For ambience, fresh food and good service, all at very reasonable prices, Leleg is a must. On our visit in April 2009 we enjoyed it so much we ate here three times in a week! Situated right beside the sea at the end of the row of boutique shops, it has seating inside and out. The very welcoming Seyda, who runs the restaurant will greet you and tell you about her specials of the day. We loved everything we chose and for two courses with two glasses of wine each, we paid between 20 and 30 TL. (Specials started at 10 TL) The small deep fried red snappers were some of the best I’ve ever tasted and the barbecued sea bream was beautifully cooked. I was also impressed with the oven-baked pasta with chicken that I sampled on another occasion.
We suggest that you ask for Seyda and tell her that Paul & Val sent you (if she looks blank – tell her our villa is opposite Ken & Jim’s); you can rely on her judgement to select your fish. The best time for ‘specials’ during the peak summer months will probably be at lunchtime rather than the evenings when trade will be brisker.
There aren’t that many bargains out there at the moment, so it seems well worth noting this one. Where else can you find entertainment for less than 50 pence ( 1 TL) for two. No, I’m not joking. You can really go to a bar, sit outside with great views of the harbour, order two teas and pay 40 pence for the experience!
Our neighbours, Ken and Jim, run Gönülçelen café / bar with a Turkish friend. It’s situated just a few minutes’ walk from the fishing village (on the left up the hill on the Bodrum road, a few yards from the Turgutreis turn.) As well as a range of drinks, they serve excellent food at very reasonable prices. On our last visit we sampled the chicken curry and the Hungarian goulash – both freshly made and very tasty. With a couple of beers each the bill for two came to around 45 TL. (£18) During the summer they have a weekly fish evening at a similar 
price and they often host special events from discos to folk evenings. The end of May (2009) will see the opening of their marvellous roof terrace with panoramic views over the whole bay.
Distance
with barbed wire to your left and follow the sunken track uphill between two walls. After 10 minutes a house appears on your left behind the stone wall and you reach a track beside the entrance to the property.
steps and continue up the concrete slope to the ancient village of Karakaya.
telegraph poles on the right. Don’t forget to glance behind you as you walk for some of the best views of Karakaya. There is also a water tap along the road if you need to replenish your water bottles. After 5 minutes you reach the (lime green) electricity substation.
