The first thing that arrives on the table at Sumak is a downright marvel: too-hot-to-touch pita bread that’s fluffy, pleated and dotted with sesames. I knew I’d want it later for the eggplant dip, but I also just couldn’t help tearing off pieces, ignoring burning fingers for pita that could solve all a day’s problems.
That bread is a shining star at Sumak, a Miami Beach spot where otherwise dishes can be uneven but still worthy of a drive over the causeway.
Dark and dominated by an off-to-the-side bar under a shiny tin ceiling, Sumak is a charming antidote to the traffic screaming past on 71st Street. Our server was welcoming, and the owner’s kid watching iPad videos in the back gave the place a lowkey dinner party vibe, albeit with pumping house music setting an odd lunchtime tone.
I had the highest hopes here after that pita, and the eggplant dip served as a nice accompaniment, smoky and full of garlic. The Sumak salad arrived without dressing or salt, although they brought olive oil and vinegar after we asked. My well-charred beef kebabs needed a sauce—tzatziki, maybe?—to bring it all together. And my wife’s vegetarian plate required more help, a pasta or rice perhaps, as it was simply every vegetable in the house (peas, carrots, asparagus, eggplant, cauliflower) swimming in red sauce.
In the end, though, sweet grilled künefe cheese arrived on a honey-laced sauce, topped with shredded phyllo and toasted pistachios—sweet, salty and just hard to stop eating. Sumak also imports dondurma, an ice cream so dense it’s eaten with a knife and fork, an ingredient you apparently don’t often find this side of Istanbul.
Those desserts, along with the pita, are enough to pull me back for another try. Sumak feels like a restaurant on the verge of greatness—if only it could smooth out the inconsistencies. Even if the lows occasionally leave you reaching for the olive oil, it’s a place where the highs are worth savoring.
The vibe: A charming Turkish eatery marred by overzealous beats.
The food: Turkish kebabs and other classics highlighted with exceptional pita.
The drink: A solid selection of Turkish wines and teas.
Time Out tip: Ask for extra pita. You’ll want it for that eggplant dip—and for everything else.