Driven by "love and work, and the love of work," Gilles Valentin arrived in Istanbul seven years ago to work in the publishing industry. The native Frenchman travels extensively, but deeply loves his adopted city. "Every time I land back in town, I am taken by that homey feeling again, and I feel at ease, surrounded by the sea, the ancient and the modern, the crowd and the (rare) emptiness." This is his Istanbul.
Is there any particular place in Istanbul that represents the spirit of the city?
Istanbul is so diverse, multi-faced that it is hard to find one place that represents the true spirit of this city. Ortakoy can be a good place to start from though: A small village by the Bosphorus, it is a place where people from all walks of life gather to muse around, enjoy a tea by the sea, look at the view, shop for souvenir (although the place is mainly visited by local Istanbulians, it still has a distinctive touristy feel) or dine and party out in one of the posh clubs and restaurants around (Angelique, House Café, Banyan). It is also possible to enjoy smaller places with lovely rooftops terraces and embrace views of the beautiful Neo-Baroque 18th century Ortakoy Mosque, nested under the Bosphorus Bridge, spanning across the strait, the first physical connecting infrastructure between Europe and Asia. It is a nice place to sit on the edge of Europe and gaze through the waters, looking at the Asian shores. And for those who have a curious eye, it is possible to spot a small synagogue and an orthodox church, highlighting the truly multicultural dimension of the city.
Photo: Caiuscamargarus
Where do you go for a blow-out lavish sort of evening?
The choice of night spots is huge, but I would start by dinner at Mikla in Pera. The rooftop views are spectacular, and the food is a great combination of influences. 360 is also a good place to start an evening, as well as to continue it. Again, wonderful views and fusion food will kick start an evening very nicely. I would then head to The Hall, a great club that happens to be walking distance from either ones of these two restaurants. For early morning partying, there are plenty of bars and clubs that can finish off a lavish night nicely, and plunge you into a variety of atmosphere, from rock to posh. But for me, the nicest finish is always at a friend’s place or at home, with a Bosphorus view and a good bottle.
Photo: Mikla restaurant
What's the most memorable meal you've had in Istanbul?
Asitane is a very interesting restaurant, as they practice the art of ‘culinary archaeology’. Their menu is inspired by recipe books, menus and stories dating back to the Ottomans. A dinner at Asitane is a unique opportunity to share the festive menus of the Ottomans and enjoy the most traditional type of Turkish food, back to some of their very roots. The Chef and its team have been putting a lot of efforts to reconstitute these dishes and the result is truly spectacular. This is probably the best experience I had with Turkish food, besides the unrivalled home foods that one can enjoy when sharing the table with a Turkish family!
Photo: Asitane restaurant
I recently discovered a new restaurant, called Abracadabra, in Arnavutkoy. I enjoyed breakfast from their 3rd floor terrace. The place is nested by the water in one of my favourite places, Arnavutkoy, the ‘Albanian Village’, home to some of Istanbul’s most beautiful water-side houses. Abracadabra is in one of them, and despite being by the road, is a nice restaurant serving rather inventive dishes. From the top floor, the road is not so much of an issue anymore, and you can enjoy the view.
Where do you like to go on sunny day when you want to be outside?
I like to go to a place called Kuzguncuk, on the Anatolian coast, above Uskudar. It is a lovely valley, besides a large park, host to many old traditional wooden houses, old churches, mosques and synagogues and the village atmosphere is very enjoyable, when one wants to forget that Istanbul is hosting over 15 million inhabitants. It is a lovely place to walk around and enjoy the mix of beautiful houses and shanty-like habitations. I assume this place is headed for major changes in the years ahead, as the location, overseeing the Bosphorus, is truly spectacular.
Photo: TrekEarth
What's your favourite local place that you wouldn't necessarily recommend to tourists?
A place that I would recommend to tourists who don’t care about the way the place looks like, but can be amazed by the location is a tiny tea place on the left side of Mimar Sinan beautiful arts university. It is sitting literally on the Bosphorus, and on a wavy day, you’d better choose your spot carefully if you don’t want to be sprayed... The place doesn’t have a name [it's a man with a tea pot and three plastic chairs], but is a great place to stop for a quick tea and a fresh breath of saline air.
Find more roftop bar's in Istanbul here and read more about the brilliant restaurant Abracadabra here.
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