Balıkçı Emin Usta

When you’re walking around the water in Istanbul, you will be inundated with fish sandwich stalls. But which one to go to? It can seem so difficult to choose. Our suggestion? Navigate over the bridge (past the fish stands on the boats), past the fish market where the path then begins to lead to a series of restaurants and small stands, the latter of which were all selling what appeared to be identical fish sandwiches.
We walked the entire length, carefully scrutinising each vendor before recognizing the correct stand. While every fish sandwich purveyor may seem to be serving what looks like identical products, Emin Usta’s stand was the only one with a line. Along with this line comes Emin, a hulking beast of a man whose singular mission in life appears to be making the most amazing fish sandwich in all of Istanbul. Whereas we observed other vendors haphazardly throwing together a sandwich in under 15 seconds, Emin’s attention to detail and pursuit of perfection carries his sandwich to heights others can only hope to attain. In his massive palms a pair of ordinary kitchen tongs transforms into culinary tweezers, which he wields with the precision of a surgeon, ever so delicately plucking each and every minute bone from the thin fillets. This attention to detail is the foundation upon which a remarkable sandwich is built.
However, as you might expect, perfection like this comes at a price: if you are in a hurry, this is not the fish sandwich for you. Whether there are 3 or 30 people in his line, Emin remains at an even keel, completely unswayed as he churns out a sandwich or two every 5 minutes. He may also stop for a cigarette in between.
While we were patiently waiting our turn to place our order, the gentleman in front noticed us as tourists and explained that he works nearby and that Emin Usta’s fish sandwiches are legendary, as they are well-​known to be the best among a sea of imitators. He did also give us a one recommendation for ordering: go with a wrap instead of on a roll, which we readily obliged.
The end result? This was an incredibly delicious wrap. The fillet of fish was fresh and perfectly grilled, still flaky and moist without the slightest hint of being overcooked. The veggies added crunch and texture while the quick squeeze of lemon brightened everything up. Then, a drizzle of pomegranate syrup, secret sauce and a sprinkle from an unlabeled jar of Turkish spices brought all the flavors together — salty, spicy, sour and sweet. Plus, a bit of time on the grill after everything was put together meant the wrap had a bit of crispiness as well as a bit of smokiness. (TRY 9 = $ 3.50)
When we had been on the other side of Galata Bridge, there were a couple of floating boats churning out fish sandwiches that were incredibly full of tourists (and maybe locals). After having Emin Usta’s fish sandwich, we both agreed there was no way they would have been as good.
He doesn’t work the grill all the time (he has an assistant that works sometimes), so just look for the wet wipes with his face at the stand! If we lived in Istanbul, we would definitely come here regularly.