[Review] Edmonton, AB - Sofra Turkish Cuisine

10345 106 St NW, Edmonton, AB T5J 0J2

Round 2 of Downtown Dining. I was so excited to try this place! And when I heard that they were participating in the "Downtown Dining Week" in Edmonton, I knew I had to go! My friend and I figured that we could just share something from the executive menu and order another item on the side!! We had the feta dip with pita to start and for our mains, we ordered two things! Let me start by saying the feta dip was so amazing, that I could I have just spooned that straight into my mouth!!! It was more runny and less strong in taste in comparison to the regular feta cheese!!! And when it was paired with the air fluffed pita... Oh my goodness. I think sometimes I still dream about that pita. It has been one of the best ones I've had and it tasted as far from the processed pita as I've ever had!! It is definitely a must try when you go to Sofra. We didn't order any of the other dips, but I would definitely go back to make my rounds through them. Our first main were lamb kabobs with salad and some rice. The lamb was not as meaty or gamey tasting and was roasted very nicely.

EXECUTIVE DINNER FOR $45

Course 1

Choice of dip with fresh pita:

Humus, Biber (Red pepper dip), Sofra Ezme (feta dip), Hurma (sweet and tangy date dip) OR Pastrimi Sarma (pastrimi rolls stuffed with seasonal goat cheese and figs) OR

Peynirli Mantar (feta-stuffed mushrooms topped with fresh tomato basil sauce)

Course 2

Pasa Kebab OR

Izgara Somon (grilled, wild chinook salmon with orange butter sauce) OR

Firinda Ordek (forno-baked smoked duck breast)

Course 3

Baklava OR

Sutlu Irmik (Dense semolina cake with coconut, pistachio and orange peel)

SOFRA EZME WITH FRESH PITA:

• Rating: 5/5 starfishes

• Feta dip with house-made pita that I could have eaten endlessly if there was no other meal for that night.

• Nice creamy texture that wasn't too thick or sticky and was easy to scoop.

• The pita was very fluffy and was so fresh and warm.

• The sesame seeds gave the pita a slightly nuttier taste to it, but was not as salty as I would have liked.

• However, when paired with the feta dip, the simple taste of pita did not hinder the focus on the feta dip.

YUMARTALI PIDE:

• Rating: 5/5 starfishes

• Price: $14

• Egg and cheese turkish-styled pizza.

• The crust was a lot crispier and not as fluffy as an Italian-based pizza crust.

• More buttery and less starchy - the focus was on the toppings.

• A delicious combinations of ingredients with fresh herbs that made for a delectable main course.

• The underside was not soggy or oily like the traditional Italian pizza.

PASA KEBAB:

• Rating: 4/5 starfishes

• Lamb loin with herbal sauce and black tiger prawns grilled medium to medium rare

• Side of bulghur pilaf, tossed greens in house dressing and grilled vegetables

• Came with a side of feta dip for the meat.

• The pilaf is very colourful, but not as flavourful.

• The lamb was very herbal and cooked very well - more so suggested for people who like their red meats closer to the "medium" or "medium-well" end of the cooking spectrum.

BAKLAVA:

• Rating: 4.5/5 starfishes

• Layers of pastry filled with walnut, pistachio and coated with large amounts of honey.

• Very oily and buttery, which caused the pastry to melt in your mouth.

• Crispy and chewy without being overfilled with nuts.

• This dessert was very sweet so it is not recommended for those with a sensitivity to sugar.

Out of all the restaurants that I have gone to in Edmonton so far, this is by far one of the top places that I have gone to. It has been hard for me to find Mediterranean food that is very authentic and palatable in Edmonton, but this place definitely hits the spot. You can feel how much love that the Chef puts into each of his dishes. Every bite is equally as stimulating and it keeps you coming for more. However, this place is known to be very popular so make sure you make a reservation well in advance before making plans to dine here.