Leek,

Thanks for the kind words on our site, istanbuleats.com
As you noted in your post, DTVAE is tricky to find. We'll be upgrading all of our posts with maps in the coming weeks so please stay tuned.
If you ever make it back to Istanbul, you'll have to make it out to Sutluce, Istanbul's answer to Back of the Yards, for a grilled sweetbread sandwich.
As a Chicago native, I am constantly craving Mexican food. And there is none to be found here. But in a pinch I close my eyes and bite into a tantuni, thin spicy wrap of fried beef bits and peppers, in Karakoy and am momentarily transported back to the taco stands at the new Maxwell Street market (is that even there anymore?) or some of the spots I used to frequent on the Eastside.
Istanbul is a grazing paradise and it is unfortunate that the almighty tourism industry dictates that foreign visitors must eat mediocre overpriced kebab, while locals get to gorge on all things delicious. I am glad our site helped you find a few good bites despite it all.