Tag: restaurants

Is All This for Free with My Meal?

M's Adventures
At Kebapci Euup Usta, this is the standard free salads/mezze with a kabob meal.

When you order Adana kebab, or any kind of kebab, you will be given some free dishes. This is how it is supposed to be. If a place charges you for these salads that they bring to you, don’t go there again. Also, don’t go back if the place charges you too much (Recently I was charged 3,000 Turkish Lira for a mixed grill for two people — that is too much!).

These free salads or appetizers will arrive before your meal but you can continue to eat them during your meal to use in your sandwich. Most kabobs are eaten as a handheld wrap. There will usually be salt and red pepper powder on the table as well. Some places include grape molasses which alongside the lemons allow you to create your own dressing for the sandwich or salads. Most of the salads area already dressed with grape molasses or sumac. Most places will include a plate of herbs and lemons. Always parsley, often mint, and sometimes dill too. Many Turks will eat parsley straight up while waiting for the rest of the food. Sort of treating parsley like a breadstick.

At Han Kebap, they give you individual salads and “cig kofte” wraps.

Really basic places will give you smaller portions or simply the herbs and the onion salad. And large places will give you lots of salads including the basics, some with shallots only, cooked onion salads, and some even include baked “pizza” items like pide or lahmacun.

At Han Kebap, their spicy wet salad is excellent.

The thing with kabobs is that they are customizable and completely up to you how you want to eat it. I usually use a fork and knife. Many places will give you a fork and a spoon only. Many Turks use a spoon to eat the salads. I personally quite like eating things that only require a spoon.

At Hand Kebap, they serve mini pide with cheese. Yummy.

If you order a kabob, it will be served with bread, usually a flat or flatter bread like pita/pide, or a lavash/tortilla style bread. Some places have rice that you can order as well.

Chicken kabob.

Another thing is that all kabobs are served with a grilled chili pepper and a bit of tomato. This chicken kabob meal including the salads, an ayran yogurt drink, and tea cost me 540 Turkish lira. I’m told that it was a bit pricey but that I was paying for the view of the hospital… and the English speaking waiter.

The Realities of Life in Adana

M's Adventures

So I wrote about the great things about living in Adana. Now, here are the things that are not so great.

The hot summers: It gets up to 110 F (44 C) almost every day for a few weeks and the rest of the three or so months (mid-June through mid-September) the temperature will be above 90 F (32 C) during the day for months on end. This heat is not too sticky but it’s not completely dry and you still sweat. A lot. There is one good thing about this heat and that is that there are minimal outdoor activities or anything outdoors during this time. And there is lots of air conditioning.

The smoking. They smoke. A lot. Even inside restaurants.

The traffic. Yes, it’s bad. In the city. The roads are in bad condition. Not everyone follows the rules. Is the traffic worse than Dhaka? No.

Chaos but no animals in the streets.

The flies — well that ONE fly that goes straight for my mouth when I step outdoors. Or buzzes around our food at the breakfast places. Ugh. Usually it is not a big fly. But after I bought the electric fly swatter, life changed. Now I just have to figure out a way to attach the fly swatter to my face…

The lack of international items other than Japanese sushi rolls. No real Indian food. None. There is pasta with curry or rice with curry but it’s nothing like curry.

The language. It’s hard.

Other parts of Turkiye look down on this city. Many treat it like the ugly step child… It seems like lots of people come from Adana but have left.

But, even with all these negative things about Adana, I like this city. Maybe because it’s the underdog.

The Origins of Swedish Meatballs

M's Adventures
Turkish meatballs are usually this shape although they can also be round.

I see the köfte (the Turkish meatball) everywhere in modern-day Turkish cooking. Never once have I thought how Swedish it seemed. It is surprising to think of it having a connection to Sweden. But, recently, I learned the origins of the Swedish meatball (köttbullar). Apparently, a Swedish King brought back the meatball from his travels to the Ottoman Empire.

In 1708, King Charles XII of Sweden decided to invade Russia. After a military defeat in 1709, he fled to the Ottoman Empire. The Swedish king went into exile for five days… but stayed for as a guest of the Ottoman Empire for five years. The Swedish king was at the Ottoman court for so long that the Ottoman treasury (who funded him) gave him the nickname, “registered immovable property.”

