Islak Hamburger - The Taksim Wet Burger Experience
So what is this special snack I'm about to tell you about? Hmm, is it special? It's certainly different! I'm referring to the Islak Hamburger.
'Islak' is the Turkish word for 'wet.' Or 'damp'. Or 'sloppy'.
You get the idea, this is a Wet, Damp, Soggy Burger.
You can see why it aroused our interest...
If ever a snack deserves to be given it's own blog post, it's got to be this one.
When we first wrote this article, the Islak Hamburger couldn't really be classed as 'Turkish food' as it wasn't available all over Turkey.
As far as we know, back in 2010, you could only get this snack exclusively in Istanbul. But it would even be unfair to have called it 'Istanbul, Turkish food.'
We had to narrow it down even more than that...
Back then, this was 'Taksim, Istanbul, Turkish food' and we think the snack was only available from a row of three kebab shops just off the top of Istiklal Caddesi.
The exclusivity didn't stop there...
Not content with creating and selling the phenomenon that is the Taksim Islak Burger, those three kebab kiosks added a further ingredient to tempt the taste buds.
These were no ordinary Taksim Islak Hamburgers...
...These were Özel Soslu Islak Hamburgers - a wet burger with special sauce!
Are you tempted yet? I wasn't.
What on earth are wet hamburgers with special sauce?
Closer inspection revealed that the burgers were made up and placed in rows under lights (as you can see in the photos above).
The burgers are on a hole-studded metal plate, so we can only assume that there is hot water underneath, causing steam to rise; hence wet burgers.
As for the özel sos - for the purposes of blog research, Barry had an özel soslu ıslak burger for his lunch one day.
His description was 'spicy, tomatoey.'
This spicy tomato paste actually coats the outside of the soft bun, not the burger inside. The burger comes wrapped in a paper serviette that soon becomes soggy.
The Taksim Özel Soslu Hamburger bun was very much enjoyed by Barry. I had a döner kebab half bread!
Workers on their lunch hour were also queueing to buy them so they're popular - and why not?
A wet burger is a cheap lunch...and cheap enough to try, merely for the purposes of a bit of blog research.
Nowadays, the islak burger is available in many more places around Turkey. Especially since the famous American chef and author Anthony Bourdain ate one on a TV visit to Istanbul, thereby introducing them to more foreign tourists.
Have you ever tried this much-loved Turkish street food? And, if you're familiar with them, do you know how they're actually made?
See, we are curious - even if I'm not too bothered about eating one...
I would not hesitate to try these....hmmm
Yes yes yes. You must try one and let us know what it's like!
We love street food too. As we're always on a budget, it's a great way for us to fill up on a great meal for very little cost.
Inka, it's looking very much like the wet burger is an absolute must. I'm thinking it's a cult classic! 🙂
How could I have overlooked that. Next time in Istanbul: heading straight for the wet burger.
I love street food. In my opinion, it's the best way to explore the 'true' cuisine of a country.
Thanks for that, koalaturk. We're heading across to Antalya in March so we may well hunt out AntalyaSpor Büfesi - just to compare and contrast between ıslak hamburger quality levels. 🙂
We also have "ıslak hamburger" here in Antalya. You can have nearly the same taste in "AntalyaSpor Büfesi" near the Dedeman Park Hotel in Antalya ( across the Dedeman Antalya Hotel ).
Be my guest 🙂
Ha ha. That's got to win top prize (not that there is one) for the most factual comment on the blog! Thanks a lot Sinan.
Now we want to go back to Istanbul to find Kristal Büfe Pangaltı branch and eat an original recipe ıslak hamburger!
Islak hamburger was actually invented by Kristal Büfe in Taksim in 80's or earlier... I remind you there was no McDonald's in Turkey back then. I first tasted it in Kristal Osmanbey branch & it was one of my favourite after school snacks 🙂
At first the bread was toasted & crisp in Kristal version. But as demand rise they started to make more & put them into pots in order to keep them hot. As a result of evaporation in the pot the bread became moist, hence the name Islak (wet) Hamburger.
Kristal Büfe Pangaltı branch still makes original recipe Islak hamburger.
Kızılkayalar in Taksim became famous with its own version of Islak Hamburger. Some say there's honey in its sauce. I'm not sure...
That's all for now from the History Channel 🙂
It certainly seems like they're a firm favourite Connie - a bit of cult status for the Taksim Islak Burger! We never even realised. 🙂
Yum, definitely a tasty, post-night-out-drinking snack to grab on the way out of Taksim Square! I must have eaten thousands while I lived there last year. I would actually kill for one now...
Glad you clarified the burger / furure husband situation, Annie! 🙂 Thanks for the info.
Kizilkayalar has the original islak burger, and in my opinion you have to go into it knowing it isn't anything remotely like an American style burger. It really is its own thing. My husband took me there on our first date, and while I wasn't too impressed (with the burgers, not him) I have grown to love and appreciate them. My guess as to the recipe:
-1 hamburger bun, buttered and toasted
-1 kofte hamburger patty with lots of garlic
-douse in tomato-garlic sauce
-Eat quickly whilst being knocked to and fro by all of the other customers in the tiny, be-mirrored shop.
I only had a little try of Barry's, Natalie. It wasn't half as bad as I expected but much prefer a chunky half bread.
I have never heard of them yet tried one. Judging from comments though, I am missing out. Will try one when next in Istanbul.
yes you ARE missing out.
I am Irish living in Marmaris, in Istanbul these are the most delicious DIRTY FOOD!
Rose - A 'lux' burger? Wow, that makes it better than a 'special' one then, we reckon! 🙂
Yesim - I may have to try one next time. I'm starting to feel left out now.
Istanbulblogger - FIVE?! That's pretty good going - but they are a bargain aren't they?!
everytime I step oout of the metro exit at Taksim I head straight towards Kizilkayalar ,sit there the place full of mirrors whilst I probably have 5 of them ,my wife would eat 10 if you let her .best 10 lira spend of the day
i really love it..
Islak burgers are the best! We have great ones here in Izmit at a sloppy old diner called Piknik --- they don't call it an 'islak' burger, though, it's 'lux'. Funny to think the lux burger costs less than $2.