We ate dinner with strangers on our honeymoon using a meal-sharing app - and it was by far our favorite experience of the trip

Rachel GillettGalo and I taking in the view in Istanbul.When my husband, Galo, and I visited Istanbul for our honeymoon some months ago, we were treated to a fascinating sampling of the old and the new.

We toured ancient mosques and palaces, shopped in one of the oldest markets in the world, and explored almost forgotten neighborhoods, now burgeoning with new life.

Our favorite experience by far took place in a red, four-story mansion in the Beyoglu district of Istanbul, where we tried out EatWith, a startup that lets you enjoy authentic dining experiences in people's homes.

Our dinner with our EatWith hostess Fatma, her family, and her guests was a night we wouldn't soon forget.