Al fresco dining and Aegean fare go hand-in-hand at AVVA Modern Mediterranean Cuisine.
AVVA Modern Mediterranean Cuisine Celebrates One Year in Aspinwall
Now marking its first anniversary in the location formerly home to Luke & Mike’s Frontporch, the Aspinwall restaurant celebrates the culinary traditions of Turkey and Greece with contemporary flair.
“Most restaurants are one or the other. My concept combines the best of both,” says AVVA owner Yakup Ergel, a native of Antalya, Turkey.
Diverse Mediterranean Dishes
Mixed grill platters of adana (hand-minced lamb), chicken and lamb shish are popular main dishes. They also include lamb chops and kofte (spicy meatballs). Mezze Spreads include htipiti (red pepper and feta), haydari (herbed yogurt). And Tirokafteri (spicy feta dip) are more than worth adding to your meal. Branzino, octopus, calamari and other fresh seafoods round out the menu. There’s plenty for vegetarians, too, like Piyaz (white bean salad), chickpea-rich hummus and baba ghanoush. Daily brunch at AVVA includes eggs made with haydari, sujuk (dry, fermented sausage), arugula, feta or shrimp.
And Don’t Forget Dessert!
Desserts include Walnut Baklava and Katmer. The latter is a Turkish staple symbolizing hospitality. It is made with layers of phyllo, crushed pistachios, and mascarpone.
“What truly sets us apart is our authentic Mediterranean recipes and hospitality, quality food and drinks — and cultural experience,” Ergel says. Ergel notes AVVA’s focus on generous, shareable plates. It is for a warm, family-style dining experience.
More Than Just a Place for Great Eats
Named for his daughter, AVVA is a second eatery for Ergel, who also owns Famous Café, a breakfast and brunch destination in Regent Square. The bar program features raki, Turkey’s signature spirit made of twice-distilled grapes and aniseed, and ouzo, Greece’s famous anise-flavored liqueur. Mediterranean and Georgian wines and classic cocktails are also on the menu.
AVVA’s interior is upscale and sleek, and there’s plenty of open-air dining on the pet-friendly front porch and side patio — which now has a reclining pergola with retractable roof. Watch AVVA’s Instagram page (@avvapgh) for a schedule of live music nights, wine tastings and belly dance performances
Story by Deborah Weisberg
Photo By Dave Bryce