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Sofra Turkish Cafe & Restaurant – A Slice of Turkey? Coming Right Up!

Rating:

By Veron Ang

So I was in the mood for some exotic food just the other day. Something Middle Eastern. That’s pretty exotic, right? Sofra Turkish Café & Restaurant swiftly comes to mind. I have been seeing that place through its glass-clad exterior for years and figured, why not?

Here’s the thing: I wouldn’t know authentic Turkish cuisine if it bit me in the you-know-where. Here’s the other thing: You don’t have to know much to dig the food. That is the attitude I carry to every restaurant I visit.

I really like the ambience of this place. Roomy, ample seats, large, almost full-length windows that offer a view of the surrounding Beach Road area. It is elegant and chic enough for a romantic date, yet homely enough for casual dining.

If you like meat, you will feel quite at home over here. The mixed grill combo is great for those that love their meat but can’t quite decide what to get.

Turkish kebab

Jumbo Kebap Combo
S$34.50++
Rating:

The meat is served to you on skewers hot off the grill. When it arrives, our jaws drop. Sword, candle, flowers, all the works. It certainly has that wow factor doesn’t it?

This Jumbo combo comes with various kinds of kebab, or kebap in Turkish, including shish and döner. While the menu advertises this as being a platter for two, the generous portion makes it large enough to feed three adults.

Turkish kebab

Tasting a little smoky from the grill, the meats include lamb, chicken and beef that are minced, sliced or cut in chunks, all of them succulent and flavourful.

Turkish kebab

Turkey, which literally holds the bridge between East and West, offers one of the most colourful and exotic cuisines in the world. Digging in, I notice some Greek and Lebanese influences.

Turkish kebab

Döner kebab is meat that is slowly roasted, then sliced off from a vertical rotating spit.

Turkish kebab

Almost too much food!

Turkish salad

The salad comes in little “bowls” that are beautifully crafted from onions. Notice that the food sits on top of a bed of warm, fluffy pide bread.

Turkish kebab

Sofra Kebap
S$15.50++
Rating:

Well, we have no inkling that the Jumbo combo would really be that, well, jumbo-sized, and have already ordered a side of the Sofra kebap. This is basically sesame-adorned bread filled with meat, walnut, eggplant, tomato and cheese. You have a choice between mixed beef and lamb or chicken.

Turkish kebab

The whole myriad of sweet, salty and peppery flavours tastes so good that I wolf it down in seconds!

Even while we are feeling as stuffed as a turkey at Thanksgiving, we can’t resist having a small dessert at the end. After all, it’s not everyday that you get to dine at a nice Mediterranean restaurant in Singapore that serves authentic Turkish food (not that I have been to Turkey myself).

Their dessert menu offers a few options. Frankly, we have no idea what Baklava is while the Turkish rice pudding makes me feel full just by thinking it. So we pick the chocolate pudding with marshmallows because that seems the most appealing on paper.

Turkish chocolate pudding

Turkish chocolate pudding
S$4.70++
Rating:

And it really is! The chocolate is rich enough to satisfy yet not so thick and sweet that it gets tiresome. Plus, the bits of marshmallow adds a bit of fun!

Oh, we would have gone for that Turkish coffee, too, but we’ve really had too much. Perhaps someone would let me know if it’s good?

Have Your Say!

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What is your favourite Middle Eastern cuisine? Turkish, Lebanese, Moroccan or others? Share with us in the comments!

Sofra Turkish Café & Restaurant (

)
Shaw Tower
100 Beach Road #02-42/43/44
Shaw Leisure Gallery
Singapore 189702
Tel: +65 6291 1433 | Website | Menu
Service:

Bus services: 100, 107, 57, 961
Nearest MRT: Bugis

Opening hours: 12noon – 2:30pm, 6 – 9:30pm daily

Tags: Beach Road, dinner, Halal, lunch, Mediterranean, restaurant, Turkish

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About the Editor

Veron Ang is the Founder and Chief Editor of Sparklette, a Singapore restaurants guide, lifestyle and travel blog. She graduated with a bachelor's degree in computer science from the National University of Singapore and runs a web design firm at Sparklette Studio. To get in touch, head on over to the contact page or follow @Sparklette and @VeronSG on Twitter.