When King Charles XII returned to Swedish, he and his troops had acquired a taste for the Ottoman flavors ofmeatballs, stuffed cabbage, coffee, and sherbet. These foods entered the Swedish cuisine. The Swedish meatball was adapted to meet local tastes, including a creamy gravy, and lingonberry jelly. The first printed recipe for Swedish meatballs was in the 1755 cookbook by Swedish chef Casja Warg. As for the king, in 1718 when he tried to invade Denmark, again, he was fatally shot in the head.

Ikea in Turkiye sells the Swedish meatballs as a sandwich.

With the rise of Ikea, Swedish meatballs have become an internationally known dish. There is an Ikea store in Adana, out at the M1 mall, and they sell Swedish meatballs. You can even eat them at the cafe in the store. They are all beef as this is Adana.

In the freezer section at Ikea in Adana.

I wonder if the Turks enjoying the Swedish meatballs at Ikea think about the Turkish origins of their Swedish meatballs.

The Good Things About Life in Adana

M's Adventures

As I have done for all the places I’ve lived these past 15 years, I write about the pros and cons. This is the good stuff about living in Adana as a foreigner.

It’s a chill place even though the weather is hot in the summer. People are fairly relaxed here about dress code, lifestyle, smoking, drinking, etc. Live and let live. Cover your hair if you want. Wear shorts if you want. Hijabs next to mini skirts.

There are lots of coffee shops open late into the evening so that one can go out without going to a club.

Cups for sale.

There are thousands of restaurants in all price ranges. Every place will serve Turkish breakfast (kahvalti). Just ask.

A local eatery.
A fancier restaurant.

The locals are friendly. Everyone has a phone so they can use a translator app.

There are no tourists. I mentioned that already in another article.

The great things about living in Adana are that it’s a vibrant city full of people going about their lives. Food is fresh and good. People are friendly. Taxis are cheap.

I Am Done

M's Adventures

Recently, I saw on the news that some places are being overrun by tourists. That locals are tired of tourists. I get the feeling. For me, the feeling has been a slow burnout for many years. Even though I realize that tourism is good for the economy (see my article on what to see and do as a tourist in Adana) and that it helps make a person more cultured… I don’t want to do it anymore.

Living in Adana has made me realize that I’m tired of tourism. Adana is the first city in which I’ve lived that is not a capital city or mega tourist destination. I have lived in Rome (35 million tourists visited in 2024 — in a city with over 4 million residents) and Washington, DC (25 million tourists visited in 2025 — the city has 6 million residents in the greater metropolitan area) — both cities with lots of tourists. Of course, it is possible to live out where there are no tourists in both those cities.

That’s another reason that I love Adana. Apparently there are a million tourists per year. But what I see is two million people living their lives. Most of them not working in tourism. I can’t even find an English-speaking tour guide! I’m not sure that they exist.

To answer the question from my previous article about how many of the touristy things I had done in Adana… only a few. Mainly the food related ones. Adana is known for its food tourism… I have been a food tourist. Sigh.

I was surprised to see these sheep grazing on this street in town.

This leads to a much deeper question of “seeing it like the locals” form of tourism. Maybe I’m that type of tourist. A sheep gawker tourist. Sheep are perfectly normal in Adana. But for me, it’s not normal. So maybe I’m a “novelty tourist?” Or a “sheep gawker tourist.”

And, does that still make me a food tourist?

Tourist in Adana

M's Adventures
The large mosque and the 1,700-year-old Roman bridge.

Adana is not a touristy city, but, here are the things one can do as a tourist. But, first things first. It is hot in Adana. From June through October, the temperatures can be above 86F/30C. Not super humid. In July, August, and September the temperatures are above 104F/40C. I recommend late October or April during the Orange Blossom Festival, Adana’s biggest tourist event.

Visit the old town around the clock tower and the old bazaar street.

Walk across the Roman bridge, still usable after 1,700 years.

Get a Turkish bath in a 500 year old bath house. Çarşı Hamami was built in 1529. Yes, you read that right. This bath house is located east of the main tourist street with all the shops. It is near the big clock tower.

A touristy sign in a touristy bit of Adana old town.

Visit the large mosque, Sabancı Central Mosque, the second largest mosque in the country. It is only 30 years old but is built in the style of the Blue Mosque which was built 400 years ago. While visiting the central park, walk along the river and maybe cross the hanging rope bridge.

