In a largely Chinese community like Greenhills, where Chinese restaurants are the preferred chow, it’s surprisingly delightful to find something like Feta Mediterranean, a four-month old restaurant that serves authentic Turkish cuisine. We know it’s authentic because a young Turk silently sits behind the counter and at slow hours between 2-5pm, could be seen hanging out with his compatriots, speaking their native tongue.
THE LOOK
Situated on the ground floor of Intrawest Building along Annapolis, Feta boasts of a large space able to seat 75 folks, wood fire oven at the back, a mini deli upfront, a bar where yogurt shakes are prepared on the left, and all. Tables are arranged to seat a group of four, but are easily organized to accommodate larger groups. There are large booths on the right, if you want privacy.
THE GRUB
Feta’s menu is elaborate, with pizza, pasta, and sandwiches making the Turkish menu a bit more child-friendly. The oven should clue you in to give in to your carb cravings—you won’t be sorry. The Ekmek (PHP35), Feta tells its diners, “is the foundation of Turkish dining.” It is a huge loaf of bread you’ll have to share with your mates, and maybe use to wipe clean the hummus plate with.
The greek salad (PHP360) has huge cubes of cucumber, tomatoes, feta cheese, along with olives and lettuce ever-so-slightly covered with olive oil. It’s a healthy start to the meal.
The pita doner roll (PHP150) is easily their most popular dish. Strips of flavorful beef and lettuce are blanketed in freshly baked pita bread that seem too big but will prove just right, as it catches the yogurt sauce you won’t help but douse the roll with.
But a meal in Feta won’t be complete without their yogurt shake (PHP90), which you can have either sweet or salty; and its baklava (PHP180). We order a sweet yogurt shake and it was perfect. The sugar tempered the natural sour taste of yogurt. It wasn’t too thick as the case of other yogurt shakes available in the city, which we appreciated very much.
The Baklava meanwhile is a rich dessert, “At least 40 layers” of filo pastry with a lot of pistachio nuts and tied beautifully with generous amounts of honey.
NOTES:
Cost: For a meal of pita kebab roll, yogurt, and baklava, we shelled out PHP140.
Cleanliness: Very clean. We came here twice, one in the afternoon another late at night and both times, it seemed like the restaurant had just opened!
Service: The staff are courteous and friendly and seem very intent to convert you into a regular.
Sound level: Contemporary Turkish pop music plays on low, perhaps to anchor the place to a here and now context: You are in a modern Turkish restaurant.
Lighting: The sunlight streaming through the front windows confuses the warm lighting from the inside.
Feta Mediterranean, Intrawest Building, 33 Annapolis St., San Juan. +63 2 7057238. 9am-10pm
This story first appeared in Manila Coconuts. For more food stories, visit http:manila.coconuts.co
