SOUTHBURY — A new restaurant serving authentic Mediterranean dishes has opened in Southbury.
Blue Fig Garden, located in the Southbury Green at 775 Main Street South, opened its doors last week and began serving authentic Turkish cuisine, which includes traditional halal options for every meal of the day.
Owner Moe Mashni, a resident of Southbury for eight years, had always thought the town deserved a spot for authentic Mediterranean cuisine. After 16 months of construction and preparation, his vision came to life with the restaurant’s recent grand opening.
“Opening in Southbury is a big win for us,” said Mashni.
The restaurant’s third location is new to Connecticut, with its other two locations in New Jersey having been open for more than a decade.
“Through the eleven years over there, we learned a lot,” said Mashni. “We choose to keep the food quality at a high standard: the way it tastes, the way it looks, and the presentation.”
An emphasis is placed on freshness, he says, with a new delivery of meat arriving every other day. It is then marinated for another two days – never frozen in the process – and served alongside other Middle Eastern eats.
The menu is exactly the same as its other locations, including the traditional method of brewing Turkish coffee by heating ground coffee using a copper pot in hot sand.
Mashni highlights a popular dish called the “Blue Fig Signature”, a mix of barbecue meat like chicken, beef, and lamb kebabs served with grilled vegetables and rice.
The menu spans from traditional Turkish eggs and pastries for breakfast to a full spread of flatbreads, gyros, and kebabs. A fresh juice bar also serves a refreshing Mediterranean cocktail mix of strawberries, mangoes, bananas, and mandarins.
Currently employing about 30 locals, Mashni adds that one of his authentic Turkish chefs relocated from Wayne, New Jersey, to Southbury for the business.
There are plans to open an additional location in New York City, he said, but for now, the focus is placed on introducing authentic Mediterranean cuisine to the immediate area.
“Southbury deserves it,” he said.
Blue Fig Garden is open daily from 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. in the former location of Mission Salad in the Southbury Green, 775 Main Street South.
By Evan Triantafilidis
The Southbury Record 