2/10/18 - We three middle aged well travelled guys were in Side for three days. We found all the restaurants in the Antik town too pricey, especially as we are recent vegetarians/pescatarians (we do not like being charged £4 for a bowl of vegetables or...£6 for a plate of veggie spaghetti.
I looked up TA for an evening meal and found the highly rated Mexican place Seranade, a short walk out of town near the roundabout, from the free bus terminal.
We got to the area around the roundabout and needed to raid an ATM, buy some (much cheaper outside the wall) tonic water and light provisions in Carrefour and a simple supermarket. On our way we passed this fish restaurant and the usual beckoning from the owner/waiter. We saw the prices and fish display in this quite busy big and open restaurant on the dual carriageway just after Mucky Dees and Burger K. We took note that it was cheaper than in the old town, certainly for fish. We did our shopping and I decided to check the Seranade out, a 600m round trip further on round from McD's. The 'Mexican' was in fact a normal restaurant, quite busy with tourists, with about eight Mexican options, no Mole or ceviche (we have been to Mexico five times and Burrito is actually an American - TexMex - invention). As we looked at the streetside menu a waiter assailed us with the usual banter. At the end he asked if we knew TA and I said yes and they were #3 so obviously good. We were not impressed by the veggie, fish options or banter so returned to this basic fish restaurant.
On our return the restaurant had only one couple of ladies left dining but they had only just started so we took a table by the street and were presented with the menus by the same young man who obviously had the spiel. He recommended we try the Bonito (transverse steaks in the picture) as it was a fresh catch and he had already served six boxes of it that day. I was interested in the mackeral though and returned to the fish fridge to show him I wanted quite a big one. He showed me the mackeral type fish and showed me the bright blood red gills and he said he would do a 400g fillet for me but pointed at the steaks saying they were bonito and the same as the fish I wanted. I was confused. He also said the sea bream was farmed so not as good. I could see the eyes were not as bright as the 'mackerals'' eyes.
I returned to the table to discuss with my friends and he continued the spiel about the bonito coming from the less salty Black sea (where he and the crew were from) and that the mackeral were small.
He was quite pushy about the bonito (trying to clear the stock I expect) and said we would get five pieces each and the bread and salad for free for 35tl. We all caved in as we were getting nowhere with alternatives and all chose the bonito steaks. Usually we try three different dishes to compare but it was late, we were hungry and the place was practically empty so we just resigned ourselves to his (albeit selfish) recommendation.
We were relieved to see the Efes beers were 'only' 15tl each and I checked that they were actually large half litre bottles, he said they were. We ordered three and they came quickly with glasses.
By the kitchen was a fish tank with exotic fish in. I made a joke of approaching the main waiter as he ate his own meal, saying I had changed my mind sand wanted two of those goldfish instead. He took the joke but was not working now, having done his day of hard selling and was obviously jaded by then.
It was apparent that the restaurant was staffed by young guys and a few women at the back of the open kitchen, preparing the fish for the chef. A young boy was busy doing menial jobs.
There was a flurry of activity at our table as a variety of fresh vegetables, salads and bread filled the space. We were grateful for these nibbles so we started them with our beers. We got through some big radishes, ripe tomatoes, spring onions, hot red onion, mild chillis, flat leaved parsley and half a lemon each.
We chatted a bit more to the head waiter and he explained they were all from around Giresun on Black Sea (760km NE of Side nearer Georgia which we had visited a couple of years ago on our southern Black Sea coast trip between Bulgaria and Tibilisi). They had obviously been very busy that day and relaxed as only us three and the two women were there. The staff relaxed and playing jokes on each other culminating in one guy chasing boy around. A jolly crew!!
In good time a large round plate completely covered in fifteen fried steaks appeared. It was solid flesh, probably 1500g wet weight before cooking.
We tucked in and yes it was delicious! Perfectly cooked succulent and crispy too. Our host asked us a couple of times if we liked it and we agreed. His recommendation was correct and our fears were allayed.
As we ate it was apparent that it was too much food but we battled on, squeezing the lemon over it as recommended by the waiter, to refresh the tastebuds.
As we ate locals collected whole fish, cleaned and gutted by kitchen hand. Other packages were prepared and dispatched by motorcycle so they obviously had a delivery and takeaway service.
We struck up a cheeky conversation with the two women as they passed us for a smoke in the non draughty far roadside corner (and were told off by the waiter). They were German, regulars and had had enough so offered us their remaining salad as we agreed it was not good to throw good food away. As we were the only five people there we were not embarrassed so I, especially, had an extra vitamin fix.
One local diner arrived quite late at 22:30 and was served quickly, he was probably a regular taxi driver.
We asked for bill but shown a calculator with the correctly estimated amount of 150 so no quibbling there. We added another 15 as a tip for the hard working crew making it £23.42 in all.
As we left I asked the chef (now packing up) about his cooking style and he showed me a unique heavy frying pan (not teflon he insisted), only made in his region of the Black Sea, which was on a powerful industrial superwok gas hob (probably about 5kW) cooking two whole fish (probably for staff). He said he used no oil, only salt, as when the fish is fresh one did not need any flavouring or spices. He was right!
We left, well sated and happy at around 22:45, budding farewell to the staff and the two women (not smoking) in the corner. It was our most expensive meal of the holiday so far (including beers which ramps up the cost) but well worth it!More