Sarma

This joint venture from Ana Sortun and Cassie Piuma came after a 12-year partnership at longtime-favorite Oleana in late 2013, and delighted from day one. Slightly more casual than it’s fine-dining sister, Sarma serves delightful, flavorful and inventive Turkish/Lebanese meze in a bright, lively space in Somerville, just minutes from Cambridge. The best part: the kitchen is open till 11, and bar snacks are served alongside spicy, herbal cocktails until midnight—a rare find in Boston where many spots close down early. The tapas are small, but flavored to perfection and surprisingly comforting. Throughout the night, the chef prepares a number of specials at whim that are brought around to entice diners; a marketing ploy, yes, but a delightful one at that.