When you invite people to experience Taverna Bistro for the first time, take them in through the back door. That route will wind you through the rear patio, which has been fashioned into a hookah bar that is small in size and big on atmosphere. Between the scent of the sweetened tobacco, the moody amber lighting and the olive-skinned denizens at the bar who shot glances at us as we entered, it felt as if we had stumbled into Rick’s Cafe Americain.
And the intrigue lingered once inside the restaurant, dramatically outfitted in mustard and tan colors, with dimly lit amber chandeliers and blue wall sconces, and rows of tables and booths topped with crisp white tablecloths. Taverna Bistro is the vision of owner Emrah Gures, a Turkish expatriate who has applied his two degrees in hotel management and 20 years in the hospitality industry.
We started with a pair of appetizers. Our spanokopita ($6.95) was a sumptuous treat that featured spinach, feta cheese and herbs wrapped in thin phyllo dough and baked until the crust was crunchy and the stuffing creamy. I wasn’t quite as enthusiastic about the kalamarakia ($8.95). These fried calamari rings were served hot, crispy and not at all oily, but they were a bit too rubbery for my taste.
We also sampled the soup of the day ($3.95), which happened to be lentil. It proved to be the perfect antidote for the blustery, wet weather swirling outside. Lentil soup is often chunky, with whole lentils floating in a broth, but this version was creamy, warm and rich, with a circle of crisp croutons on top.
Apparently, we didn’t study the menu description closely, because the first few bites of lamb shank ($14.95) were surprising. At first glance tit looked enormous, coated in a thick, mildly spicy tomato sauce. However, cutting into it revealed a layer of sauteed spinach sandwiched between the sauce and meat that accompanied every forkful. The lamb was so tender it fell off the bone, although by the end, after eating much of the spinach and sauce, we realized that the shank wasn’t as large as we first thought. Nonetheless, it was quite a plateful — including a mound of garlic mashed potatoes and even more sauteed spinach on the side — and the tastes were savory.
It’s not easy to cook lamb chops correctly. Restaurants often serve them either overcooked and leathery or undercooked and bloody. So I was delighted by Taverna Bistro’s chops ($20.95), which were tiny, very tender and served with a mushroom sauce that mellowed the lamb’s gaminess. Lightly seasoned cauliflower florets and garlic mashed potatoes dressed up the plate.
Always a favorite, Taverna Bistro’s Alexander kebab ($14.95) adhered to traditional recipes: Thinly sliced lamb and beef gyro was piled atop quick-fried cubes of lavosh bread. A judicious amount of melted butter and tomato sauce was poured over the dish, and the platter came with a tangy yoghurt dip. While the flavors married together nicely, I found the meat to be a bit too dry.
If it’s meat you crave, try the taverna plate ($16.95), which is loaded with lamb and beef gyro, chicken gyro, lamb and chicken shish kebab, kofte kebab and lamb chops. Accompanied by only rice, steamed cauliflower and a yoghurt dipping sauce, the dish is a carnivore’s delight.
At the other side of the spectrum, our veggie moussaka ($10.95) was a triumph. A layer of grilled potatoes forms the base for a stack of sliced eggplant, tomatoes, zucchini, green pepper and provolone cheese in ascending order. This melange is baked to a tender consistency, topped with bechamel tomato sauce and served with rice and salad.
Located in Sunnyvale’s small but busy Murphy Street entertainment district, Taverna Bistro shares the block with dance clubs, brew pubs and all manner of cuisine. It has much going for it — a great location, a wine list with both house and premium wines, good food and a wonderful atmosphere. Our party found the wait staff to be professional, albeit a tad indifferent. With a more convivial presentation, Taverna Bistro could be a major magnet for fans of Mediterranean food.
Taverna Bistro
133 South Murphy Ave., Sunnyvale
(408) 735-9971
www.tavernabistro.com
Hours:
11 a.m.-10 p.m. daily
