Well, I just did my presentation on Meyhane but I figured I would but up a short blog post just in case anyone wanted to refresh their memories.
Meyhane is what a traditional Turkish restaurant is. You usually pay a flat rate that gets you unlimited drinks and food all night. It starts out with Ekmek (bread), yogurt, Kavun and Beyaz Peynir (Melon and white cheese, which go excellent together). It is very similar to Tapas, in Turkish, Meze (appetizers). Basically you're surrounded by different appetizers the whole time. Stuffed vine leaves, Dolma, which is basically any stuffed vegetable dish. Like green peppers stuffed with rice), and aubergine salad (Patlıcan salat) are typical dishes you would see. At the end they bring out a main appetizer which is usually some fish or a type of chicken dish but could really be anything.
All the while, you will most likely be drinking Rakı which is the traditional Turkish drink. Rakı is made from suma is the solid remains of grapes, olives, or other fruit after pressing for juice or oil. It contains the skins, pulp, seeds, and stems of the fruit. Aniseed gives it its licorice flavor. Atatürk loved this stuff. One of the first buildings reopened after the 1923 revolution was a Rakı distillery. Usually 45% but there must be something else in it. Other variants include Rakia in the Balkans region, Ouzo in Greece, and Arak or araki in the middle east. The two most popular brands in Turkey are Yeni Raki and Tekirdağ.
Usually only traditional Turkish music is played. The three most common instruments used are the Oud, which is similar to the lute. The Darbuka, also known as the “goblet drum” has a much different sound than, say, a djembe. Very Crisp and loud. Usually made of metal. The kemence is a three-stringed bowed instrument. Not played like a violin but like a cello. As the night goes on and the Rakı continues to flow, people tend to get a little wild and after about two hours into any Meyhane, everyone is dancing on the tables. It is really a long event which can start anywhere between 6-8 and last till 3 in the morning. If you go to Turkey, Meyhane is an absolute must.
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