On location: Istanbul

Meat-heavy meze and kebabs: I had to admit, although the sights of Istanbul captured my imagination, the sustenance didn't really have the same effect. I was certainly looking forward to touring Topkapi Palace, getting snap happy in the Hagia Sophia and taking a ferry across the Bosphorus from Europe to Asia, but the prospect of finding enough pescetarian-friendly fodder for 3 days was decidedly daunting.

The guidebooks did little to allay my fears; the Guardian fared better: thanks to its helpful 'top 10' guides, I discovered the Istanbul Eats bloggers and their tips for dining in the city. Vegetarian food barely got a mention, but fish restaurants seemed plentiful, and I learned that intrepid diners can fill up on a sandwich stuffed with the grilled catch of the day down by Galata Bridge, which is packed full of fishermen from dawn until dusk. Thankfully, Turkey's most cosmopolitan city seems to be cottoning on to serving meat-free fare, partly in order to cash in on the tourist trade. I was also pleased to note the availability of vegetarian options in the city's meyhanes (traditional restaurants specialising in meze).

The Blue Mosque

Rumeli
 
A rare find in the tourist haven of Sultanahmet (where the palace, Blue Mosque and Hagia Sophia are all located), Rumeli is a restaurant free of tiresome touts. It doesn't need any: it's simple menu of well-prepared Turkish and international dishes speaks for itself. The setting is cosy and intimate, with exposed brick walls and an open fire offering some welcome respite from the February chill. My vegetable kebab (17 TL) turned out to be a plate of various grilled vegetables and rice, while A's shish kebab (26 TL) at least featured a stick to hold it together, conforming to our expectations of a kebab. Both were delicious and reasonably-priced for the area, although the meat was significantly more than the vegetarian dish. We we also served a complimentary basket of bread and some olives.

Vegetable kebab

Rumeli is at Ticarethane Sokak 8, Sultanahmet. Open daily.

Topkapi Palace

Sefa
A lokanta is where spending-savvy Turks choose to lunch. With a counter filled with constantly replenished hot dishes, customers at these budget restauants choose by sight from the meat, fish and vegetable dishes on offer, which are then served to them at their table. Frills are minimal at Sefa, although this Sultanahmet spot was a cut above some we saw. We were reassured by the fact that we were the only tourists dining as we tucked into our plates of admittedly rather lethargic-looking lunch. Appearances were deceptive: all my vegetarian dishes were simple but flavoursome, with the garlicky mushrooms and spinach served with yoghurt particularly good. A well-priced way to fill up at lunch time (50 TL for 2 including drinks).

Sefa is at Nuruosmaniye Caddesi 17, Sultanahmet.

Apple tea

Fürreya Galata Balikcisi

Under the gaze of the Galata Tower in gritty but trendy Beyoglu, Fürreya Galata Balikcisi is a pocket-sized dream- providing you like fish, that is. The petite restaurant is modern and welcoming, with a short, well-priced menu of fresh fish and salads. We opted for the fish wraps (9TL) and a Mediterranean salad (9TL); both were light and tasty. The fish was flaky and perfectly-cooked, encased in flatbread and was well-complemented by some caramelised onions.

Fürreya Galata Balikcisi is at Serdar-i Ekram Sokak 2, Beyoglu.

View from Beyoglu

Krependeki Imroz

Apparently an evening in one of the meyhanes (meze restaurants) on Nevizade Sokak is a quintessential Istanbul experience. Squeezing through the hubbub of this Beyoglu backstreet early on a Sunday evening, I could see that these establishments aren't short on atmosphere: almost all were packed. We grabbed a table at Krependeki Imroz and were soon greeted by a grinning waiter brandishing a tray of bite-sized portions, covered in clingfilm. Our confusion gave way to comprehension: we were supposed to choose from this 3D menu. Unfortunately, most of the items on the tray weren't sufficiently discernible, so we asked for a print menu instead. We opted for 6 fish and vegetarian meze between 2: the calamari, vine leaves and borek were all hits, the fava bean mush less so. It may have been traditional, but its texture wasn't exactly appealing to our uninitiated palates. Portions were quite generous, making it a good value dinner.

