My Çark from the Greek Islands
“My uncle… taught me something very important. He told me that when things are really going well, we should notice it. He wasn’t talking about big victories, but about simple things — sitting in the shade of a tree with lemonade, smelling the aroma of a bakery, fishing, hearing music drifting from a concert hall, or maybe right after a kiss. In such moments, he said, it’s important to say out loud: if this isn’t nice, I don’t know what is.” —Kurt Vonnegut
I’d like to talk about Çeşme, one of İzmir’s long-time favorite holiday spots, especially for local tourists. Just an hour from İzmir, Çeşme offers golden beaches, thermal springs, Alaçatı with its windsurf-friendly bay, a historic castle in the town center, delicious Aegean cuisine, and lively nightlife — an ideal place for both fun and relaxation.
In the heart of Çeşme, down a street that feels a bit like Istanbul’s Kadıköy market, you can stumble upon a place that brings to mind the best tavernas of the Greek islands — without the fake “imitation” feel. When you open the menu and see it matches that first impression, you can’t help but say out loud: if this isn’t nice, I don’t know what is.
One of the main reasons behind the steady flow of Turkish tourists to the Greek islands over the years is the high standard of the restaurants there. So what really separates the two sides of the Aegean?
In Greece, people look after their seas as if they were their own children. The state and its citizens take an uncompromising stand on this. Fishermen follow the rules for catching seafood, respecting marine life. Restaurant owners can easily and directly get the treasures of the sea onto their menus.
Çark Balık
In Turkey, unfortunately, the process is more chaotic. For seafood to go from the sea to a restaurant’s fridge is not always easy — but good, reputable places manage to discover and protect these beauties and offer them to their customers. Çark Balık is one of those places. With four dishes alone, it could qualify straight into the Champions League from Turkey — no preliminaries needed.
So, what are these dishes?
- Shrimp with avocado: Served with a parsley, lemon, and vinegar dressing. Light and very tasty.
- Grilled calamari: Golden, extremely fresh, cooked perfectly. A rare masterpiece.
Shrimp with avocado
Grilled calamari
- Grilled octopus: Served with good olive oil and oregano. Neither too hard nor too soft, with a good portion size.
- Artichoke: Paired with mulberries, surprisingly well. Such pairings often fail or become unbalanced, but here, they are in perfect harmony.
Grilled octopus
Artichoke
Other standouts include:
- Sepet cheese: Fried, with just the right saltiness, oil absorbed perfectly.
- “Terleten”: A type of hot sauce, tasty but fiery. Best enjoyed with care.
- Sea bass: A spot-on choice: fresh, juicy, and delicious.
Sepet cheese
Terleten
When compared to a good Greek taverna, the prices are on the same level. The feeling of leaving the table satisfied without feeling “robbed” is as delightful as the food itself.
As the late Coluche once said, “The door to the future will open for those who know how to push it.” Restaurants like Çark are exactly the kind of places that know how to push that door — and will be remembered fondly for years to come.
