Sarah Musgrave, The Gazette, Saturday, January 27, 2007

In Verdun, the chef of Su goes beyond culinary kebab stereotypes

"Kebabs and coffee that you turn upside down after you've drunk it" is how my friend and chauffeur summed up his previous experiences of Turkish cuisine as we drove toward dinner in Verdun. It's true that kebabs are probably Turkey's best-known culinary export and that upending the coffee cup for fortune-telling purposes is one of its customs. These basic notions are expanding, however, as more people discover the surprising breadth of the country's cooking.

Restaurant Su does its part in opening Montrealers to more nuanced aspects of the nation's fare, with a menu of layered flavours, from stuffed breads to casseroles cooked over a wood fire to fish simmered in raki, the potent regional spirit. Ambience-wise, though, it follows the hotel-lobby school of decorating, very neutral and sombre despite the historic prints on the walls and the gleaming place settings. The personality of the place is pretty much reserved for what's on the plate. Fortunately, the food is easy to appreciate and easy to afford, with a table d'hote kindly priced at $14 to $21 including soup or salad, dessert and coffee.

We chose to go a la carte to take advantage of the selection of mezze, or starter plates, which hinted at the Turkish influence on the cuisine of nearby countries. Stuffed vine leaves called yabrak might be better known as Greek dolmades, for example, while a fava dip suggested Middle Eastern hummus.

Divinely fresh and feta-like, beyaz peynir, a triangle of firm white cheese served with slices of cucumber and tomato, scored on simplicity. The mezze of the day, soujouk, brought more complexity in rounds of sausage with a sweet and hot spicing, topped with melted cheese. A dip called yogurtlu patlican ezme, which incorporated eggplant, yogurt and garlic, didn't last as long in the mouth as we might have expected. But it worked well as a light refresher with sesame-studded buns, nestled in a basket under a napkin like hidden treasures.

Pasta is not a dish commonly associated with Turkish cooking, but beef-stuffed ravioli known as manti are just that. The firm little packages, nipped at the corners, were superb in a smooth yogurt sauce sharpened with a liberal amount of garlic, drops of spicy tomatoes and patches of oil and herbs. For its interplay of textures and tastes, this is a dish I'd recommend.

Saving some of the more far-out choices for the next visit, we instead played it safe with a mixed grill to see how Su succeeded on the standards. A trio of meats was succulent, rounded out with a delicate mound of rice and julienned veggies for elegance. The chicken breast, lamb chop and ground beef patty were all deeply seasoned, moist and tender, though almost too tender for my liking.

We finished off with Turkish coffee and clear apple tea, along with almond cake surrounded by fresh fruit. My friend forgot to turn over his cup at the end of the meal, perhaps an indication of just how different it was from any of his previous experiences.