Islak Burgers Are The Wet Mess You Need To Try ASAP
Normally, soggy hamburgers are an unfortunate culinary mishap you'd want to avoid, but in Istanbul wet hamburgers, called Islak burgers, are a Turkish street food staple that are found in a small corner of the city. If you thought White Castle's famous sliders were as soaked as it gets, these saucy sandwiches will have you thinking again. Islak translates to "wet" in Turkish, and these wet burgers live up to the name. The simplicity and strong flavors of the Islak burger make it a memorable street food, and the juicy texture is the secret that keeps locals coming back for more.
Travelers will find these delicious burgers steaming in display cases in Taksim Square, where they are generally thought of as the ideal drunk recovery meal. Street food stalls selling Islak burgers are open well after midnight, which means they're on the night owls' radar when they're looking to eat something quick and filling. For under a dollar, Islak burgers are as affordable as they are tasty. Each one is drenched in a spicy tomato sauce, which makes them messy and difficult to eat but very appetizing. The burgers themselves, though thin, pack a powerful punch, being very reminiscent of Turkish meatballs, or köfte. Along with the ground meat, they include a lot of minced garlic, as well as paprika, parsley, and breadcrumbs. Anthony Bourdain sampled them while filming his show "No Reservations", and seemed to enjoy the wet slider's spice levels. The experience, though messy, is a worthwhile one.
The history of Islak burgers in Istanbul
Throughout the 60's and 70's, Taksim Square became an important symbolic area in Turkey during a time of widespread civil unrest and shifting politics. Public demonstrations, protests, and strikes were very common gatherings in the square. After much change, today the area is a tourist hot spot known for its nightlife, restaurants, and shops.
Most locals attribute a buffet restaurant called Kristal Büfe with first inventing the Islak burger during the country's highly political climate of the 1970s, and its Pangaltı branch still sells them today using its original Turkish recipe. However, one family-owned restaurant in Taksim Square, called Kızılkayalar Hamburger has gained more widespread popularity in Istanbul for its own version of wet burgers. It claims credit for inventing the Islak burger around the same timeframe as Kristal Büfe, calling its recipe "a taste brought to the Istanbul street flavors culture by our family" on its website. In the square, there are several different vendors next to one another selling the same burgers, but instead of having a competitive attitude about attracting more customers, the owners operate their businesses in support of their neighbor's successes. Travelers can find this iconic street food throughout Turkey, but it hasn't quite gained traction anywhere else in the world just yet.
How wet burgers are enjoyed in Turkey
It's typical for hungry passersby to eat more than one slider at a time to feel full. And while spicy food might not seem like the best to mix with alcohol, it actually does help fight hangover symptoms. The capsaicin in spicy foods can help you sweat out some of the toxins you've accumulated in your body, usually prompting several chugs of water that flush your system even further. It might not be the prettiest meal, but it's a streetside godsend at 2 a.m. in Taksim Square.
"Wet" bread isn't a foreign concept in Turkey. Much like Turkish meatballs, which are frequently eaten with bread that's been grilled and drenched in a meaty broth, Islak burgers feature the same technique. Street food vendors will first form the wet burger's patties from beef or veal, and while they cook, the buns are submerged in a peppery, tomato-based sauce before the meat is slapped between two of them. The burger buns are white, soft, and quite plain, to soak up the flavorful sauce. Once assembled, the burgers are then steamed behind glass. Besides slathering the buns in the special sauce, this steaming process is what aligns Islak burgers with its name, giving them a wet amalgamation of textures. Some vendors may suggest eating it with a side of ayran, a popular Turkish drink made with yogurt. This dairy-based beverage is no doubt a helpful way to douse your taste buds between bites if the spice becomes too much.