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Responses Leave a comment

Dave -nibbleanibble
13 comments

Mediterranean food is awesome.(In fact…all food from any part of the globe is awesome) I’m look at the skewers and I wow’ed. It is a fancy display and everything… but the price is quite high. Though, I would imagine it is worth every penny.
Reply
Posted January 28, 2010 at 2:34 pm
- Veron
  3438 comments
  
  Oh yes, fancy sounds just about right. The plating certainly casts a lasting impression. As for the price, I guess over here we pay a premium for the “exoticness” of the food because you can hardly find Turkish restaurants in Singapore. That said, I wouldn’t mind if they reduce the portions and price accordingly. The portion is really huge!
  Reply
  Posted January 28, 2010 at 3:49 pm
Naseem
1 comment

Hi Veron, Sofra IS halal certified and during Ramadan they even offer dates for diners who come in to break fast there. I am a huge fan of that restaurant because everything I’ve tried there is just SO good.
you SHOULD have tried the rice pudding. :) it comes in a real claypot and is really cold and refreshing. :) the turkish tea is a must try too,it comes in a small turkish cup with a sugar cube at the side,it warms you up from the inside as you wait for ur main course.
I’ve tried pretty much everything there and the place has not disappointed me. I would safely say that this is the restaurant that serves the best Turkish food,those at Arab Street don’t even get close to this. :) I think u should make another trip down!
Reply
Posted January 28, 2010 at 3:15 pm
- Veron
  3438 comments
  
  Thanks for confirming! That’s great news for many people that only eat halal.
  Turkish tea + rice pudding would make a great afternoon hi-tea wouldn’t it? My, you really made me feel like I missed out on a lot! I have never had anything cold that comes in a claypot, much less a dessert! It sounds totally intriguing. No regrets on trying that chocolate pudding though ;)
  Reply
  Posted January 28, 2010 at 3:57 pm
harris
13 comments

yay i love sofra as well! you should have tried the izgara kofte as well :)
another nice place would be zac’s cafe. note: many of the other Mediterranean eateries around arab street are over-priced…
Reply
Posted January 28, 2010 at 5:37 pm
- Veron
  3438 comments
  
  Hehe I saw your review on Sofra and your delicious photos of the Izgara Kofte. Yes, I can see why you highly recommend it. Oh, looks like they have it in chicken, too! I know exactly what to order on my next visit.
  Can’t speak for the rest, but I do like Deli Moroccan in the Arab Street area. Not too pricey, decent food, and no service charges. Yay!
  Reply
  Posted January 28, 2010 at 6:07 pm
Kyo
54 comments

I’m definitely a fan of Sofra, despite only being there once (we were invited by one of the relatives of the shopowners for a business lunch). We ate til we nearly popped. And promptly struggled to stay awake the rest of the afternoon!
Definitely good food though! The other place I like is Turkish Cuisine along Upper East Coast Rd. They also have really, juicy, succulent meats. And the best bit is a cream cheese dessert of sorts that’s been baked. No idea what it’s called but the waiters are never wrong when they recommend it. The chef is a Turk also. Deli Moroccan has awesome Moroccan mint tea, the handles are wrapped with a little tea cosy also.
I love Istanbul, one of my favourite cities (been there two times over the last two years). The people are warm and genuine and there’s nothing like a Turkish hammam. You’ve got to go there one day, Veron! The Bosphorous is amazing to behold. One second you’re in Asia, the next you’re in Europe. Absolutely thrilling..! Highly recommended (but the language barrier is a little tricky, I must admit)
Reply
Posted January 28, 2010 at 10:23 pm
- Veron
  3438 comments
  
  Good recommendation! I am always on the lookout for decent exotic food in Singapore. Most of us have never been to the actual countries and can’t tell the true authentic restaurants from the wannabes. Knowing that a Turkish chef is at helm does set the mind at ease.
  I worked under a Turkish boss before and he brought me to Turkuaz at Holland Village. He really liked the food over there and the restaurant was run by a Turkish lady. Too bad they have closed down already. Small Turkish population in Singapore by the way. Last I checked, there were only about 200 of them here.
  Yes, Istanbul is one of the top cities I would love to visit. That bridge alone sounds fascinating enough.
  Reply
  Posted January 29, 2010 at 3:10 pm
Angeline
2 comments

I love sofra! They have excellent sesame bread which I love. Although their price is slightly steeper than other turkish restaurant. It is definitely worth every penny! :)
Reply
Posted January 29, 2010 at 9:36 am
Gilbert Thomas
1 comment

Sofra is pretty good, but I always found their portions really small for the price they charge.
Reply
Posted January 29, 2010 at 4:26 pm
S Lloyd
3 comments

