[MTL] A Small Taste of Turkish Culture – Café Replika

Café Replika
Café Replika

Ashley has mentioned this cafe to me at the beginning of the school year, but I didn’t have a chance to visit until November!

Menu Board
Menu Board

Café Replika is a Turkish café located on rue Rachel East, which has just opened for business in August. It is owned by a young Istanbulite couple, who were really nice and patient to explain the items on their menu.

Sandwich Simit
Sandwich Simit

It looks exactly like Montreal smoked salmon bagel, but it tastes completely different! Personally, I prefer Sandwich Simit over Montreal bagels! Sandwich Simit is actually Istanbul’s most popular street food. According to the owner, they use Turkish bagel, which the texture and the mouthfeel are a bit different than Montreal bagel. It’s not as hard and dry, and it’s also a bit chewy. Sandwich Simit is made in-house, and composed of feta and red peppers spread, arugula, tomatoes, and red onions. They are really generous with smoked salmon and arugula, which is a plus (for me).

Soup and Salad of the day
Soup and Salad of the day

Ashley ordered the soup and salad of the day. They were both good! Especially the soup. The spices that they use are unique, and it was really strong in flavors, but not salty.

Café Turc
Café Turc

The turkish coffee, which is one of their specialities, is in between the size of an espresso and ristretto. I didn’t add any sugar or milk (I normally add milk to my coffee), and surprisingly, it is really smooth! It doesn’t have the bitter and astringent taste that most of the coffee have. The coffee also comes with a little cute of Turkish Delight!

IMG_3446_Fotor

Café Replika is pretty spacious for a café in Montreal. These stools are perfect for individuals to just come and chill/work!

IMG_3448_Fotor

They have their take out cups presented at the cashier/counter. The design is simple and clean.

IMG_3460_Fotor

Overall, I really liked it! The ambiance is cozy and not-so-crowded. It is also pretty quiet, which would be good if you want to focus on your works while getting some nice food. However, there isn’t a lot of power outlets in there, so it’s either by luck, or you have to go early to make sure you get the spot!

Café Replika on Urbanspoon

Leave a Reply