Being in Ankara for the very first time, we asked a group of taxi drivers for one of the best restaurants in Ankara. We by now know every Kebab store is very good and all meats are okay but we wanted something else, so they brought us to a fish restaurant. www.tunabalikcisi.com.tr

Right from the entrance you feel like you are in a typical Greek restaurant somewhere on a Greek Island (sorry for all the Turks, do not want to insult you….). Nice white and blue interior and all sorts of sailor memorabilia  and a vitrine of fresh fish. At the entrance we were directly greeted by the F&B manager who did a great job of making you feel at home. You could also see there was maybe to much people working there because the service level was extreme, the were almost fighting who could serve our table…. But in a good way, very helpful, made us feel welcome.

The manager asked us to come to see the fresh fish hand make a selection. We chose the Grouper, which they would grill. As a starter I told him to surprise us and bring some traditional small starters.

They started with 3 small dishes containing smoked salmon in a tomato sauce (heinz with sugar), not my personal favorite, but my business partner loved it, there was a bowl of mashed eggplant with cheepcheese and very good yoghurt with cheese and spicy spices, perfect o the Turkishbread! Next cam some other small plates (but more then enough) with opened eggplant and grilled cheese (Yummie!), fried Calamari (more Yummi), an incredible big seafoodsalad with krab (surimi so less points….) calamari, shrimps, corn and other toppings, very nice, then some spicy szzzzling shrimps and some more bread.

After this, very quickly, came our grouper, which they nicely took of the bone right at the table. Combined with only the fresh Lemon, it was succulent good. Unfortunately I still had 2 bones and that is just why I am a meateater, I do not want to be scared with every bite I take….

I can say that together with the local Chardonnay it was a more then descent meal. Lucky us the perfect manager was so nice to bring us some local dessert, free of charge. Containing hot steamy nuts with grilled and caramelized into one sticky tasty mess, topped with icecream or maybe more like a froezn cream.

After this a good Turkish coffee and a local brandy. Yup, a good restaurant for any one that want’s something other then the normal meat cuisine.

Points:

Staff: 8.5 (on service a 9.5 but -1 point for serving us this extreme quick, people like to enjoy their time in a restaurant and the good food!)

Food: 8.7

Coziness: classic but in theme! 8.2

Price: 7.5 (100 euro for 2 which is okay for Western-Europe but pretty high for this part of the world)