You remember the old Steak & Ale in downtown Atlanta? Well it has been transformed into Truva – a stunning Mediterranean restaurant.  One moment you are in the middle of downtown and the next you are inside a gorgeous, comfortable space with a warm fireplace, splashes of burnt red and turquoise and great seating options.  We loved the casual feel of the lounge and the option to sit in the more formal dining room.  Apparently, there is also an upstairs for large parties but we didn’t get to see that space.

The large menu had plenty of vegetarian options, but we quickly settled on testing out one hot appetizer – Sigara Borek, feta cheese and parsley wrapped in phyllo dough, deep fried and served with tomato confit ($6) – and one cold appetizer – Yaprak Sarmasi, stuffed grape leaves with rice, pine nuts, and herbs ($6).  Both were very light appetizers so it was a great way to start our meal.  I loved the stuffed grape leaves and the GM told me they wrap them each day in house.

For our entrees, we choose Hunkarbeyendi ($26), which is basically a lamb shank braised in coriander and mint and served on a pillow of roasted eggplant.  The lamb was absolutely delicious and our favorite dish of the evening.  It fell off the bone and the roasted eggplant underneath was a smoky complement to the lamb.  We also ordered the Tavuk Topkapi ($19), a stuffed chicken breast filled with rice, currants and nuts served with roasted seasonal vegetables and tomato confit. It was cooked perfectly and very good but it was served over the same pillow of roasted eggplant instead of the advertised roasted vegetables.  Not a huge deal but a little surprising to have two entrees with the exact same sides.  Both dishes also came with a side of spinach which might sound a bit boring but let me assure you this was by far the best spinach I’ve had in a long time.  It had a wonderful smoky flavor that I couldn’t pinpoint but I knew I recognized.  I didn’t get a chance to ask the chef what it was but I enjoyed every bite!

For dessert we sampled the housemade baklava ($6), which was flaky and perfect with every bite, but the real surprise came from a gift from the kitchen.  The chef sent out a dessert that he translated as “bottom of the pot” ($6) and it reminded us of a Turkish version of flan or crème brulée.  It had a firm, pudding-like texture and sweet, vanilla flavor that was topped with a spicy mix of cinnamon and, I’m guessing, nutmeg and cloves.  It was so overwhelmingly flavorful that we gobbled up every bit just trying to pinpoint what we were tasting.  It was a fantastic end to the meal.

I’ll end with a note about the wine list.  While the list won’t blow you away with unusual selections there are many affordable bottles on the list.  At least half of the wine list was in the $30 range which made it easy to order a bottle even though it was just your average Tuesday night out.  Our entire meal including wine came to under $100 and I took home enough of my entrée for lunch the next day.  Overall it was a fantastic experience and an affordable one.  I’ll definitely be returning soon!

60 Andrew Young International Blvd.

Atlanta, GA  30303

404.577.8788

www.truvaatlanta.com