidebook claims them to be teeming with bacteria and that you should eat them at your own risk. I think that description is overly dramatic but there is definitely reason to pause before trying one on the Galata Bridge after it's been sitting out in the hot sun for who knows how long. And if there's one thing you do not want to eat, it's a bad mussel.

Luckily, after a night of much beer consumption, we were taken to a favorite stand by some of our Turkish friends (the best way to find anything here). This is common practice by Turks after a night of drinking. You gather round the tray as the man shucks the mussel for you. You then eat it and deposit the shells back onto the tray. You can also take them pack et (to go) but it's definitely more fun to eat them right then and there. And the man will keep shucking until you ask him to stop, even if you tell him a set number to begin with, because once you start, it's really hard to stop and he knows this. Our friend told us her record was 25 mussels in one sitting. For her brother it was 55. I don't recommend eating that many but can understand it. My record so far is 10. Exactly why they're so delicious is hard to describe, but its mixture of salty, (black pepper) spicy, savory rice with the mussel flavor is perfect after drinking beer. And the lemon juice gives them such a perfect refreshing finish that you're ready for another one as soon as you've swallowed the one you just had.



The place we were taken to is in the heart of Balik Pasarı, the fish market district of Beyoğlu, called Midyeçi. I think it's the best place in the city. They were a family that started out as just a stand on the street but because of the popularity of their mussels, were able to open up an entire restaurant. I love stories like that.



Kevin and I have eaten there a couple of times now and while all of their other food is excellent, my heart will always beat fastest for their Midye Dolma. I've also tried other stands, but somehow Midyeçi's flavor is the best and their mussels the freshest. And even though they are a full fledged restaurant now, they still know where their bread is buttered. The humble stand is still planted in front of the restaurant ready to receive devoted fans.


A hungry audience awaits


Their appetite is insatiable!

Their website is also pretty awesome but in a different kind of way (I don't know what stuffed mussels have to do with "Mississippi Queen" but I'm sure it's important). Just writing about them makes me want to run over there and eat 10 right now. In fact, I think I'll do just that. Yum!



Final ratings (based on my patented 5 ∆ system):
Cost: about .50 each
Taste: ∆∆∆∆∆
Texture:∆∆∆∆∆
Overall Experience: ∆∆∆∆∆
Future Potential: ∆∆∆∆∆