For more than 12 years, the friendly folks at Istanbul have been serving Turkish food with a smile and a helpful hand in Rice Village. Even if the rest of the Village is entirely different these days from the quiet shops and restaurants that once populated Times and University, Istanbul hasn't changed at all. It's still the same welcoming, low-key Turkish bungalow that it always has been, and dining on the broad patio or inside, amidst the clatter of the kitchen and the fresh meats on display in the refrigerated cases, has always been like eating with family. If you have questions about the menu, the waitstaff are more than eager to explain any dishes or traditions to you and are quick to offer up some of the deliciously dark Turkish beer or coffee to accompany your meal. No flagging down is necessary here, nor do they hover. Happy mediums like that are hard to come by in restaurant service these days.