Come August, I will have lived in Izmir for two years. Isn't that crazy? I only thought we'd be here a year and it looks like we will be here for three! (Though I am putting my foot down at more than that, come hell or high water.)
In all that time, though, I have yet to find my favorite pub or cafe along Izmir's famed Kordon, that stretch of waterway along the Aegean in Alsancak lined with bars, cafes, restaurants and a few shops. It is the place in Izmir to watch the sun set over the water, and I'm astounded at myself for not having found my own little home on the Kordon yet.
I much prefer to drink a beer at the pubs lining Alsancak's back alleyways -- which, while not as plentiful as Taksim's, are still good for a night out -- where the breeze off the water isn't as refreshing but the atmosphere is spot on.
The thing about the Kordon is, well, it's expensive. And I think it lacks character. Every bar looks exactly the same to me, with the same badly stained outdoor furniture covered in the same make of rain-resistant pillows, all serving the exact same drinks at the exact same prices.
But I think it's high time I gave the Kordon -- and its commercial residents -- another chance. Because, gosh darn it, I want to take the ferry to Alsancak after work, plop down in my favorite chair at my favorite bar and order my white wine to watch the sun set over the water. And this is going to be the summer I do it.
I've decided to leave the fish restaurants out of my search entirely. I'm not a fan of the ridiculously high prices the waterfront restaurants are charging for fish these days; I can eat better and more cheaply in my own neighborhood. What I'm seeking instead is one good pub where I can have a drink, and one good cafe where I can have a tea. Even better if they turn out to be the same place!
Starting in June, after we return from Paris, I'll make more of an effort to seek out the best of the bars lining the Kordon and report back to you on what I find. Do you have a favorite place along the Kordon? Any suggestions for what I should try first?
