Degirmen
Davutlar Yolu (12km/7 1/2 miles from Kusadasi on the way to the Dilek Milli Parki)
Cuisines: Arabic
About
More than a restaurant, Degirmen is a veritable nature park located outside of Kusadasi, on the way to Dilek Milli Parki. The restaurant proper sits at the top of a small hill surrounded by overfed rabbits and peacocks. All the food is organic, some of it grown on-site. Colossal peasant bread accompanies such dishes as tandir kebap (lamb cooked in an "in-ground" oven, Anatolian style) or the special Degirmen kebap (spareribs, chicken wings, quail, and lamb chops). Try the eriste (homemade egg noodles) or the içli köfte (meat-filled bulgur balls, either boiled or fried), and finish off with a slice of the house künefe (cheese-filled buttery string pastry covered in syrup and served hot). Outside the restaurant, a cobbled path leads down from the restaurant to a duck-filled pond, over a hanging bridge, past the chickens and sheep, and straight to the riding stables, a marvelous combination for kids. The small "village store," located on the way down to the pond, is good for stocking up on basic ingredients, such as the reserve's own nuts, dried fruits, preserves, fresh eggs, olive oil, and wine. You can also buy fresh gözleme from a spot near the hanging bridge, or enjoy light snacks in the covered seating area down by the horses.
