It's easy to walk by Deta's Cafe, a seemingly innocuous establishment right off the busy Howard Street. The modest dining room, which would probably seat about a dozen patrons max on a busy night, leads directly into a kitchen the size of a walk-in closet, where the cafe's main offerings are made.
The cafe serves little else besides bureks, a savory stuffed pastry that's the regional specialty of the proprietress' homeland of Montenegro, a southeastern European country bordering the Adriatic Sea. The bureks ($6) are available with a variety of stuffings, usually combinations of beef, potato, cheese, spinach and spices. Don't be fooled if your pastries come with a knife and fork; rolled in circular coils, the pastries are arranged to be easily torn apart by hand. Get your fingers a little greasy, and you might get an acknowledging smile from Deta herself, looking out from her vantage point in the kitchen's doorway.
Measuring wider in diameter than even the most respectable hand span, one burek is filling enough to serve as a meal. But it'll be hard to stop at just one; the buttery crust is light and flaky, the dough is moist and chewy, and the stuffings are well seasoned.
If you're looking for something a little lighter, Deta's also serves a few salads ($3 to $4) and a deliciously rich, fully honeyed baklava that's probably a bit more decadent than your typical grocery store variety. Despite the cafe's limited selection, you might be surprised to find yourself sitting through a full-blown three-course meal.
Centerstage Reviewer: Ling Ma
