The cool modern signage on the exterior is what drew my attention to this new Turkish café on Carling Avenue in the city’s west end. It stands out from the curly-cue fonts, fast-food outlets, and unappetizing döner cone images that dominate the strip-mall food joints surrounding the Coliseum Cineplex.
Inside Köfte, we were greeted with a warm smile and a simple menu of Turkish specialties, including the namesake köfte, as well as cooked spinach and yoghurt or grilled chicken; each of these can be combined with various salads and sides to create a meal. (According to the sign, doner will be added to the menu soon.) Apparently there are 291 different types of köfte in Turkey. Who knew? The name köfte refers generally to meatballs, but depending on the origin, the meat could be beef, chicken, lamb, goat, or even fish. Here, we are told, the köfte carries the characteristics of the Thracian region, which lies mostly in current-day Bulgaria. It’s a combination of minced lamb and veal that has been rolled into small tight cylinders and grilled until firm and bronzed.