Yoma’s Food Map: Gunaydin Kasap & Steakhouse at Zorlu Center

Hi Guysssssssss!!!!!!!!!

So I’m in a great mood today, can you tell?

I can’t really tell you that there’s any reason for my excitement, but I’m hopeful and I realize that I really do enjoy my work, life, and things are going splendidly for me.

A view of Zorlu from our table.

What have I been up to? A LOT!

Y’all I have been gallivanting, and chopping life like my Nigerian folks will say, and let me tell you enjoyment looks good on me. I’m looking good, eating good, and feeling even better. Does that mean that life has been all rosy? Of course not! There’s things I don’t know what to do about and problems I would really like to fix, so I can be on my merry way, but guys problem no dey finish, so I try to enjoy life whenever I can.

A photo of me enjoying life.

Anyway let’s get into this review, because I know that’s what you guys are really here for. LOL!

So, as I said in my last 2 posts this is a series of 6 posts to get you ready for your Istanbul summer holiday. In our third installment we’re reviewing Günaydın - a very popular Turkish restaurant chain.

Günaydın’s entrance

If you’re Turkish you’d probably wonder why I’m reviewing Günaydın. It’s pretty much like an American reviewing Chipotle? Or something similar at least, although I don’t think there’s anything wrong with that. However this isn’t the döner, but the steakhouse, so hear me out a little, okay? Lol!

Fun fact: Günaydın is Turkish for good morning. There are a few Günaydın Steakhouse outlets scattered around Turkey. There’s even one in Dubai, another in Bahrain, and their döners can be found in a few of the malls around Istanbul. However, the menus are completely different as the döner version is pretty much a fast food restaurant.

Fun fact: Döner is Turkish for Diner.

The restaurant space has a rustic theme, with heavy wooden tables, simple wooden chairs, and wrought iron shelves. There’s a huge chesterfield sofa in the back for bigger groups of diners.

I particularly found the wooden chandelier fascinating. It looked so interesting and strange, but not necessarily in the worst way. Just different. There are also a couple bullheads hanging about the restaurant.

Günaydın has a butcher shop in it, so you can buy different cuts of meat to take home if you’d like that. You also get to choose from the butcher shop what cut you’d like them to prepare for you. Just like most butcher shops, the meat is displayed in glass door fridges to keep them cold and fresh, while affording customers the opportunity to choose the exact cuts they’d like.

They also had this really interesting red room where they hung huge cuts of meat like ribs and such on a giant rotating machine.

We were there really early, so it was a little empty, and we decided to sit outside on the balcony.

We ordered a bottle of red wine to go with our steak, and that came first. Now if you know me you know I can be REALLY clumsy, so it’s no surprise that I spilled some of the wine on myself. This afforded the waiters a chance to show just how well trained and wonderful they are as they all rallied around to help me clean up. It was the sweetest thing really.

For our starter we got the Cheddar Füme, which was a hot dish of smoked beef and cheddar cheese. It was so good! Quite salty, because of the smoked beef, but just right for me. It was comforting and very delicious. We also got complimentary toasted bread slices.

100 🔥

The cheese didn’t feel too heavy, and it certainly didn’t overpower the beef. Instead it was a creamy and delicious sauce accompaniment.

Soon after, our food came on this little rustic cart, and the smell when it arrived was amazing! If we really do eat through our 5 senses then they’re definitely doing something right, because they have the olfactory senses on lock. The smell of all the spices, and the smell of the beef too. You know that juicy scent that beef has when you cook it? Yeah that. This is something I’ve noticed with Turkish food in general. Whenever my Turkish neighbors are cooking, it always makes me want some, because it always smells so delicious.

The cart our food came in

The meat was fall-off-the bone tender. We ordered the lamb special which was a huge slab of lamb that I suspect was the shank? It wasn’t one of the ones on display at the shop section, but was suggested to us by the waiter for our party of 3.

😍🥰

The meat severely lacked salt according to my African taste buds, but it was delicious still. It came with a side of rice that was nice. It was flavorful and had chunks of meat in it. It made for the perfect side, but the portion was small, so we got an extra one.

Doesn’t this just make your mouth water?

The Rocket was chopped with the Onions, and seasoned so it packed a punch of flavor. Our waiter also made a show of cutting it all up for us, which was fun to watch.

For dessert, we ordered Katmer. It was suggested by one of our waiters, and he didn’t steer us wrong. It was my first time trying Katmer, but it certainly won’t be my last time. It was very very delicious, and you guys know I’m a dessert girl, and I know my sweets, so you’ll have to trust me on this one.

Katmer before it’s chopped up.

Katmer is served hot, and best paired with creamy vanilla ice cream just like Künefe, but unlike Künefe there’s no stringy cheese. Instead, it’s a very indulgent flaky dessert filled with pistachios and clotted cream. Look, if you ever visit a Turkish restaurant you should try this, and I promise you won’t regret it.

The ice cream is folded into the Katmer to create a sandwich

The contrast of the hot Katmer, and the cold ice cream just creates an absolutely delightful combination in your mouth. The pastry is thin, and really only serves to provide texture, and even though it’s made with pistachios it doesn’t taste very nutty. It was my first time trying it out, and boy am I glad I did.

I promise it’s as good as it looks.

All in all we had a great time, and really enjoyed our food. I would definitely recommend Günaydın if you enjoy steak, and you’re in Istanbul.

Food makes me happy. 😁

The Cheddar Füme cost 140TL, and the Katmer cost 85TL. I don’t remember how much the steak and wine cost, but our bill came up to a little over $100 which was around 1,400TL at the time.

I love how he saw me taking photos and posed for me. ♥️

I hope you try Günaydın if you’re ever in Istanbul, and if you do please let me know how you found the experience, and which one you visited.

Yet another photo of me enjoying life.

As always, Love, Yoma.