Sofra Turkish Grill: Delicious Authentic Turkish Cuisine in Waterbury

Executive Chef Eren Polat and his wife Nigjar invite you to their newest restaurant, Sofra Turkish Grill a cozy neighborhood restaurant in Waterbury, Connecticut. The restaurant, which opened in late July 2023, has been drawing healthy crowds from Cheshire to Fairfield. No stranger to the restaurant world, Chef has over 25 years of experience in prominent restaurants in Turkey and Greece before opening his own Eren’s Grill in Fairfield. He opened Sofra to be closer to home and his family.

Chef hails from Adana, Turkey’s fourth largest city, located in the south where the Seyhan River meets the Mediterranean. One of the oldest cities in the world, it’s a major agricultural area and known for its distinctive cuisine, specifically the “Adana Kebabi,” a unique dish comprised of hand-minced meat prepared with a special knife called a Satir that closely resembles a machete. Authenticity is paramount as Chef remains true to his roots using the skills and techniques so prevalent in his country. So determined is he to do this, that many ingredients are imported directly from Turkey, some from Adana specifically. 

Turkish cuisine features many ingredients commonly found in the Mediterranean, but this large country with its many regions is diverse in its fare. Adana is known for spicy kebabs, rich stews and generously spiced dishes. You’ll find lots of ingredients like olive oil, yogurt, mint and parsley, lemon, tomatoes and spices like paprika and red pepper. You’ll see a variety of meat including lamb, beef and chicken. Turkish flavors are bold and wonderfully vibrant. 

We began with a wonderfully creamy and flavorful Mercimek Çorbasi, red lentil soup, a staple in Turkish cuisine and celebrated for its simplicity. This was followed by the Mixed Appetizer featuring a combination of dips including a Carrot-based yogurt dip made with walnuts, Baba Ghanoush, pureed grilled eggplant, yogurt, olive oil, Turkish tahini and Sofra’s select spices, Hummus, a wonderfully pink yogurt-based Beet Dip, Mixed Eggplant, made from eggplant, red bell peppers and their own house-made tomato sauce, and Haydari, a thickened yogurt with garlic, feta, olive oil and Turkish seasonings. I enjoyed each one tremendously and would have been happy to have made these my meal, but then I would have missed so much!
The Fresh flavors of the region shine through in their salads. The Çoban Salatası, Shepherd Salad, is made from chopped tomatoes, cucumbers, onion, tossed with Chef's lemon and pomegranate dressing. While the salad itself is so simple, the flavor profile is anything but. The Akdeniz Salatası, Mediterranean Salad is made of greens, chopped tomatoes, cucumbers, herbs, shredded carrot and red cabbage tossed with Chef's lemon and oil dressing. These salads taste like a warm Mediterranean day.

Next to follow were the stars of the show –  I didn’t really understand all the fuss until I experienced it myself. We’ve all had kebabs in our lifetime. But you’ve never had anything close to these and you’ll have no idea what you’re missing until you try. 

The Adana Kebab features lamb minced with the Satir, a great meat tenderizer, red bell pepper served onion salad with rice, bulgur, cucumber sauce, grilled tomato, and pepper. The lamb was exquisite in flavor and texture and incredibly tender. And while the meat is ground up it’s nothing like the ground meat we’re accustomed to.  For those preferring poultry the Tavuk Adana (Chicken Adana) is prepared the same way with tender seasoned grilled and minced chicken served with rice, bulgur, cucumber sauce, grilled tomato, and pepper. All entrees are served with one of their refreshing salads.

Something else altogether different, the Chargrilled Chicken Melt is also unique as seasoned grilled and minced chicken and mozzarella are wrapped and grilled to a crisp for an unexpected and delightful treat. Served with grilled tomato, pepper and cucumber sauce. 

The Tavuk Şiş, Chicken Shish is a marinated grilled chicken breast served with rice, bulgur, cucumber sauce, grilled tomato, and pepper. It sounds so simple, but the flavors are bold and lively. Although the actual spices remain a secret, the fragrant essences of coriander and paprika shine through in these dishes that are as vibrant on the plate as they are on the palate.

If you order a combination of any three entrees, they’ll be served on a Sofra and presented to you in the most magical of ways. This is perhaps the best way to enjoy the best of what they have to offer without feeling as though you’re missing out on something. Bring the family. Gather up your friends, this is truly an experience to be enjoyed with others. 

If, after all this wonderful fare, you still have room for desert I highly recommend the mixed Baklava where you’ll enjoy two pieces with walnuts and two with Turkish pistachios that are imported directly from Adana. Celebrated for its rich, sweet flavors and intricate and crispy textures, these small bites of heaven are the perfect post meal palate pleaser. But if custard is more your thing, you may want to opt for the Kazandibi, a Turkish Custard that’s pudding-like, creamy and caramelly. (And this is why you bring friends, so that you can have a little bit of everything!) You’ll not want to end your culinary adventure without a cup of Turkish coffee which is similar to espresso but here the powdered sugar-like grinds are not removed yielding an incredibly rich and full bodied flavor.

If you’re someone who enjoys a good meal, bright, bold flavor and unique dishes I implore you to head over to Sofra in Waterbury. (And bring your friends!)

SOFRA TURKISH GRILL
(203) 527 – 4408

130 Scott Road, Waterbury CT