Sophia Cafe

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Mr Fob and FoxyJ were in town to visit and Foxy had been speaking of falafel and we have a falafel joint near our house (plus it had yet to be marked off Eating Solano) so we went there yesterday for dinner. They shared a falafel sandwich (as did we). We also got a "Kufta (Mediterranean style burger)" and some extra falafel and cigars ("fried pastries with ground beef, garbanzo beans and fresh cilantro") to share with the kids. They also got a platter with some eggplant stuff and a bunch of hummus and pita and I don't know what all. Then we walked across the street and sat at a table in the Greenway and ate. When the kids finished they threw baseballs against the BART supports.

The boys found the falafel too spicy (something I find bewildering as they prefer their Mexican with some kick) but still liked most everything well enough. I've never quite gotten the appeal of falafel myself, but really loved the kufta. If we go again I suspect I'll get that. The hummus was thick as clay and too tahina-ey for my taste but very good when part of a sandwich. Just not alone. I think it may also not have had lemon. Anyway, it's not the way Lady Steed makes it and that's how I prefer it. So it may not be fair to judge. I have this bias.

Anyway, all that food cost about $30. Not quite but almost.

Then we went back for dessert. First up: marzipan-stuffed crunchy pastry (x4), ends dipped in chocolate. Baklava (x2) with superdry crispy flakes atop as everyone seems to prefer it and rose water-infused honey atop. Me though, I like my baklava more chewy than dry in terms of mouthfeel, but I recognize this is because I'm Wrong. I can deal with that. It was still good of course, but the sticks were the definite favorite. Dessert was another $15.

Final decision? I liked it all. I would be happy to accompany someone there. But even my favorite thing (the kufta) did not beat my remembery of Jerusalem's burger. So if I want Mediterranean ground beef, I might well go there instead.

LADY STEED's ADDENDUM

I liked the falafel sandwich but I really liked the falafel on its own better. If I were to get falafel again I would just get it as falafel balls. They would be like the french fries to the burger. (I loved the kufta.) Plus I really loved the cigars.

I wouldn't get the baklava again. I agree that I want my baklava more chewy. And those other cookies we got were A MA ZING. I would get them again. But the baklava was way too expensive. Too small for $3.75.

Anyway, I liked it. It was good. I would go there again. Try some of their other things, maybe. But not the baba ganoush (the eggplant thing Fob and Foxy got). Mostly because it had the same texture as snot.