Mediterranean Retreat: Pera Soho | NYC

I’ve walked by Pera Soho a few times and was instantly drawn to the garden dining lounge.

A classy and trendy space with a full bar located in the front of the restaurant.

Pera Soho serves excellent Mediterranean and Turkish food, a great choice when looking to dine in Soho.

Complimentary Starter and Cocktails
Pita Bread and Sauce (left): This sauce right here was incredible, super garlicky, and was prepared with sesame seeds, feta and garlic. A great complimentary starter.
Turkish Apricot Margarita (right-left drink): Prepared with Olmeca Altos, apricot puree, Triple Sec and fresh lime juice. A margarita that was definitely on the strong side, but smooth. There was a bold tequila flavor, a bit too strong for me.
Spicy Cucumber Cooler (right-right drink): Essentially a Cucumber Margarita prepared with Barton combined with fresh cucumber juice, serrano chili, and fresh lemon juice. Fresh, crisp, summery drink. A favorite!

Dips & Chips
Smoked Eggplant with Garlic Yogurt: The pita chips made in-house were perfect, light and crispy, and not greasy. I especially loved the paprika seasoning on these chips. Although the dip was prepared with smoked eggplant, the eggplant itself was quite subtle in flavor. The eggplant combined with yogurt was creamy and delicious.

Mezes
Pastirma-Wrapped Feta-Stuffed Dates (top): The char-grilled pastirma wrap was filled with creamy Bulgarian sheep’s milk feta and dates. This appetizer is one of Pera Soho’s signature items and was also a favorite of mine. Sweet, creamy, tender and savory all at the same time. The beef, feta and dates came together seamlessly.
Phyllo Rolls (bottom left): Paper thin crispy dough wrapped with kasseri cheese, fresh dill and served with tzatziki sauce. Creamy, light and a good veggie option.
Chicken Adana Cut Roll (bottom right): Chicken that is hand-ground daily and marinated in Mediterranean spices, wrapped inside lavash with parsley, tomato and onion. The chicken was juicy and tender, and the cucumber sauce on top added an element of creaminess.

Dinner Plates
Grape Leaf Wrapped Branzino: Branzino steam baked with roasted tomato and fennel in a grape leaf. The branzino came with a side of orzo pasta prepared with feta, shallots, cherry tomatoes, olives and extra virgin olive oil. The orzo pasta was creamy, a little salty and served cold, very well-made. The branzino was perfectly cooked, however the fennel flavor was a bit overpowering for me. Having said that, I had leftovers and the next day this dish tasted even better.

Seared Greek Salmon: This dish right here stole my heart, just look at it, still drooling. Pan-seared salmon topped with a heavenly corn salad and cucumber dill sauce. The salmon was perfection, buttery and oh so delicious topped with a crunchy corn salad. Outstanding, and a favorite!

Coffee & Desserts
Pistachio Crème Brulee (top): The light and creamy crème brulee had bits of pistachio throughout. This dessert was incredible and not too sweet. The chocolate bark that sat above the crème brulee was a nice touch and very tasty. A favorite!
Coffee (bottom left): Perfectly hot, robust in flavor!
Turkish Baklava (bottom right): Although the baklava tasted good and wasn’t overly sweet, it was a bit chewy.

RESTAURANT REVIEW: Pera Soho
COST: $$$
CUISINE: Mediterranean/Turkish
FAVORITES: Spicy Cucumber Cooler | Smoked Eggplant with Garlic Yogurt | Pastirma-Wrapped Feta-Stuffed Dates | Seared Greek Salmon | Coffee | Pistachio Crème Brulee
VERDICT: 4.25 / 5
Walking into Pera Soho, I was immediately drawn to the garden dining area located at the entrance of the restaurant. The outside space is beautiful and perfect for warm summer nights, while the inside space is classy and trendy. The food at Pera Soho is delicious and I loved the eastern Mediterranean flavors used in most dishes. You’ll find the dishes here to be smoky and garlicky with a subtle hint of spice. My favorite dish was the salmon… the dish that I still dream about. Pera Soho’s version is easily one of the best salmon dishes I have ever had. Additionally, the food here is on the healthier side since it is grilled/pan-seared and cooked in Extra Virgin Olive Oil. Lastly, there are a good number of vegetarian options at this restaurant. I’ll definitely be back! Highly Recommended.
Food: Excellent | Drinks: Excellent | Décor: Trendy/Elegant | Service: Polite/Helpful/Slow Service | Value: Fair

LOCATION
54 Thompson St., New York, NY
(soho)

Have you been to Pera Soho or Pera Midtown? What’s your favorite Mediterranean/Turkish dish?