Cafe Sophia, on Middlefield Road next door to Mint Leaf and Papa Murphy's Pizza, harmoniously blends delectable Afghan cuisine, coffee and pastries with a calm atmosphere. Café Sophia has evolved from a mere coffee shop into a complete restaurant with breakfast, lunch and dinner. Café Sophia is also computer-friendly and provides free wireless options.

Customers order food at the counter, and it arrives speedily to the tables. The café's service is extremely friendly and helpful.  Servers are attentive and give wonderful suggestions about what to eat and what dishes go well together. The atmosphere at Sophia's is both welcoming and comforting.

Tasty appetizers serve as great precursors to the meal, along with the house ciabatta bread. Buramel badenhan ($3.50), an eggplant dish with cooked onions and tomatoes in a yogurt sauce, is remarkably flavorful and smooth in texture. The yogurt accentuates the natural flavors of the eggplant. Pakawra ($3.50), lightly fried potato slices served with two sauces, a cilantro sauce and a red pepper sauce, is simple and succulent. Sambosa ($3.50), egg roll-like packets filled with feta cheese and spinach, brings together an amazing combination of flavors and textures, crunchy on the outside and gooey on the inside.

Main dishes ($7.50-$16) are served with rice to cleanse the palette and with a simple, but tasty salad composed of tomatoes, onions and cilantro.

The veggie combo platter ($8.50) combines pumpkin, eggplant and spinach with beans. This trio of veggie stews, each with its own spices and flavorings, is delicious with the rice and yogurt sauce. These three different vegetables complement each other very well.

The chicken kabob ($8.50) is tender and well-seasoned with a flavor of lemongrass. The kabob chopan ($12.50), a lamb kabob, is not overcooked but perfectly juicy, and its spices enhance the lamb flavor. The waiter even suggested not ordering the lamb well-done, as this takes away from the flavor of the dish.

Korma challow ($8.50) is a beef stew with corn and lentils. Similar to a curry in its spices and pepper selection, korma challow is slightly spicy, but not too intense or overwhelming.

Desserts include ferni ($3.95), an Afghan custard that sells out quickly, and baklava ($3.95), which is served moist in the center and flaky on the outside. Extra honey is available as well, should a customer desire a sweeter dessert.

Desserts are extremely popular and regularly sell out before dinner time.  Other food options include breakfast, sandwiches, salads and burgers, as well as pastries to go with coffee.

Café Sophia's food leaves no room for complaints. Deliciously blended flavors and interesting presentations, draw customers in and leave them hankering for more.