Dinner at Sofra

Spinach felafel with beet purée on flatbread

I had dinner for the first time this evening at Sofra, a wonderful new-ish café and bakery on the Cambridge/Watertown line, run by the owners of the fabulous, famous (and fairly pricey) restaurant Oleana in Cambridge.
Sofra was a pure delight: literally everything about it was exquisite and inviting, from the white marble countertops displaying pastries, to the delectable, Arab-influenced Mediterranean food, to the simple, beautiful shaded outdoor seating area.  We tried two flatbread offerings and moussaka, all of which were deeply flavored, piquant, and satisfying but not heavy.  Finding we couldn't resist the desserts so temptingly arrayed, we sampled knefe, a sweet made with shredded phyllo and a barely-sweet cheese filling, which paired perfectly with our decaf cappucinos.  The tab for all this magnificence—with beverages, and for two—was about $40.  We sat and talked for a long time after finishing our meal, lulled by the warm, fragrant evening, and urged to linger on the patio by the café  staff, even though they were closing for the night.
There is generosity of spirit here, in every aspect of the place.  To make this little, casual restaurant so beautiful, the food so good, the whole experience so so easy and affordable, is a gift to the neighborhood and the whole area.  That's a gift I'll come back often to enjoy.

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