Considering the Republic of Türkiye (or what most Americans simply call Turkey) sits at the crossroads of Asia, Europe, and West Asia (or what most Americans call the Middle East), it’s no surprise that Turkish cuisine is famous for both its diverse influences and its history stretching back thousands of years. Yet many places in San Diego, with the exception of Bosforo in Normal Heights, still use the more familiar “Mediterranean” descriptor, and once guests are in the door, show them what Turkish food is really about.
That’s what Meliha Karahan hopes to do when she opens Truva on the ground floor of The Sofia Hotel in the Gaslamp Quarter this spring (by the end of May, if all goes well). The owner and Turkish native calls Truva a modern Mediterranean-American restaurant, offering traditional American breakfast as well as Mediterranean breakfast options like a breakfast board with olives, tomatoes, and fried cheese rolls; a falafel burrito, shakshuka; and, of course, avocado toast.
The Turkish-heavy dinner menu features items like a mezze board with baba ghanoush, hummus, and stuffed grape leaves; Beyti kebabs made of minced beef and lamb; beef cabbage rolls, and Turkish dumplings. Eventually, Karahan says she’d like to add more items like lahmacun (sometimes called “Turkish pizza,” it’s a thin, crispy flatbread topped with a spicy mix of minced meat, tomatoes, peppers, onions, and other herbs) and pide (savory flat bread stuffed with ingredients like different cheeses, minced meat, or vegetables).
Courtesy of Truva
Named for the Turkish word for the ancient coastal city of Troy (now Çanakkale, Turkey), Truva is meant for anyone looking for an authentic Middle Eastern breakfast or dinner. It’s also for people who just want to grab some pancakes or an omelette. “Everything is going to be from scratch, fresh,” she promises. They’ll bake their own bread, make their own tomato sauce, and mix the syrups for the drinks (there will be a full bar, by the way). Truva isn’t part of the hotel itself, so anyone can come dine.
It’s taken over a year-and-a-half to renovate the space into a lighter, brighter, more modern space from the French-inspired Currant American Brasserie that formerly occupied the suite. Now, the 145-seat space features an L-shaped bar (which seats 12) with light brown wood and green accents for an upscale but not fussy experience. “No tablecloths,” she says. There’s also patio seating, plus a private room for around 12 people.
Courtesy of Truva
In the past, that location has proven difficult for other restaurateurs, and the current economy is not great, to say the least. But between tourists, hotel guests, San Diego’s robust Middle Eastern community, a relative lack of authentic Turkish food in the city, and her decades of experience working in restaurants and hotels, Karahan is confident. “I’m not scared, actually,” she says. “I should be good.” Good luck—or should we say, kolay gelsin.
Truva opens this spring at 140 W. Broadway, inside The Sofia Hotel. Hours will be Sunday through Thursday, 7 a.m. to 10:30 p.m., Friday through Saturday, 7 a.m. to 11 p.m.
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Beth’s Bites
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