If there is baklava, there is madness.
At Sophia’s, the baklava is so good, it haunts me. The crisp layers of filo pastry are filled with walnuts and pistachios and a dash of honey sweetens it. It is pure and honest, not at all extravagant or fancy. At Sophia’s, food is kept simple and tasteful.
The restaurant’s chef and co-owner Mervyn Whitfield says that the menu is filled with simply prepared dishes from the sunny regions of Greece, Italy, France, and Turkey. In his menu, the food leads an honest life. A Greek Village Salad features lightly tossed greens, olives, tomato, and good feta cheese. A caprese is loaded with slices of mozzarella, tomato with some pesto.
There are tiropitas, baked pastry triangles filled with feta, spinach, and cottage cheese. Dipped in Sophia’s tzatziki (a Greek yoghurt dip), it is creamy and tangy with a hint of spice. Then, there’s the Dolmades, vine leaves stuffed with beef and rice that are dipped in rich, creamy lemon sauce. Its texture and flavor awaken something in the palate, perhaps a yearning for something new yet familiar.
If you have eaten in Chef Mervyn’s former restaurant, Piccolo Mondo, then you are familiar with his gourmet pizzas. There is the pizza quatro formagia, baked with four cheeses and served rich and crisp. There is also the pizza garithes, full of various seafood and herbs while doused with tomato sauce and finished with mozzarella. Then, there is the hearty, meaty pizza arrabiatta with slivers of Italian sausage and salami.
The pizza is good. The atmosphere is cozy. And the music plays on. A duo sings and strums by the stairway. Somehow, Sophia’s appears like someone’s home. Owners Chef Mervyn and his wife Jocelyn along with their business partners Joey Villa and Bobby Habaluyas designed the restaurant’s interiors with intimate lighting and intricate wood details. The balustrade was specifically carved for the restaurant. The rustic chandeliers that hang from the ceiling are one-of-a-kind. A small wine cellar quietly sits on the side.
Chef Mervyn says he stocks few but very good wines and you can enjoy them by the glass or carafe. Sophia’s dining enclave speaks of richness. But its true flavor lingers most delectably in its entrées.
Sophia’s Turkish chicken thighs are tender, grilled and flavored with honey, lime, and a mixture of fragrant spices. The grilled tiger prawns are rich and loaded with mozzarella and the flavors of rum and herbs. There is also the slow-cooked beef shank osso buco and the slow-cooked lamb shank Athena in honey-tomato sauce.
Aside from the baklava, there are the classic tiramisu and creamy pannacotta. Sophia’s Special is a bread pudding so soft, rich, and creamy with custard sauce. For desserts, there are also some flambés, strawberries, bananas, peaches, mangoes, and pineapple rum.
Even for breakfast, Sophia’s brings out the best in Mediterranean cuisine. There is feta omelette as there is Greek yoghurt with fruits and honey. There are bagels and toast and more eggs. There is also a rich breakfast tiramisu.
Sophia’s Mediterranean Deli is located at Westgate Center, Filicity (Filinvest Corporate City), Alabang, Muntinlupa. Call 771-7717. For more information on Westgate, call 850-3516; visit www.westgatefilinvest.com.