Jim gets asked a lot to direct customers toward Carmel’s best eatery. It seems that, with every stroll through the town’s quaint, oak-lined streets, his answer changes.

Between visiting Silvestri Vineyards and De Tierra Vineyards, two remarkable stops along the newly opened “Carmel Wine Walk by-the-Sea”, Jim came across his latest restaurant of choice – one which also happens to boast an incredible selection of fine wines.

Upon breaching the tile-lined, arched entryway of Artemis Turkish Kitchen, Jim was immediately transported from the bustling streets of Carmel-By-The-Sea. Unfamiliar, mouthwatering scents and the bright light which radiated from ornate ceiling fixtures bounced between walls – each lined with paintings featuring Turkish architecture – to surround him with an atmosphere rich in culture and color.

As the meal progressed, Jim’s immersion in this other realm failed to dissipate. While the restaurant’s unique interior came together to invoke a tasteful, intimate environment, each ingredient from the lavas chips, cranberries to feta cheese in Jim’s Artemis Salad acted in conversation with the others to induce a similarly cohesive – yet surprising – assemblage.

Owned by Erkan Demir, who is originally from the cultural crossroads that is Istanbul, Artemis Turkish Kitchen is appropriately nestled among Carmel’s diverse medley of shops, restaurants, and people – each of which Jim looks forward to further experiencing in the near future.