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<\/a>We\u2019re seated in a gorgeous, minimally appointed dining room boasting floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking Commercial Street and the evening revelers passing by. Now this is fun.<\/p>\nSo is the food. Who doesn\u2019t savor Mediterranean flair, including some old favorite meze<\/em> like taramasalata<\/em> (whipped roe, almond milk, $7) and melitzanosalata<\/em> (a Greek dip of roasted eggplant, $7)?<\/p>\n And what could be more appropriate than the specialty cocktail of the evening, the Ananas Xini<\/em>? It\u2019s a brilliant mix of ouzo, vodka, fresh pineapple, honey, and rosemary.<\/p>\n Lamb keftedakia<\/em> ($10) makes a good beginning. Perfectly seared, house-ground lamb is shaped into three patties that display a pleasant pinkness within and sing with flavors of fresh herbs and the tender meat. The secret is \u201cour custom, 1,000-degree Beech hearth oven,\u201d chef William D\u2019Auvray later says. He also makes Greek loukaniko<\/em> sausage with the excellent lamb.<\/p>\n We relish the zucchini fritters, three mounds of ground vegetable and herbs fried to a perfect golden crunch and served on a tasty yogurt, mint, and olive oil sauce.<\/p>\n Then there\u2019s the house-made pita bread. \u201cI make the dough, and it\u2019s rolled to order and baked in the Beech oven. Each one takes about 60 seconds to puff up,\u201d says D\u2019Auvray. Superb even in its scent\u2013topped with olive oil and a dusting of zataar<\/em>\u2013its flavors delight, blending well with our Silver Palm Cabernet Sauvignon ($38). The bread alone is worth a visit.<\/p>\n We\u2019re excited to order Cioppino, a dish fea-turing \u201cNortheast coast catch\u201d ($28), since co-owner Angelo Ciocci has owned Nova Seafood for over 20 years. Here it\u2019s served with a huge shrimp\u2013a Spanish interloper among the natives\u2013towering over a pretty white bowl filled to the brim with littleneck clams, mussels, scallops, and tasty hake. The saffron-scented broth we find a tad salty, but all the ingredients are of top quality.<\/p>\n A special of tomato-braised veal short ribs follows ($18). The fork-tender meat, melt-in-your-mouth cippoline onions, carrots, shiitake mushrooms, and parsnips are splendid.<\/p>\n Next time, we\u2019ll save room for the galaktaboureko<\/em>, my favorite Greek dessert and another delightful surprise from chef D\u2019Auvray.<\/p>\n