Turkish Delight

Genevieve Paiement, Mirror, Apr 12-18 2007

Su is a superb addition to Verdun’s burgeoning food scene

Over the past five or so years, Verdun has undergone a kind of quiet foodie revolution. Now home to a smattering of great restaurants specializing in cuisines from around the world, this traditionally blue-collar borough is showing obvious signs of gentrification. Whether you’re craving quality French bistro fare (Simpléchic or la P’tite table), a tasty veggie lunch (Nu Art Café) or top-quality Mauritian (Délices de l’Île Maurice), Peruvian (Villa Wellington) or Italian (Cucina Linda) eats, Verdun has got it.

On my most recent foray into the ’hood, a friend and I headed to Su, a Turkish restaurant that’s been getting kudos since it opened in early November. Given the top-notch quality and presentation of the food, and the somewhat upscale décor (all white with traditional Turkish flourishes here and there), it’s hard to believe that Su is basically an old-fashioned ma and pa operation. A labour of love, Su is owned and operated by husband and wife team Tulga Kalayci and Fisun Ercan (he’s the host, she’s the chef).

The blustery night we visited, we stepped inside the candlelit space and made a beeline to a table near the hearth—a small fire was burning within the brick pizza oven they use to cook some of their stews (a leftover from the Italian restaurant that was once in this spot). And though we soon learned that it wasn’t giving off any heat in our direction, it still seemed warming, even if the warmth was psychological.

We started out with a shot of raki ($7) to enjoy with our plate of mixed meze, which included four choices ($15). A centuries-old anise-flavoured aperitif, raki is very similar to the French pastis, where you start out with a little and continue to add water until it becomes cloudy or milky (its other name, aslan sutu, translates as “lion’s milk”). To my untrained palate, it tasted like a muskier, murkier pastis.

For our plate of meze, our host steered us toward the salty, feta-like beyaz peynir cheese, which we were told went very well with the raki, and we added to that the silky kirmizi biberli ezme (grilled red peppers), the yogurtlu patlican ezme (eggplant caviar with garlicky yogurt) and the meze of the day, some simple and scrumptious chicory. Blanched and served with olive oil and lemon juice, the chicory tasted similar to the rapini side dish often served in Spanish and Italian restos. Artfully presented on gleaming white plates, the portions were just right—not too big, nor too small. And the lot came with a basket of very wonderful homemade bread.

For mains, from the extensive menu, we chose the The Sultan’s Favourite ($17), a dish consisting of finely ground beef mixed into eggplant and tomato purée, and the kuzu tandir ($20), braised lamb shoulder served with mashed potatoes and sautéed vegetables. Both meat dishes were delectable, slow-cooked and imbued with a confluence of wonderfully rich flavours, and were served with delicate, fluffy basmati rice. I only wished we were more people in order to try more things.

Next came tea and dessert (an extra $2.50). My dining partner declined the sweet stuff, but I opted for a slice of what the waitress called “bread cake with sugar syrup,” which didn’t sound too exciting, so I’m not sure why I was surprised that it was the one minor disappointment of the meal. Revani, I subsequently learned, is the name for this traditional semolina cake. It tasted bland and a little dry, but by then it was already after closing time—maybe it had just been sitting around too long?

The apple tea, however, more like a hot apple cider, was yummy and very sweet but not cloyingly so. And as we sipped it, my friend and I agreed this was the kind of restaurant you want to spread the word about, one that combines amazing food with friendly and sincere service in an inviting space. Next time, I plan to tackle a Turkish pasta dish (the gozlemes and Turkish ravioli sound intriguing), or a seafood option (perhaps the raki-braised bass). And I’ll be sure to drag more buddies along so I can mooch off their plates too.