Around ten years ago, a new seafood restaurant opened in Fethiye. It was along what was then the new harbour. But there was a main road and other restaurants between Girida Restaurant and the sea.
Nevertheless, it captured the attention of the people of Fethiye. Its tables were packed on a nightly basis.
Eventually, you didn’t go to Girida in the evening unless you’d made a reservation.
Fortunately, we follow Girida on Instagram.
If we didn’t, we’d have been very confused when, one day, a while back, the restaurant closed and another seafood restaurant opened there under a new name…
Girida Port, Fethiye
Girida Balık hadn’t closed. It had moved to new premises. These days, it’s called Girida Port.
Seaside Setting
A more fitting name, being that it is now overlooking a marina.
And a more fitting setting for a seafood restaurant as they’re now right by the sea, which also overlooks the rest of the bay.
We love eating along the beach at the seafood restaurants in Datça. And now, in Fethiye, a marina setting also hits the mark.
We hadn’t been to Girida Port since its big move – too busy being busy, we guess – but our recent anniversary prompted us to think about somewhere to go for a late lunch / early evening meal.
Somewhere a bit special.
Girida Port was our ‘somewhere a bit special’ of choice.
Familiar Yet Hidden Surroundings
Girida Port now sits on the marina, nestled between Ece Saray and Yacht Classic Hotel below Fethiye’s Karagözler.
All very familiar for us.
Our first holidays here were spent in Karagözler hotels so it’s a road we’ve trundled along many times. Walking backwards and forwards to Paspatur and the harbour.
But Girida feels like a little secret.
There’s nothing secret about it of course. Every table is full on a summer’s evening – and there’s a lot of tables!
It’s the setting. You enter via the back road separating the marina from the hotels.
There’s nothing particularly attractive about this road.
It hosts the rear entrances to the hotels and to laundrettes. It’s access for delivery vans.
But then, at the end of this road, you reach the gateway to Ece Saray and its marina.
A security guard welcomes you in a friendly ‘where are you going,’ kind of way.
We’re going to Girida. And we’re waved on through.
Whilst it all feels a little bit exclusive, we were pleased to find that Girida Port still has the same relaxed feel it always had at its previous location.
Time To Eat
We chose a table under the shade of a tree and the waiter came out to welcome us and take us to the fridges inside.
It is rare in Turkey that you will get a menu at a dedicated seafood restaurant.
You go to the display fridges and choose from the raft of meze options; most of which are seafood-based.
This is our favourite way to eat at Girida.
We never order a whole fish. Just a selection of meze that we can enjoy while we while away the time, enjoying the views.
And the delicious food selection of course.
Inside the restaurant, the Girida Port meze fridge is framed by the open kitchen to the rear. Wine and fruit displays to the side. And the main fish fridge in the centre.
Our interest was the meze fridge.
And, knowing that we have a tendency to get over-excited and order too much, we know we need to rein ourselves in a little.
This is mainly seafood, after all. A tad more pricey than a serving of spicy ezme or garlic yoghurt with carrots.
You can order meze like that, too, if you like. A lot of the usual favourites are there on display.
For us, though, we were there for a seafood treat.
After a bit of discussion, and reluctant elimination of various choices, our selection looked liked this.
It’s rare we order food and don’t make sure there’s a portion of Turkish pickles on the table.
On this occasion, we ordered two types.
And the waiter made one mixed plate for us: Stuffed and pickled baby aubergines with gherkins and a portion of pickled rock samphire (kaya otu).
If rock samphire is there, we order it! So tangy but still holding some flavours of the sea.
The homemade bread was stuffed with red peppers and black olives. That, along with the olives and walnuts, was served as part of the meal.
Then it was the seafood börek. Girida was the first place we ever had this many years ago. And we now make our own version; seafood börek triangles.
And we all know what the famous Turkish simit looks like. We chose a breaded börek in the shape of a simit. Inside, the filling was chunks of seabass and tangy blue cheese.
Calamari or octopus? Octopus or calamari?
Always a tough choice but we plumped for the octopus. So tender – perhaps the best we’ve had in Fethiye.
After a long leisurely late lunch, it was time for the bill.
At the time of writing, it worked out just short of £30 between us, including a glass of wine and a beer. For a special occasion that was okay with us.
Girida Port – Useful Information
- Girida Port is on Ece Saray Marina along the 1st Karagözler, Fethiye.
- The restaurant is open year round with indoor seating during the colder months.
- In high season, we highly recommend you make a reservation for evening dining.
- There is no menu at Girida Port. If you are worried about prices, the waiter can explain them to you as you choose your dishes.
- Girida Port is just one of many dedicated seafood restaurants in the Fethiye area, including the famous fish market.
- If you’re holidaying in Çalış, there are seafood restaurants along Çalış Beach. We love Çalış Balıkçısı.
- If you love seafood but are dining with others who aren’t seafood fans, Denizatı Restaurant has a good selection of seafood meze and main meals as well as their other menu choices.
- Girida Port is on our list of ideas of where to eat in Fethiye.
Peter
Wednesday 1st of June 2022
Hi you two, was hoping to come over to Fethiye in September with my best friend. Glenn, but sadly he passed away at the beginning of May. So at the moment I am at a loss. Hope to be over and see you but don't hold your breath.