Sophia's is a great place to meet
for a lunch with nice atmosphere or a quaint romantic place to have dinner. They
have a full service bar and will prepare take out orders as well. Sophia's is
located in Placentia, CA at 1390 N. Kraemer Blvd. Their telephone number is (714) 528-2021
and their fax number is (714) 528-2050. Sophia's is difficult to find. We
drove by it several times before realizing we missed the restaurant. The closest
cross streets are Kraemer and Yorba Linda Blvd. Sophia's is on the right hand side
of Kraemer and you have to pull into a shopping center driveway to access the
restaurant. The entrance is off the parking lot.
The menu is all Greek food and they have lunch specials from 11:00 am to 3:00 pm.
Their lunch specials are available after 3 pm but only for take out orders.
We started with a Pikilia (or assortment) of appetizers ($7.99 for two, $9.99 for
four). The Taramo Salata (caviar with sour cream and onions, individually $4.50) was
good. The Htipito (individually $3.75) consisted of a homemade cheese
(similar to
feta) with oregano, onions and diced tomato. I had never had this before and it was
quite good. The Pikilia was served with feta and olives and pita bread which made it
that much better. They also have Saganaki ($6.99) and all the other traditional
Greek appetizers. They all seem a dollar higher than they should be for the portion
you get, but I'll admit that I'm writing this review after returning from Greece where I
got used to big portions for little money.
We both had the Gyro lunch special($5.45), which was served with a small cup of
Avgolemono (dinner price $3.25 for a bowl). The soup was good and on the mild side.
The Gyro (an American Gyro, not the Greek pork or chicken) had a lot of lettuce.
There was plenty of meat, mind you, just that the pita was so large that they had
to fill it with something. The Gyro is a good bargin for $5.45. Other lunch
specials include Beef ($6.99) or Lamb($6.59) Souvlaki, an Athenian Burger (served in pita,
beef or turkey $5.45), a Rib Eye Steak ($6.99) or Chicken Cotopolo (chicken breast with
skordalia(garlic sauce) or barbeque sauce in a pita) or an Ahi steak ($6.99).
I had a glass of retsina ($4.00) with lunch, probably Boutari, but they also have
Roditis ($4.00) or Mavrodaphne ($4.50) along with American house wines by the glass, 1/2
carafe or carafe ($3.50,6.99,13.99 respectively).
They have a variety of dinner items from vegetarian, seafood, chicken to other meats.
Specific dishes include: Greek Salad, Horiatiki Salad (both $8.99), Fisherman's
Treat (crab legs, oysters, mussels, shrimp, and whitefish) served with rice and Greek
Salad for $18.99, halibut steak or cod ($12.99), Chicken Skordalia (garlic chicken,
$10.99), quail ($12.99), Keftedes (meatballs, but with lamb) or Moussaka (eggplant with
lamb) both $10.99, lamb dishes adn finally the Greek Feast (minimum 2 people, 20.99 per
person) which includes Gyro, Keftedes, Souvalki, Chicken Skordalia, Moussaka and Dolmades
serves over rice with Skordaila (garlic sauce) and pita and includes a choice of soup or
Greek salad.
Their dessert menu is small: Baklava, Kataefi and Rizogalo ($2, $2.50, $2.50
respectively).
The food was all fresh but be warned, I found the food dry. The taramo appetizer
wasn't as creamy as I am used to having. I'd never had the Htipito before but I'd
make it creamier as well. Tankfully the Gyro came with Tzatziki and I was able to
moisten that up. The bakalava was terribly dry and I understand there are many ways
of making baklava, but when the menu says it's smothered with honey (the way I like it) it
shouldn't come with filo that crackles.
I had a Greek coffee afterwards and I was not asked how I wanted it prepared. The
common way of taking an order for Greek coffee is asking if the person wants it plain,
medium sweet or sweet. I didn't say anything because I wanted to see how it would be
served. The coffee came plain but they gave me the container it was prepared in
rather than just a cup so I got three coffees for the price of one. The cost is
$3.00.
As I mentioned before, everything seems to be about a dollar too high, even sodas and
iced tea are $2.00. So if you want quaint atmosphere to take someone to lunch or
dinner where the food is all prepared with high quality ingredients, Sophia's is a good
choice. If you're watching your pocketbook, lunch is reasonable but don't go for
dinner. To the restaurant's credit, when we arrived they were shorthanded and
service was about to be lacking, but suddenly two or three additional bodies showed up and
service was smooth.
