restaurants that were starting to open on a small scale, the first examples perhaps being the makers of ‘lahmacun' or Turkish-style pizza. During the 1990s, Istanbulites developed an increasing interest in Anatolian cuisine, which they got to know first through southern and southeastern Turkish cooking and later through Black Sea cuisine. Although the number of restaurants devoted to the latter remains small, Istanbulites today have made the acquaintance of black cabbage, pickled green bean ragout, ‘mihlama', anchovy bread, cream corn soup and many other anchovy dishes as well as a variety of baklava made by the Laz people of the Black Sea.

HERBS ARE THE THING

And of course there are the famous herbal dishes of the Aegean region and its legendary olive oils. Many wild herbs from golden thistle to foxtail rapidly gained respect and were quick to appear on Istanbul menus. The Anatolian people who have settled in Istanbul remain