In a place as busy as Bodrum, restaurants tend to come and go. However, these eateries have withstood the test of time and quality, and are thriving thanks to their popularity with locals and visitors. Marie Coggin, who lives in Gumusluk, visits some of the best.
Yalikavak
Salt
This well established restaurant has shifted a little way down the seafront to the more showy setting of the Yalikavak Palmarina. Famous for its fish, it scores consistently high on the quality of Its food as well as continuing to enjoy a reputation for being expensive or, in the opinion of some, way overpriced.
One Yalikavak resident told me Sait is a venue to indulge a generous company expenses account and confirmed she used to take her more important clients here. Salt now has a second restaurant, In central Bodrum, where diners can enjoy their food overlooking the Marina opposite or alternatively take in the majestic views of Property Turkey, home to our Bodrum team, as can be seen in the photograph above.
Bodrum
Arka
Nestling in a charming passageway which provides a shortcut between Ataturk Caddesi and the Kale Rock City Bar on Bodrum's Bar Street, Arka Is a popular haunt for locals and tourists alike, and an opportunity to savour authentic Italian cuisine.
The pizzas are very popular as are the pasta dishes, which can be washed down with their reasonably priced wines. There never seems to be a bad word spoken about Arka (excepting some gripes about the music being a little loud on occasions but they will turn it down on request!) and comments include 'nice owners and waiters alike'. The alluring aroma of basil (a surprisingly little used herb In Turkey) and garlic makes It difficult to pass by; it Is hard to resist the urge to satiate ones tantalised taste buds and not pull up a chair.
La Pasion
La Pasion is an old favourite on the Bodrum scene and is still going strong, with the same chef and owner, Neco, since its Inception In 2008. The restaurant is a magical venue that's rather tucked away, sheltered in the alleyway running parallel to the one where you'll find Arka.
The eatery Is a winter favourite with locals, offering an excellent set lunch menu at fabulous prices. Four of us enjoyed a fabulous three-course lunch for 35 TL per head and each of us thoroughly enjoyed it and would highly recommend it.
La Pasion markets itself as a Spanish restaurant and although it does offer Spanish favourites such as paella and tapas the cuisine might be best described as European. It appears to divide opinion - I've heard some complaints suggesting that portion sizes are perfect for those on a 'get slim quick' diet - but it's still a fabulous spot to escape from the bustle of busy Bar Street if only to drop in for a beer or glass of wine In the secluded retreat of their courtyard garden.
Sunger
Sunger is said to be the oldest established restaurant in Bodrum with an large menu offering pizzas (for which they're probably most famous) to local Turkish specialities such as Cokertme Kebab. Sunger has a bistro feel about It with an extensive bistro type menu to match. Their biggest plus with locals is consistency. As someone remarked, having paid a recent visit 'the pizza was exactly the same as it was 18 years ago'.
Locals have also commented that the staff have 'been there for years': always a useful yardstick with which to measure the reputation of a restaurant for customers. It seems that contented restaurant staff usually result in satisfied customers.
