Restaurant Review W i n t e r g u i d e 2 0 1 8 7 3 marc Provencher Hellenic Heart & Soul Taverna Khione has its Greek flag flying in Brunswick. By Claire z. Cramer I magine dinner tonight in sunny Greece–but actually in the dead of win- ter, in Brunswick. It’s not a dream. Tav- erna Khione, a new, spotless downtown storefront café, named for the goddess of snow and daughter of the god of the North Wind, makes it happen. We step under the Greek flag waving above the front door and inside to the soft sound of Greek folk music. Chef/owner Marc Provencher has furnished the airy din- ing room with simple but handsome wood- en tables and chairs. There’s a cozy bar on one wall, backed with built-in wine racks. From the extensive all-Greek wine list we select a glass each of Lyrarakis Thrap- sasiri ($10) and Gai’a Wild Fermented Assyrtiko ($12). Both have that unmis- takably austere yet fruity quality of good Greek white wine. Beer selections are mostly pedigreed local craft brews. All drinks are served in delicate, attractive stemware, a nice departure from strictly rustic taverna style. Our terrific server, who knows the menus well, brings us slices of the tender house-made bread and a dab of Fava ($4), a traditional Santorini meze spread made from beans like yellow split peas cooked into a mellow purée and seasoned with onion, garlic, and lemon. The menu al- so offers classic Taramo- salata, Tzatziki, Skordalia (whipped potato and gar- lic), and Htipiti (whipped feta and grilled red pepper) spreads ($4 each). Khione’s menu is rich in mezethes and orektika– taverna cuisine’s beloved snacks and small dishes intended for sharing. We can’t resist a barbounia special ($8) on the chalkboard. Dainty fillets of the prized Mediterranean red mullet are sautéed, dressed in a tangy sauce that balances vin- egar against golden raisins, and served at room temperature. Grilled octopus ($14) is meaty and sweet–charred tentacle pieces are served on lemon-dressed fava with briny caper berries. Trahana ($8) is a dish so deeply peasantish that it’s a rare treat to find on a restau- rant menu. Dried pebbles of ancient-grain trahana pasta are simmered into an oatmeal-thick soup laced with roasted local pumpkin and garnished with toast- ed pumpkin seeds. It’s pure Greek winter comfort food in a bowl.