I have missed blogging about "No Reservations!" So, so happy the show is back with a new season, and this one seems to be even better than ever.Last week I wasn't able to blog about it in time, but in case you missed it, the first episode of the new season took place in Panama. No worries if you didn't get to see it -- you can still catch it thanks to On Demand. (Check your cable listing for more information.)
This week, Tony goes to Istanbul. Wendy from the Travel Channel gave me the scoop on tonight's episode:
Tony begins his trip in Istanbul hungover after indulging in beverages on the plane. What better way to remedy that than with breakfast? He heads to Kale Cafe for a traditional Turkish breakfast, which is quite different than the normal American morning meal. Eggs, Turkish lamb sausage, cheeses, breads, olives, tomatoes and cucumbers are part of the meal. Interesting fact: the Turkish word for breakfast (kahvaltı) means "before coffee", so a black tea is served with the meal and coffee is drank afterward.
Next, Tony tries the original fast food, Lahmajun, which he affectionately refers to as a "low rent favorite". It's basically a very-thin crusted pizza made with meats, spices, and vegetables. What does it taste like? Tony says, "I've been dialing back on the adjectives on this show. There's only so many when describing food." Does watching Tony try to describe the taste of foods enhance your viewing experience? I'll let you be the judge.
A trip to Turkey just wouldn't be the same without meat on a stick, or as Tony says, "A throbbing missile of love". Despite being really classic stoner food, this stuff is delicious and freshly made. Tony also tries some soggy burgers off the street. I'll leave that one for your imagination.
From lamb heads to black market mussels, Tony leaves no stone unturned. One of the most memorable segments of the episode is Tony's time with a local taxi driver. Tony doesn't get much conversation in, but he does say, "being around Ishaan is like being in someone else's reality show".
Anthony Bourdain: No Reservations Istanbal airs tonight, Monday, January 18 at 10pm E/P on the Travel Channel.
Tony is sure to blog about this episode, so you'll want to check that out:
http://anthony-bourdain-blog.travelchannel.com/
And he's also got some behind-the-scenes pictures of Istanbal up on his Facebook page, which you can see here.
Here's a sneak peek of tonight's show:
