Publication Date: Friday Apr 17, 1998

Restaurant Review: It's still Greek to me

Long before Dionysus became the god of holy inspiration, he was the Greek god of liquid refreshment. The only Greek god born of one mortal parent, Dionysus, like many of us mortals and demigods, took great pleasure in fine food and wine. It is no wonder, then, that this appreciator of moussaka and a glass or two of retsina would later suffuse men and women with divine inspiration.

Greek food is perhaps the most inspiring of all the Mediterranean cuisines--a squeeze of lemon, a sprinkle of oregano, a squiggle of fruity olive oil, and the bright, clean flavors of savory roasted meats and sun-soaked vegetables shine. It is often a study in sublime simplicity.

Since its opening in July 1995, Evvia Estiatorio has been the area's most glamorous purveyor of Hellenic cuisine. The Marcus, Frangadakis and Andrianopoulos families have fashioned a hip yet comfortable dining room of rough-hewn beams and warm oak floors, a room decorated with strings of dried peppers, well-used copper pots and old wine barrels put out to pasture. Lighted shelves display vibrantly colored grappas, pickled fruits and vinegars, adding warmth and whimsy to the bustling room. A fleet of men in chef's whites scurry around the partially open kitchen--a kitchen that is now presided over by, gasp, a French chef.

In September 1997, Jean Alberti became executive chef at Evvia, having come from stints at numerous impressive French eateries in London, Paris, Barcelona, Los Angeles and Reno. The news that he had traveled extensively in Greece and had some marginally Mediterranean ancestry did little to assuage my concerns about Evvia's continued Greek panache.

A recent meal set my mind at ease. Alberti, with the help of his chef de cuisine Steve Pappas, has managed to refine and build upon the restaurant's already polished repertoire.

We began dinner with an order of fried calamari ($7.50) and a dish of feta and olives ($4.95). The former brought a jumble of greaseless, lightly floured and fried rings and tentacles, accompanied by a ramekin of whipped potatoes assertively dosed with garlic and lemon. While no "sauce," the smooth potatoes provided an elegant contrast in texture. The feta was a mild Bulgarian version, certainly more suited to eating out of hand than many saltier Greek fetas. A drizzle of olive oil and the accompanying fat green and deep purple kalamata olives lent breadth to the nutty cheese.

From there we moved on to soup and salad. The Greek salad ($7.95) is as good as ever--feta appeared again, this time in fluffy bits that dotted the crisp cucumber and tomato chunks, strips of red onion and green bell pepper. The piquancy of the vinaigrette was mellowed by bits of herbaceous oregano. The soup of the day was a Greek-style minestrone ($5), sans noodles, with white beans and small hunks of bread crowding a tomato-tinted broth--perfectly pleasant, but not in the same league as what followed.

Our most spectacular dishes came as entrees. The Evvia pita ($9.95), a crafty spin on pizza, paired the crusty bread with deeply caramelized onion, rounds of tomato, a sprinkling of capers and cracked kalamata olives, and a deep blanket of four cheeses. A little lighter, but no less satisfying, the evening's fish special reeled in a roasted sturgeon fillet centered on a plate strewn with braised sweet fennel, broccoli rabe, baby carrots and pearl onions ($17.95). Each of the dish's elements was perfectly cooked, melding beautifully with its plate mates.

Our other entree was an Evvia stalwart. Mesquite grilled lamb chops ($19.95) are paired simply with Greek-style potatoes (planks of potato roasted with a little broth and lemon). Delicious, but with one cavil: the rosy pink lamb is frankly far more than any one person should consume in a sitting. Lose a couple chops, add a green vegetable, and we're talking heaven.

Desserts would be hard to improve upon. The bougatsa ($6.25) has been a signature sweet for a while. Phyllo pastry contains soft apple wedges and sweet, ricotta-like cheese, all sitting in a pool of dusky caramel sauce and nestled against a scoop of vanilla bean ice cream. On the lighter side, the evening's sorbets included a tangy pink grapefruit and what we identified as a brambly-tasting black raspberry ($5).

All of the ancillary things that make up a fine meal are rigorously attended to. The beverage lists are long and well considered, although it strikes me as limiting that the wine list offers only Greek and California bottlings--there are so many racey whites and spicy, medium-bodied reds from elsewhere in the world that might marry beautifully with the food.

Based on our recent experience, service is as expert as always, from the smiling bus boy to the suave waiter (a dead ringer for Christopher Walken) who deftly maneuvered a nearby table through the ouzo list. Dionysus would approve.

Evvia, 420 Emerson St., Palo Alto, 326-0983

Hours: 11:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m. Monday-Friday; 5:30-10 p.m. Monday-Thursday; 5-11 p.m. Friday and Saturday; 5-9 p.m. Sunday

Atmosphere: Glass shelves crowded with brilliantly hued grappas, vinegars and pickled fruits set a festive tone in the rustic, wood-beamed dining room. The partially open kitchen and the heady smells from the wood-burning oven add to the room's seductiveness.

Highlights: The restaurant is justifiably proud of its whole grilled fish and mesquite-grilled lamb chops, but some of Evvia's vegetables and side dishes can be even more spectacular. A case in point are the classic, Greek-style roasted potatoes and a fish special's accompanying fennel-tomato ragout.

About the chef: Jean Alberti received his culinary training at l'Ecole Hoteliere de Murbach in Alsace, France, and at the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, New York. He has worked all over Europe and the United States, with stints at Le Gavroche and Interlude de Tabaillau in London, the American Embassy in Paris, the Gran Casino of Barcelona in Spain, Le Bistro in Beverly Hills, The Tower in Los Angeles and as co-owner of The Brasserie Restaurant in Reno. Before coming to Evvia, he traveled extensively in Greece. Reservations - yes Credit cards - yes Parking - valet Beer and wine only - no Takeout - no Banquet - no Wheelchair access - yes Non-smoking - yes Highchairs - yes Outdoor seating - no 

Back up to the Table of Contents Page