Of Turkey's three largest cities, Istanbul certainly needs no introduction, and neither does Ankara, the capital and seat of government, in the heart of Anatolia. The bustling Aegean port of Izmir, however, remains more of an unknown quantity, except to those fortunate enough to have explored that beautiful and bountiful coastline.
It is hardly surprising that three of Tokyo's best Turkish restaurants are named after those cities -- they are, after all, obvious choices. More interestingly, though, each of them displays something of the character of their respective namesakes.
Istanbul, in the nighttime back streets of Shinjuku-Sanchome, is the oldest and best established, slick and a little impersonal, its decor crammed with photos and exotic baubles, making it easily accessible to first-time visitors. Ankara, up behind Mark City in Shibuya, is busy and serious, with little time for people unfamiliar with the territory. Izmir, the least known of the three, not only lies further from the mainstream -- in Asagaya, out on the Chuo Line west from Shinjuku -- it is also notably more cheerful and unselfconsciously modern.