The job of a chef is a thankless one. The hours are bad and the pay is even worse. But over the past ten years, the media have glorified the culinary career and elevated a handful of cooks to "celebrity" status.
Such is the case with chef Ana Sortun, an erstwhile contestant on Bravo's "Top Chef." Winner of the James Beard Award for Best Chef of the Northeast in 2005, Sortun is renowned in the Boston area for her mastery of Mediterranean cooking. Oleana, her restaurant in Cambridge, has drawn accolades for its innovative incorporation of Turkish ingredients and seasoning. In 2008, Sortun decided to open a casual, inexpensive alternative to Oleana called Sofra Bakery & Cafe. Located on the outskirts of West Cambridge by Arlington Cemetery, Sofra is not as accessible as its Inman Square-based sibling. Intrepid Jumbos, though, will be rewarded with breakfast and lunch options that combine Sortun's penchant for the underappreciated flavors of the Eastern Mediterranean with the hominess of a local cafe.
Sofra calls itself a "bakery & cafe," but the inclusion of Bazaar might be more accurate. The walls are lined with shelves packed with unusual seasonings and ingredients. The line — a place this small and popular always has a line — snakes around these display cases. Tempting though it may be to stock up on boxes of spiced marshmallows, bags of za'tar seasoning and jars of rose petal jam, the real treat is at the counter.
The staff are well aware of the average Bostonian's unfamiliarity with Turkish dishes and they therefore provide helpful descriptions for each item on the menu, as well as the myriad culinary miscellanea on sale. Even the relatively pedestrian container of pink lentils gets an enthusiastic paragraph describing its culinary possibilities. These pedagogical descriptions demonstrate Sortun's passion for Mediterranean gastronomy as well as her desire to share that enthusiasm with her customers.
The baked goods, pleasingly displayed behind a glass panel, taste both delicious and fresh. Common culinary tropes of the Mediterranean, such as phyllo pastry and pistachios, stand out on the menu. Desserts, such as the sesame-cashew bite, straddle the line between savory and sweet. The almost-cloying caramel is tempered by the salty cashew and generous sprinkling of white sesame seeds. Of the hot breakfast options, the menu branches out of its Turkish roots with courses like migas — a rustic dish from the Spanish heartland, consisting of cubed French bread with chorizo, onions and tomatoes — and semolina pancakes with pumpkin jam.
Sortun carries over the small plate concept of Oleana with the inclusion of the Mezze bar. These vegetarian small plates, ranging from whipped feta with peppers to a Moroccan carrot salad, can be purchased individually for three dollars or be combined into a platter of five for only nine dollars. Everything on the menu is under 10 dollars, even the meaty lunch options like the gyro or the moussaka.
The menu might be inexpensive, but Sortun spares no expense when it comes to ingredients. The chicken soup, for instance, was made with chicken from the Misty Knoll Farm — the same poultry that the renowned Craigie On Main prides itself on roasting. It is no secret that Sortun has committed herself to locally farmed ingredients, partly due to the fact that she is married to Chris Kurth, the owner of Siena Farms near Boston.
One of the few problems with Sofra is its limited seating. If you are seeking a quiet cafe to either read or work on an assignment, then this is not the place. The cramped quarters encourage to-go orders. While the food will undoubtedly taste the same, the hominess of the cafe experience is lost. In that sense, the bazaar description would be even more fitting.
Sofra is open seven days a week for breakfast and lunch. For students tired of the frenetic atmosphere of Ball Square — or those merely bored of Carmichael's overcooked eggs — Sofra is worth checking out. I can't promise that the cumin-laced lamb will cure your hangover, but it sure is tasty.
