A Dozen Years Later, This Somerville Turkish Spot Still Satisfies

" Start with a dip, like the surprisingly bright honeynut hummus ($24) with harissa and ginger, and studded with sweet figs Never skip the harissa barbecue duck ($37), prepared like kebabs, served over a decadent swoop of carrot brown butter - the richness of the harissa with the fattiness of the meat makes this irresistible - but we've enjoyed everything on the shish part of the menu."

"The sweeping 20-seat bar is almost always packed. It's an open secret that the best way to get a seat is to show up right at 5 p.m. The dining room of the restaurant, visible from the bar, seats about another 30 (you can reserve a table). The walls are brick or painted turquoise and adorned with colorful plates from Istanbul, and the mood is rousing and chatty."

Sarma focuses on the flavors of Turkey and the Eastern Mediterranean, led by chef Cassie Piuma, a multiple James Beard nominee. The menu emphasizes vegetables and inventive bar snacks such as lentil nachos, eggplant fries, and chicken wings with pistachio labne. Signature offerings include honeynut hummus with harissa and ginger, harissa barbecue duck over carrot brown butter, and sweet potato wedges tossed with fruit and tahini. The 20-seat bar fills quickly while the dining room seats about 30, featuring brick and turquoise walls decorated with plates from Istanbul. Sarma makes house frozen yogurt, offered in flavors like chocolate with miso salted caramel sauce.

Read at Eater Boston