Fava beans: no, ta

Krependeki Imroz is at Nevizade Sokak 16, Beyoglu.

Street food

If you're eating on the run or trying to save your lira, street food is where its at. Almost every corner has some sort of edible offering; kebab stalls huddle around any kind of transport hub and carts selling corn on the cob and Turkish pretzels speckle the streets. It was well worth parting with a couple of lira for some corn, which I elegantly devoured while waiting for a tram; one lira for a sesame-covered pretzel-meets-bread roll was also money well spent. Hungover and hungry in Uskudar on the Asian side of the city, a kebab stall saw us right: A's doner kebab was better than a greasy English offering, and my rice with chickpeas was just the carb hit I needed. We didn't get the chance to test out any of the grilled fish on offer by the water's edge, but it certainly smelled good. A makeshift barbecue in a backstreet may not sound like the best place to sample the catch of the day, but judging by the number of locals tucking in, it might well be.

You can read more about my Istanbul experiences here on my travel blog Tales of a Brit Abroad.

On location: The Vaults, Birmingham

Being a food blogger is great fun and all, but there's no denying it's punishing to the pocket. Being a food critic for a publication doesn't just lend kudos to a review, it's also decidedly more wallet-friendly. So when I saw that daily email Emerald Street were looking for food critics to celebrate the 100th issue of their sister publication Stylist, I sent my 90 word sample review in slightly less quickly than you could say 'free dinner'. But only slightly.

Luckily for me and my wallet, Emerald Street chose me as one of their five reviewers, and a few weeks ago I visited The Vaults in Birmingham for an evening of 'VIP treatment'. I roped in my trusty friend N and we hopped on the train, ready to make the most of our three hours in the Midlands.

Located in Birmingham's Jewellery Quarter, The Vaults is – as its name suggests – a subterranean space. Rather than a creepy crypt, it's half restaurant, half cocktail bar. Its low lighting, exposed brick walls and sleek black tables give a slick, understated feel – not my usual style, but given that the restaurant was already buzzing with diners at 7pm on a Wednesday, The Vaults clearly has plenty of local appeal. Perusing the menu, we were offered our choice of (pricey) cocktails: my raspberry martini impressed, but N wasn't asked whether she preferred a gin or a vodka martini despite both being on offer. The menu itself was also a little confusing: the table d'hote menu bore prices for either 2 or 3 courses (£16.50 or £17.50 mid-week), with supplements for more elaborate dishes. Diners with an appetite more modest than their budget may feel over-faced, but fortunately for us, we'd arrived hungry.

On location: Eating my way around Cork

If there's one thing I enjoy more than a delicious dinner, it's a holiday. So it should come as no surprise that my travels tend to revolve around eating. The pleasures of food and travel are closely linked in my mind, especially as the relaxed holiday mentality only invites indulgence (hence one of my favourite meals being what I like to call the 'pre-dinner dinner'). As I like to escape Oxford on a regular basis, I thought I'd share my foodie forays with you in a new series of 'on location' posts.

Cork

While I was in Cork for a long weekend, the weather dictated that I spent most of my time indoors. If only I'd have packed my cagoule and a pair of wellies, I wouldn't have had to eat at all of these lovely places. Ireland's certainly not the cheapest country to eat out in, but portions are generous and as the Corkonians seem to love their grub, there are plenty of excellent dining options to be found in Cork.

Bodega
Arriving somewhere at 4pm is awkward: too late for lunch, but too early for dinner. This is where the pre-dinner dinner comes in. Fortunately for us, Cork seems to have embraced the tapas trend, so we settled in at Bodega, a lofty-ceilinged bar serving a selection of small plates as well as bigger dishes. We opted for a Spanish tortilla with served with tapenade and a toast crouton (€5.90) and grilled garlic mushrooms topped with halloumi cheese, peppers and tomato (€6). Both dishes were beautifully presented and tasty; the different flavours involved in the mushroom dish combining particularly well. Set in a former market building, Bodega is an elegant spot for a drink or a bite to eat, without the hefty price tag such a venue could impose.

