Hungry Travels

I have the drive from Rye to my parents’ house in Lexington, MA down to a science: Merritt to 91N to 84E to Mass Pike… 2 hours, 50 minutes without traffic (2:45 is my record), over 3 hours with. I used to do the drive on autopilot – point A to point B, with no thought given to what’s between.

Future drives may include an additional 15 minutes, because pit stops will be made in Bridgeport, CT, about a mile off of Exit 48 on the Merritt.

How best to describe Bereket… well, there isn’t a good way, except to say that it’s one-of-a-kind: Wonderful Turkish cuisine at ridiculously low prices, served out of a tiny hole-in-the-wall at the back of a Citgo station.

I could have driven by that Citgo station every day for the rest of my life and never clued in on what was back there; the only reason I know now is because I was told by Amy Kundrat, who writes her own blog, Motoamy, and is a regular contributor to the excellent Connecticut food website, CT Bites. (Amy’s also a taco fanatic and has written some great articles about CT taquerias and taco trucks.)

Amy and I decided to meet up for lunch at Bereket, and it’s safe to say we were both wildly impressed with our visit.

(The funniest thing about two bloggers getting together is the frantic camera action, as both rush to take photos. Amy has a nicer camera than mine, and takes much prettier pics. I’m more about function over form, having mastered the art of the surreptitious blog photo: whipping the camera out, snapping a pic, hoping for the best, and tucking that camera away, all in about five seconds.  But there we were… snap snap snap… like a couple of paparazzi hoping to catch a glimpse of Angie and Brad at LAX.)

Anyway, back to Bereket.  I forgot to take a pic of the inside (after all that), but it’s tight – one small table in the front, and I think two in the back.  Seems the place does predominantly take-out business (they might put a few tables outside during the summer).  We snagged the front table and ordered a boatload of food, starting with this chunky and quite substantial plate of babaganoush.

This next appetizer blew our minds.

They’re sigara borek – phyllo dough wrapped around feta and spinach, rolled into cigar shapes and fried. These were a sensation: light as air and crispy/flaky, with melted, tangy feta nestled inside.  I could have eaten just this one plate and been satisfied with my lunch.

After the glory of the sigara borek, the falafel were a disappointment.

Thought they were going to nail these, but the falafel were dry and surprisingly flavorless.  Good rice and hummus though.

Strong recovery with the kofte – seasoned ground lamb grilled to perfection.  The flavor from the grilling really penetrated the meat, while the inside remained moist. I should mention the nice salad that came with it, dotted with olives and hot peppers.

And finally, the other breakout star of the meal; a dish called manti, it was a first for both Amy and me.

When it came to the table, I asked Amy worriedly, “Is this what we ordered?”  I’m not sure what I was expecting, but this wasn’t it.  I took a tentative bite and…WOW.

Manti are gumdrop-sized dumplings made of phyllo dough that are filled with ground lamb and beef.  Then they’re either boiled or steamed and topped with yogurt, some sort of red spice, and what tasted like garlic, onions, lemon juice and dill.

They’re delicate, but talk about a texture and flavor explosion.  Just amazing. And probably a nightmare to make (which the server confirmed).  Each dumpling is so small and has a specific star-like shape. I’m the guy who can’t handle crimping potstickers or mochi, so I can’t even imagine the intricate skill it takes to construct these little guys.  I’d like to try this at home, but I know I’d end up having a nervous breakdown.

No Turkish lunch would be complete without homemade baklava.

Then a surprise arrived – our server brought over two little cups of tea in hourglass-shaped glasses (I forgot to take a pic).  It was a civilized touch and unexpected – I mean you’re sitting at the back of a gas station, after all.  The piping-hot tea was a soothing way to end the meal.

Total bill for all this food?  $34, with tax. (Amy could confirm, but I believe they gave us the baklava on the house.)  That’s a bargain any way you cut it, especially with food this good.

We both agreed Bereket is a real find.  And like I said, it’s only a mile from the Merritt.  That means either while going up to Boston, or coming back, I’m popping back in at some point to get myself more Turkish food.

So much for 2 hour, 50 minute drives.

Bereket
4031 Main St.
Bridgeport, CT
203-372-0000