Blog 11: KEBABS, SWEETS, AND
STREET DANCING
Thursday and Friday
22nd and 23rd November
My wife Aylin in Ataturk Park, Adana
Today Aylin and I took to the streets in search of some
gifts for back home and also beads! :-/ We ventured into the old Adana town
districts and after making a few turns to throw of a man we suspected of
following us, we found a few interesting places to eat and look for gifts. Besides
some wonderful shoes, some colourful authentic costumes, we also stopped by a
great shop they make fabulous hand calved jewel boxes and chests. (one street
back from the clock tower – look at previous blog for map) I wanted to buy but taking wood back to
Australia presents problems with customs. We looked, admired and had to move
on.
My wife managed to walk us in circles in our attempt to find
bead shops (beads, beads, beads!! My wife eats them at night I’m sure! Lol) We
worked up quite an appetite so I suggested we eat Kebab. Aylin said there was a
famous Kebab restaurant not far from us. She remembered the shop from teenage
years. It was establish in 1940.
ASMAALTI (kebab Restaurant)
Famous “apparently” for great Adana Kebabs.
The shop its self was larger than most middle to low range
Kebabs shops which are just a few tables big. The tables were simple with
plastic table cloths and reasonable clean though my wife had to ask for a new
plate as the one they supplied was dirty and there was an injured bird as few
feet from us which was a little sad and not nice to look at whilst eating. (not
a good start)
I had high expectations as this place has existed for the
past 72 years for some reason and according to my wife, made great Kebab. I
also have high expectations because all the Kebabs I’ve eaten in Adana were
reasonably good. Adana Kebab is my favourite food in Adana.
Well I was to be extremely disappointed as too was Aylin.
The salads were poor and tasteless. They had some resemblance
to Adana Kebab salads but that was all. (I love salads so always leave a clean
plate after a meal.) This is the first time in Adana I couldn’t eat all the
salad because of its taste. It turned me off.
The bread was thicker than usual and less plentiful than
other Kebab stores. The actual Adana kebab lamb strip lacked the spice and
normal fabulous flavour that makes an Adana Kebab famous. In fact it tasted
like beef mince rather than lamb, little taste.
I was so disappointed I just wanted to leave. It turned me
off Kebab for the day. Whatever made this restaurant famous many years ago, wasn’t
there. Maybe “Asmaalti” need to go back to the old formula and start over
because they have obviously lost whatever they may have had.
To restore my faith before I leave I will go back to HACI SALiH Restaurant (earlier blog) for a good
Kebab or to Mass Kebab who make a
fantastic Kebab. (Mass Kebab is a bigger and more expensive Kebab restaurant but
they are worth the money for the taste, service and salads.
Asmaalti restaurant get a 4/10 for me.
I won’t give directions other than it’s also close to the
old clock tower. I won’t return there.
“TAS KADAYIF” is a
“MUST TRY” when in Adana.
For about 30cents Australia you can help yourself to a
choice of little pastry treats. You just pick one out, they wrap in paper for
your fingers not to get sticky, and you just stand and eat it, pay and move
on. Everyone does it here.
My favourite is this little pastry wrapped around walnuts
and soaked in liquid sugar (They are called “TAS KADAYIF”). Sounds fattening
and no doubt is but yummmmy!!! There are many types to choose from. Kind of
like Baklava but lighter. I took some
photos because they explain better than I do and a link to pictures also below.
Turkish fate “KERMES”
Yesterday afternoon we were out also looking for beads and
we stopped in to a “Kermes” which is like a “fate” back in Australia. A whole group
of ladies cook some delicious foods, use some off street space and sell their
home made treats for very low prices in aid of some good cause or charity.
We had some chocolate cake type sweet and a sago custard
desert topped with coconut and Chi (tea) of course. All for a few lira. Very nice.
Lastly for this blog today, something new to say about the
beautiful Ataturk Park that I didn’t mention before. The flowers and sun was out late in afternoon
when we past so I snapped some nice pictures of my wife - below.
But I wanted to point out that Ataturk Park has a great
little area set up for dancing. Hip pop and wrap dancing! Frequently when you
walk past you can be treated to some skilful examples of this type of dance.
These guys are obviously very fit and really very talented. They are happy
enough for you to stand by and watch and I recommend it! It’s amazing to see
these guys spin on their heads and hold themselves up one handed. A great feat
of strength and agility.
A “MUST SEE” if you like dancing.
And that’s a wrap for these past two days.
Cheers
Andrew
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