The big clock tower and the main tourist street.

Buy some Turkish towels. I recommend venturing into the small streets downtown away from the touristy areas if you want better prices. I have seen Turkish towels range in price from $3 to $100.

For souvenirs, I recommend the womens’ cooperative, located near the clock tower.

Visit the Adana Archaeology Museum.

Visit the museum of cinema.

Visit Tarsus, birthplace of St. Paul. It’s about a 45-minute drive from Adana.

Visit and hike at the Varda bridge (film location of one of the scenes from a James Bond movie).

Go to the serpents castle east of the city.


Eat Adana kebab. Make your own food tour. Or follow my suggestions of what to try. Try salgam, sirdan, liver, and simit.

Have I done any of this? Guess. More on this later.

Simit, Simit, Simit, Simit, and Simit

M's Adventures

Simit is the “Turkish bagel” or so they say. I did not think so until I had the kind that sort of reminded me of a bagel. There are subtleties to simit that I have not yet fully comprehended. Some are coated in butter, some are coated in sesame seeds, some are baked harder, and some are coated in molasses. These are the five types that I have discovered in Adana. Apparently the molasses one is special to Adana. (Scroll down to see it)

Fluffy sesame simit
Twisted slightly chewy simit
Baked like pizza simit – also chewy — pizza bottom crust.
Dipped in molasses simit – crunchy and sweet.
Kazan, I think. These are twisted, chewy, and basted in molasses.

There is an old simit shop that has been around for more than 100 years, supposedly. They do one kind of simit. The kazan. Each simit costs around 10 lira. Bread prices are controlled by the government.

Generally, simit is a breakfast item, or a tea item. There are simit vendors who roam the streets and usually the simit they sell is the kazan simit. Simit is often paired with a processed cheese product sort of like the pie shaped Laughing Cow. The Turkish variety is funkier and takes getting used to. I am now digging it.

I have my favorite places and those usually bake fresh simit all the time. It is wonderful to smell fresh baked simit and even better to chew into it.

All Roads Lead to Ham?

M's Adventures

It is hard to escape the pull of Italy. All roads lead to Rome and sometimes, one just has to accept it.

After living in Italy, which is one of the most popular tourist destinations in the world, I am continually asked if I miss it. No. But I do miss the cooked ham. The cured ham. The thinly sliced ham. So I went back. Not just for the ham.

In a small commuter town south of Florence, I went to a fantastically wonderful deli called Prelibum. Prelibum is Latin for “before the cake” so this is a place to buy delicious savory dishes before one eats cake. The deli has proscuitto, cheeses, wine, prepared dishes, and my favorite, Norwegian salmon. If you have never had Norwegian salmon, then I recommend it. If you think salmon is too oily or fishy, then try Norwegian salmon. (I don’t work for Norwegian salmon). Prelibum is also located in a small town in Belgium as the owners are Belgium and Italian.

In this little town in Tuscany, I also had other good food. But I must admit that I was bit focussed on the ham. The one I liked was called “Prague ham” — call me weird, but I liked that it looked like ham. Not a mishmosh of pieces stuck together with meat glue. (I prefer that as spam or a hotdog — what did you think it was made of?)

Sure, I walked along the Arno, drank prosecco, and walked the passegiata, and all those other “dolce vita” things that one does when in Italy.

On the train to Rome, I ate ham. On the flight back, I ate ham.

I love living in Adana, but maybe I need to take some ham breaks…

Recommendations from a Local from Adana

M's Adventures

I have now been in Adana for almost a year. These are recommendations I got from a local (and their comments) before I got here. I have been to almost all these places. In a way, this is a recommendation list of Adana specialities. I wrote about those earlier.

The “milk shake” at Kazim’s Buffet is more like a banana smoothie.

https://hankebap.com.tr/  really good meat options and any kind of food u can eat there 

https://www.makirestoran.com/makiroof.php best cocktail place 

https://www.dedekebap.com.tr/  their steak is really good 

http://www.cigerciulas.com.tr/#/home  their liver is best with ayran

https://www.hayalkahvesi.com.tr/

kazim bufe  = Milk shake place best in ADANA by the TOROS CADDEsi 

https://www.parkzirve.com.tr/ = breakfast area for weekends 

GÖLEVİ Balik Restaurant = for fish or Raki

https://adanayelken.com.tr/iletisim.aspx  = by the lake nice view good for nights for wine or for a good dinner

Of course, I now have my own recommendations. And it doesn’t mention most of these places. But then again, I’m not local. But, I have a sneaking suspicion that these recommendations were made for me as a foreigner. I made my own list of expat friendly places.

