Summer Lunch Series Part 10: Sofra

I have never been anywhere quite like Sofra Bakery & Cafe. A wonderfully unique establishment located at One Belmont Street in Cambridge serving modern Eastern Mediterranean food, inspired by traditional Turkish, Lebanese and Greek cuisine; Sofra is the younger sister of Ana Sortun's more widely known and highly acclaimed restaurant Oleana. Sofra was the first stop in a venture around this quaint neighborhood on Cambridge's western boundary, just a short ride from Harvard Square on the 71 or 73 bus line. When my sister and I arrived around 1 pm, Sofra was bustling with activity. A line of customers wrapped around a counter displaying goods for sale moved quickly, but still allowed us a chance too decide on what to eat, and to take in the scene. I was enamored with all the specialty spices for sale as well as the hip and cozy middle eastern decor emitting a bohemian vibe. Sofra and Oleana's produce is organic and locally grown at Siena Farms. Siena Farms supports a 300 member CSA as well as provides produce to numerous other Boston restaurant kitchens.
Leah and I decided to share a Mezze Bar Platter ($9).

I had never ordered from a Mezze Bar until now! It proves to be a substantial lunch, I highly recommend you try it out you visit Sofra.

The platter style option allowed us our choice of 5 mezze.

We sat outside on the patio which provides a lovely setting. However, the awning added an awkward yellowish tint to my photos. In addition to the Mezze Bar Platter we chose the first item listed below on the "From the Kitchen" Menu. How intriguing does that dish sound?!
I bet they are all phenomenal. To drink they offer fancy lemonades and iced teas, but my sister recommended we get the Sharbat ($2.75).

We chose the flavor of the day which was a white peach nectar.
Sharbat is a popular drink of the region (very common in Indian, Iranian and Afghan homes) prepared from fruits or flower petals. Served chilled over ice, this was unlike any juice I'd ever tasted. It was sweet, syrupy and creamy all at the same time. I loved it!

Back to the Mezze Platter - I'll work my way across the plate, left to right.
1) Smokey eggplant with pine nuts. 2) Whipped feta with sweet & hot peppers.
3) Beet Tzatziki 4) Lentils with carmelized onion, greens & cilantro
5) Muhammarra - red pepper & walnut puree.
Everything we tasted was full of fresh clean flavors. From beet and eggplant to feta and walnut, blended with certain oils and spices these ingredients created innovative and tasty spreads. Most lent a creamy whipped consistency - similar in texture to hummus, with the exception of the shredded beets in the tzatziki and the small round lentils. I welcomed the diverse textures, flavors and colors all on one plate. With lighting constraints, the camera could not truly capture the gorgeous bright magenta color of those beets. Trust me it was one strikingly beautiful spoonful of food. This entire platter was quite a feast for the two of us. Ours kitchen dish also proved to be a worthy choice. The mini cast iron skillet is enough to make any customer swoon, as it's not everyday we are served a dish in such a bold statement piece!

With warm chunks of Syrian bread that were both soft and crispy, surrounded by chickpeas and wilted greens, topped with a cold tart yogurt, a smooth tahini sauce and finished off with a sprinkle of sumac, this dish which sparked much intrigue proved to be an excellent lunch.

Ana Sortun's one-of-a kind concept launched in 2008 brought Sofra to the Boston food scene, and trust me city dwellers / anyone else in the vicinity, she's worth a trip. I thought I'd tried it all this summer lunch series; there was Brunch, Sushi, Seafood, Modern American, Italian, basically a little bit of everything. Sofra is the spot I never knew I was missing. I learned from reading the menu, Sofra comes from an Ancient Arabic word meaning dining table or picnic, it is also a synonym for generosity and hospitality. The staff was patient, friendly and helpful and the food was definitely served in generous portions at very fair prices.
My sister is so lucky to live close by. She can head back for Turkish coffee and pastries anytime! We were extremely full after lunch, but how we passed up coconut macaroons among other sweets I'll never know.
Guess what else? Sofra isn't the only draw to this block anymore. Recently opened on the corner of Cushing & Belmont Streets are two boutiques where we headed after lunch. The Mad Closet is a small consignment shop with an assortment of clothing, shoes, handbags and jewelry.
Lady Luxe is vintage with a modern twist selling all of the above as well as furniture and decorative household items. Earlier this year my sister picked up an end table and today I purchased a dress for a mere $26, as well as that white belt you see pictured on the display below for $6. Lady Luxe is owned and run by two sisters who started out selling their goods at SOWA, (South End Open Market) but eventually moved on to open their own boutique. Both the super cute stylish sisters were working this afternoon. They were very sweet, welcoming and knowledgeable about their items for sale. Then we treated ourselves to pedicures at Star Nails around the corner on Mt. Auburn Street. The ladies did a really great job. Lots of leg and foot massaging were involved. My sister who treats herself to pedis often, (compared to me, I never get pedis!) mentioned the last one she got on Newbury Street (forgets the name...) was lackluster as they barely took the time to pamper and scrub. We were both so pleased with the service we received at Star Nails.Leah's are an electric neon pink and mine a bright spunky yellow. Sofra, shopping, and pedicures made for a relaxing afternoon in Cambridge before a Crab and Bud Light filled Cape Cod weekend!