Antioch: A Delightful Dinner at Müzeyyen Antakya
After a long day of travel and touring around Antioch, we were ready for some good eats. Earlier in the day, we made reservations at Müzeyyen Antakya. The restaurant serves as a kind of homage to Müzeyyen Senar, a beloved Turkish musician and performer. Müzeyyen Senar and other artists provide the restaurant with beautiful background music.
The menu at Müzeyyen Antakya was next level delicious. The appetizers, called meze (meh-zay) in Turkish, were unmatched in both flavor and taste. The spread of cheeses, hummus, yogurts, and mixed vegetables were fresh and full of variety. With bread in hand, we easily and hastily dug into the savory appetizers. The countless appetizer options were enough for a full meal, but it didn’t stop there! We ordered three entrees for the whole table, so that everyone could split everything. The entrees were wrapped, slow-cooked chicken and steak, the kind that melt in your mouth.
Our waiters were very attentive and constantly refilled our glasses. I think by the end of the night I accidentally downed a gallon of water! We were able to enjoy the sunset on the second floor as we finished the night with some fresh fruit. The sweet friends I dined with made the meal all the more delightful. Reflecting on nights like these fills me with thankfulness for the ability to travel and build genuine friendships with people. Catching a glimpse of the East’s culture and the sincerity of its people is what makes being here special.
To our friends in the West, keep looking East!
Becca Conner
Becca spent her childhood between Virginia and California, before settling down in Huntsville, Alabama. She attends school in Louisville, Kentucky, where she is pursuing a degree in Global Studies. Becca loves learning about different cultures, and spending time with people from all different backgrounds. She can frequently be found watching Gilmore Girls, eating granola bars or apples and peanut butter, or on a hike with her little brother/best friend, Charlie. She is obsessed with musical theater, particularly Newsies, and has been known to burst into song at completely random times. Becca is as adaptable as they come, spending four months living in Guatemala before she was even 18. She is always down for a new adventure, whether it involves exploring a new place or meeting new people.