The Best Mexican Restaurant in Adana

M's Adventures

Okay, there is only one. There are a few by name, more on that below. But, this one may be the only one that will, perhaps, scratch that itch if you are desperate. Otherwise, go to Ankara or Istanbul. But, the one that is here in Adana is quite pretty and has a nice vibe. The decorations were done by a Persian artist and the owner of the restaurant is from Georgia (the country next to Turkiye).

There are all the elements, except for pork, that could make for good Mexican or Tex-Mex food here in Adana. But the local tastes are not really into it. While there is chile spice, it’s not quite like the ones in Mexico. While there is grilled meat, the seasonings are not the same.

Like anywhere, the food will get adapted to fit the local tastes. I say, deal with it. Enjoy a drink or two. Enjoy the music. Enjoy the vibe. And go to Mexico for your Mexican food.

Oh, sure, at other places there are things like burritos listed on the menu. It will be a wrap. It will not scratch the Mexican food need in your soul.

So, sit back and enjoy the place.

Oh, and if you smoke, you can smoke indoors. That might be a plus for some people.

There are few other places with nachos on the menu or available. There are two others in name, By Taco, and Mex Casa. Mex Casa has a Mexican themed artwork on one wall. That’s it for Mexican.

By Taco is a food stand on the side of a big road. They do well because their prices are so low. They are also friendly. But the “taco” is not Mexican in any way other than it is a flat bread stuffed with stuff. At 75 Turkish Lira or $1.78, it is a cheap eat.

Still, it tasted fine. It tasted Turkish. I predict that “Tex Mex” food is the next big way after sushi so watch this space…

Best Burgers in Adana

M's Adventures

Hey, before ya come at me with your ‘tude, keep in mind that I cannot taste all the burgers in Adana. I tried. I ate a burger and fries for dinner for seven days in a row… my conclusion is that I cannot try them all.

Some of the best burgers I’ve had were in the United States. American beef is famous for being delicious. It is the land of the burger. The cattle are different here.

But Adana is the land of meat. They have “kofte” which are meatballs and they have them all over. They even have the kind that are not made of meat. But I digress. Which burger did I like the best?

Los Brunos: The meat tastes the best. They have nachos. Their fries are fine.

Barks Burgers: Famously the most popular with the expats. Good burger. Good fries.

Grill Lab: Best fries — hand cut and awesome. Homemade aioli (mayonnaise). Other sauces homemade. AND, the best pickled jalepeno I have tasted, ever. Also house made. I did find gristle in my burger but the chef says that he will soon grind his own meat.

Grill Lab’s fries and sauces are handmade and delicious.

I went to other places (there are hundreds and hundreds of burger places in this town) but either the meat was too “animaly” or the meat was like a wool sweater.

Best Korean Restaurants in Adana

M's Adventures

Maybe I’ve mentioned it before, but instead of collecting tangible things like racing cars or stamps, I collect Korean restaurant experiences. It is more fun in cities with fewer of them. I have now been to all the Korean restaurants in Adana. Here is my rundown of them from best to worst.

Korean Cultural Center, Toros, 78178. Sk. NO:3 A, 01170 Çukurova/Adana, closed on Sundays. Best (and maybe only tapioca boba tea in town) ramyun, ttokbokki, and their kimbap with tuna is okay. You can also dress up in Korean clothes for a photo op.

In Seoul, located in the north. Popular place for instant noodle ramen, seaweed rolls (kimbap), and fried chicken.

Kore A Cafe, is across from the train station. Owned by the In Seoul Koreans. Same menu.

Kimchi from Quick China.

Quick China, has a Korean menu. And the best kimchi in town. It’s odd that their kimchi is the best.

Sopung, no relation to Korea other than someone thought it would be a good idea. Costumes also available here for photo ops. Food is not Korean. But it’s a popular place.

So overall, there is only decent instant/student/fast Korean food here. It is weird that there is no decent Korean barbecue because, just as with Mexican food, all the elements are here.

The Korean wave is a real thing here and there is now one Korean shop that also sells instant noodles.