Bodega is at St Peter's Market on Cornmarket Street.

Market Lane
Several hours later, it was time for the main event. Wandering central Cork checking out menus on Friday evening, Market Lane was buzzing with customers. Trying our luck, we stepped inside and had a drink at the bar while we waited for a table. The split-level space is busy yet inviting, with low-lighting and plenty of candles making it an ideal venue for a date. It wasn't all couples though; plenty of families were dining, and the balance of local vs tourist clientele tipped slightly in favour of the former, assuring us we'd made a good decision.
Much of the tempting menu of Irish and European dishes is prepared with local ingredients sourced from Cork's gastronomic treasure, the English Market. As prices range from €13.50 to €22 for main dishes, we skipped the starters and ordered a butternut and feta gratin with polenta, caramelized red onions, sundried tomatoes and almonds (€13.50) and monkfish tempura with a lemon and herb potato cake and a tomato, olive and saffron ragout (€18.95).

Butternut and feta gratin

Monkfish tempura

 Both our choices were well-presented and substantial - so substantial in fact, that I had a slight twinge of regret regarding the pre-dinner dinner. The monkfish was clearly high quality and was perfectly cooked, while the polenta added an interesting extra dimension to the excellent butternut squash/feta combination in the gratin. No room for dessert afterwards though, sadly.

Market Lane is at 5-6 Oliver Plunkett Street.

Cork Coffee Roasters
There weren't many good things about our accommodation for the weekend, but its main advantage was definitely its proximity to Cork Coffee Roasters, a miniature gourmet coffee shop which packed a big punch with its smooth hand-roasted blends (and its staff were rather easy on the eye, too). Their coffee (€2.50) was so delicious I braved the Sunday morning downpour to return for more: I can't say I'd ever do that for a Starbucks.

Cork Coffee Roasters is at 2 Bridge Street.

The Quay

After an evening of indulgence, we thought we'd go for the healthy option at The Quay vegetarian restaurant for lunch. Set on the bank of the River Lee above a health foods shop run by the same team,  The Quay is what I'd call an 'old school' vegetarian restaurant, with a self-service counter offering spelt-based pizzas and tarts, lasagne, chickpea burgers, soup and salads. No gourmet affectations here, just well-prepared meat-free home cooking. All eggs used are free range, and many other ingredients are fair trade and organic. At around €10 for a hot lunch option with salad, eating at The Quay isn't a bargain, but the huge portions more than justified the price tag. My chickpea burgers (yes, 2) served with a curry sauce were both tasty and filling, while the spelt pizza with goat's cheese made an interesting change from a normal wheat-based one. The airy dining room with its river view is also a lovely spot to while away an hour or so.


The Quay Co-op is at 24 Sullivan's Quay.

Liberty Grill
Cork's twitterati are big fans of Liberty Grill: when I asked for foodie recommendations, I was surprised by the number of people who suggested it for brunch. Once I checked out the menu though, I could see why: with a wide range of Irish and American breakfast options, as well as an appetizing lunch menu, Liberty Grill is somewhere to come with an appetite.
A smart spot on a scruffy street, Liberty Grill is all varnished wooden floors, white walls and table cloths. It's still relaxed, though, with friendly staff and an unhurried air conducive to lingering and ordering cup after cup of their delicious coffee. After perusing the menu for longer than expected, I opted for a grilled fontina cheese and tomato sandwich (€5), while A went for the full American breakfast of scrambled eggs and bacon on sourdough toast, served with orange juice and tea or coffee.
Arriving with an unexpected but entirely welcome pot of garlicky pesto, my sandwich was delicious: gooey and gorgeous, the perfect end to a weekend of food-related indulgence.

Liberty Grill is at 32 Washington Street.

If you're heading to Spain this summer, you might want to check out my Tales of a Brit Abroad blog for more dining recommendations.