Deta's Cafe

This is a really surreal joint and reminds me of the person who first brought me here - so this may just be an okay place instead of a spectacular one. I've never been here when Deta is there, it's always been John. The bureks are almost always awesome and at worst very okay. The cabbage salad and soups are usually very good. The atmosphere is intensely home-y and, if you're there when the pianist is, it's a strange and great experience.

Every single thing she plays you feel like you can just about place and it's very slightly out of tune. Sometimes she sings like a tiny ghost - so quietly you're never sure if she's actually singing.

It's best experienced with just one other person, but I've been here in a group of six before and we've BYOB - but I'm not sure this place actually is.

Coming here feels like a litmus test - if whoever you take here likes it as much as you do then you'll probably get along quite well. Although I've yet to test this theory, this might be the best low-key date place in the whole city if you're looking for something quiet and off-beat.

Was expecting more of an "experience". Owner and piano player friendly enough. 2 hours on a Saturday night and we were completely alone the entire time.. Food decent if limited.

Well, this place is just lovely, and so is the owner, John who, by the way, does all the cooking, too.  I sat at the table in the front by the window, with a nice breeze flowing through.  It's a quaint, unassuming place on a busy corner (Ridge & Howard) that, had I not read the Yelp reviews, would have never stopped in.  

Loved the fresh bottle of water that's put on the table.  My girlfriend and I went for lunch and started with an amazing Greek Salad (the one with the Feta, which was out of this world!).  It was so fresh!  The portion was definitely big enough to split. We then split a Spinach Borek (again, a big portion), which was a mouthful of chewy deliciousness, with just the perfect amount of light flakiness on the outside -  cooked to perfection.  It's like a big phyllo pie - you can get it stuffed with cheese, spinach or meat (if I understood correctly).

To top off our meal, we had a lovely cup of Turkish coffee and some baklava, which I really didn't need at this point.  

I would highly recommend this place and look forward to returning in the evening, when Ana is playing the piano.