Market Grille Cafe

The interior of Market Grille Cafe is attractive and soothing. There's a fountain in a corner, big swaths of fabric draped from the ceiling, faux-painted walls, tabletops inlaid with photos of Greece, soft lighting and gentle Greek music. Pretty nice for a counter-service place in a strip mall, eh?

That was one little detail -- the counter service -- that the reader who recommended Market Grille left out, but all is forgiven because this is one heck of a find.

Actually, counter-service places seem to be getting more and more popular all the time. I don't know if that's because the service is quicker (or at least seems to be) in this time-pressed era, or if it's because it lowers labor costs and therefore prices, or what, but they're popping up all over the place. Market Grille Cafe -- which is technically Mediterranean, but leans heavily to Greek -- is different than the vast majority, though, in that it is so attractive, food is served on actual dishes and flatware (instead of foam and plastic) and they even serve wine and beer -- the wine in graceful stemware. And our glass of Skouras St. George Greek wine ($9.50, or $34.75 for a bottle; domestic wines were priced considerably lower) was quite nice, big and dry and a proper complement to the food.

Which was how? Well, let's just say the people who put together the place didn't neglect that area.

Like the pomegranate chicken ($7.75 a la carte, or $10.25 as an entree), which was freakin' amazing and unlike any other version of this dish I've ever had. Usually, thickish sauces are used, but in this one, the chicken had been marinated in pomegranate juice and herbs to the point where the meat was not only very tender but also thoroughly infused with the pomegranate flavor. It was sliced up and served on top of subtly herbed basmati rice, with a light pomegranate glaze and coarsely chopped walnuts.

Mousaka ($7.75 or $10.25) was more traditional (though made with beef instead of lamb for user-friendliness) and likewise excellent. Layered with lots of tender eggplant and tomatoes and topped with a creamy sauce lightly flavored with cheese, it also was served on rice (which seemed a little much considering the potatoes). And because we took the entree option, our dinners were accompanied by piles of a crisp salad with a vinaigrette bracingly balanced to the vinegar side (which made it the first Greek salad I've truly enjoyed in a very long time), pitted Greek olives and some feta, and a cup of hummus and some triangles of pita bread.

Dolmades ($6.75 for six), served cold, were bracing as well (and that's a good thing), with their filling of beef, rice, pine nuts and currants.

Saganaki -- "Opa!" -- ($8.95) was flamed at the table (remember, this is a counter-service place), and was fantastic, chewy and caramelized and served with more hot, puffy pita triangles than we could eat.

And the last may have been the best, although there were a lot of contestants in that category: Aphrodite's Cheesecake ($4.75) earned the name, with its rich but still fluffy filling and -- get this -- a crust that was like a thin layer of baklava. Cool! And really, really good.

Service throughout was fine. We ordered at the counter and the food was brought to the table, along with placemats and flatware and extra napkins when we asked, and somebody checked back periodically to be sure everything was OK. The only thing that took us even slightly aback was that the staff yells "Opa!" whenever an order goes in, which might be an effective way of signalling the kitchen but clearly starts to wear on the staff as the evening wears on and they both tire of it and feel a little sheepish saying it.

Besides, it's the customers who should be yelling "Opa!"

Las Vegas Review-Journal restaurant reviews are done anonymously at Review-Journal expense. Contact Heidi Knapp Rinella at 383-0474 or e-mail her at hrinella@ reviewjournal.com.