By Megan McGibney

It is said the world’s three greatest cuisines are French, Chinese and Turkish. While Downtown has plenty of the first two, it could use more of the latter.

Luckily, Soho is set to get a Turkish eatery of its very own Nov. 15, when the Midtown hotspot Pera Mediterranean Brasserie opens its Downtown version: Pera SoHo. The award-winning restaurant known for its elegant décor and softly lit dining rooms intends to provide this fashion-centric district with some of Turkey’s finest cultural dishes.

“I think it’s proven to be a great concept,” said owner Burak Karacam of his eateries. “Whether it’s the décor or the music that’s soft to people’s ears, it’s a very refreshing take on eastern Mediterranean and Turkish cuisine.”

Karacam hails from the country’s capitol, and the restaurants derive their name from one of Istanbul’s more eclectic neighborhoods. Since the 17th century, the place has been home to many non-Islamic cultures, including Italian, Greek, Jewish, Armenian and French. It was in Pera that these groups resided and set up their businesses, and it is at Karacam’s restaurants that a blend of eastern Mediterranean cuisine comes to life.

Pera’s menu mainly consists of Mediterranean staples like olive oil, zucchini, eggplant, beans, seafood and lamb. Dessert fans may mourn the lack of cake, but will rejoice at Pera’s selection of puddings and baklava.

Pera SoHo,designed by DYAMI architects with décor overseen by Karacam himself, will include a lounge area up front with a doorway leading to a garden, which will be open to patrons beginning in April. In addition, during the warmer months, private parties can go to the rooftop and watch the sun set before going downstairs to sup in a dining room that can seat 105. Karacam chose 54 Thompson Pl. for Pera SoHo because of the lack of neighboring tall buildings and the chance to be on the cutting edge of dining habits.

“I think Soho is making a comeback in terms of dining,” he said.

When it comes to making Pera SoHo different from its Midtown relative, Karacam is contemplating whether to make a quarter or a third of its menu different. The Downtown kitchen will be headed by the Turkish/American duo of Metin Calisir and Nathan Crouser.

As for the possibility of more Peras, Karacam said, “It’s not something we are against, but currently the focus is on getting this one up and running and reaching its potential.” After that, Karacam will look around for a new place for New Yorkers to experience one of the world’s greatest cuisines.

Istanbul native Burak Karacam in front of his yet to be opened Pera SoHo. phOTO BY Megan McGibney. Pera’s Downtown location will be similar to its uptown haunt, located on Madison Avenue. PHOTO courtsey of Pera Mediterranean Brasserie

Co-owner and executive chef Michael Psilakis, who also runs more upscale Anthos in Midtown with partner Donatella Arpaia (of davidburke & donatella renown), has made this his more traditional—and affordable—take on the Greek food of his youth. Tablecloths there are not, and simple Kefi T-shirts on the servers keep things a comfortable notch or two below fancy. Even the decorative ceramic pots, painted plates and hanging woven baskets that fill the multi-roomed space help create a feeling of casual familial dining, though the presence of my brother and sister at the table may have had just as much to do with that.

The blue-tiled maritime mosaic on the back wall is an artistic punctuation to the restaurant’s fittingly azure color scheme.

When it comes to examining the two-page menu, don’t expect a quick study; choosing is anything but easy. After much contemplation we (or rather I) decided that the $6.50 Greek salad would be a surefire hit. Not so much. An overabundance of shaved fennel turned the dish into a bland, soggy slaw, whose only saving grace was a liberal helping of feta and an assortment of juicy olive slices. It was, however, the only disappointment.

The house-made Cypriot sausage ($7.50), an herb-infused mix of ground lamb and pork, was so soft that that it would have been just as easy to chew sans teeth. Served over a cooling pool of very dill-y tzatziki, the accompanying warm pita slices disappeared along with every drop of leftover liquid on the plate. But the best of the appetizers, the grilled octopus and bean salad, looked frighteningly similar to a Jacques Cousteau research specimen. A thick octo-arm, curled and tentacled, stared up almost laughingly at us, as if to say, “Do you really dare to eat me?” Well, yes, and for good reason: the tender, grilled cephalopod tasted better than anything the French explorer ever dissected, especially with bites of chickpeas to go with every suction cup.

At this point, I was tempted to add Kefi’s award-winning meatballs ($6.25) to the mass of Meze we’d just downed, but the arriving helpings of swordfish, striped bass and baby lamb chops changed that plan. Scenes of October foliage—a not too common occurrence in the land of Socrates—flashed through my mind as I sampled the bed of cinnamon and clove-laced cauliflower that propped up my brother’s heart-shaped swordfish steak. It was a most surprising contrast to the burst of lemon that oozed from my sister’s delicate piece of striped bass, which worked perfectly with our $40 bottle of Santorini Kootsyonoppolous.

Made from the assyrtiko grape, a white native of the Mediterranean Isle of Santorini (and one of many distinctly Greek varietals offered here), its soft, round texture and pleasant, but not overly fruity notes even played nicely with my medium-rare baby lamb chops and buttery white rice risotto, the day’s $22 special.

After letting my brother play Dad’s part by sucking the rest of the lamb off the bone, only dessert remained to be had. Of the two that came, the galaktobouriko (or “galactic burrito” as our otherwise straight-faced waiter termed it), a gelatinous, honey and orange glazed cheese custard, was more interesting, but less satisfying, than the crumbled halva-topped chocolate mousse with sesame sorbet. Be sure to include chocolate with every bite of sorbet, lest dessert taste too much like your morning bagel.

With the bill paid and the bitter taste of Greek coffee still on my tongue, we finally made our exit into the Upper West Side night. But not without staring longingly at every plate of food we hadn’t ordered on the way out. Macaronia and Souvlaki, I’ll be back.

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Kefi
505 Columbus Ave.
Betw. 84th and 85th streets
212-873-0200
Entrees: $13.95 to $16.95
(excluding specials)
Reservations recommended