From my knowledge of Turkish food, that is some serious good one that you had there (judging from the pics).
Singapore really seems to have all type of great food. I just came from building up, on my blog, documentaries of the top best montreal restaurants and was looking forward to repeat the same experience at other parts of the world and Singapore might be a great idea. Sorry if this might appears as a bit off-topic, but I would be thankful if you could suggest to me some top 5 or 10 finest upscale restaurants of Singapore (no matter the type of food, as long as it is upscale fine dining). Thanks
Reply
Posted January 30, 2010 at 12:08 pm
- Veron
  3438 comments
  
  You’re in luck — I have a few reviews coming up for fine dining and semi-fine dining restaurants. You can check back here then or subscribe to be notified.
  Meanwhile, here’s one for your list: Graze at Rochester Park. It is helmed by Aussie chef Matthew Lawdorn and the food never ceases to amaze. You can check out my reviews.
  Reply
  Posted January 30, 2010 at 2:41 pm
Nicholas
51 comments

This is like kebab madness! Ok, out of context here but any chance you swiped that little short sword off the plate before you left?
Reply
Posted January 31, 2010 at 9:54 am
- Veron
  3438 comments
  
  Oh no, it was greasy and all. We did have ourselves a little sword fight though.
  Reply
  Posted February 2, 2010 at 3:27 pm
Hubert Wee

Looks very good indeed..
Reply
Posted February 2, 2010 at 9:51 pm
Draccards
2 comments

I tried the cheese and tomato pride & my must order Iskender Kebap mixed beef & lamb
http://littlecottagegniliuh.blogspot.com/search/label/TURKISH%20FOOD
Reply
Posted February 3, 2010 at 6:42 pm
- Veron
  3438 comments
  
  Wow! The Iskender Kebap DOES look great. It comes highly recommended here so I’m definitely checking this one out.
  Reply
  Posted February 7, 2010 at 9:55 pm
serena
1 comment

My family and i are huge, devoted fans of sofra. We dine there at least once a month, i wouldn’t be surprised if the staff recognise us!
My reccomendations: the Iskander kebab (turkey’s most widely available and popular dish) and the red lentil soup. It comes steaming hot, and when dipped with warm and soft turkish bread, it’s the best feeling in the world!
I can never resist the rice pudding either. It comes chilled and has a slight hint of rose water. Lovely!
I definitely recommend this to those hankering for a solid meal with beautifully, roasted meat and strong coffee in a beautiful ambience. Easily my favorite restaurant in Singapore.
Reply
Posted February 7, 2010 at 1:24 pm
- Veron
  3438 comments
  
  I have no doubt, now, that the Iskander Kebap is great :) Does the Turkish coffee come with the sediment layer at the bottom?
  Reply
  Posted February 7, 2010 at 9:57 pm
  - Kyo
    54 comments
    
    Yes it does!
    Inspired by your review, I rounded up another group of six adventurous diners and we went there last night. It’s been quite awhile since I was there, but the food was once again spot on. Tried the eggplant moussaka, the Sofra kebap, the Jumbo kebap, the salad plate, and a grilled lamb dish with lots of tomato sauce.
    It was only *slightly* dry, but I’m putting that down to their grilling/roasting technique (no idea if it’s authentic or not, didn’t go into the kitchen).
    They also put us up right next to the window and the place was quite full of people. Overall a very memorable dinner but we had other plans for dessert so I was unable to try their baklava again, what a shame!
    Reply
    Posted February 7, 2010 at 10:09 pm
Melissa
133 comments

Turkish food definitely a “yay” for me. Haven’t tried Lebanese and Moroccan before. Other than Sofra, I am not sure where else to go for nice Turkish food. Arab Street & Bali Lane maybe?
Reply
Posted February 11, 2010 at 1:22 am
- Veron
  3438 comments
  
  Several people have concurred that Sofra has the best Turkish food. But if you wanna try out new places and don’t mind no-frills dining, there’s Kebab Station at East Coast Park that offers cheaper food. Kyo, above, has recommended another Turkish restaurant, Turkish Cuisine along Upper East Coast Road. If you do get to try any of these, do come back and let us know how it goes!
  Reply
  Posted February 11, 2010 at 2:01 am
  - Melissa
    133 comments
    
    Thanks Veron. Will check them out and let you all know ^^
    Reply
    Posted February 17, 2010 at 1:52 pm