Dining Pick of the Week: Petra Greek Taverna

PICK OF THE WEEK:

PETRA GREEK TAVERNA

Tivoli Village, 440 S. Rampart Blvd. at Alta Drive, 534-0200

Food brings people together, and that's especially true of Greek food. And when a Greek taverna establishes itself in the Mediterranean setting of Tivoli Village, sit back and enjoy. Pita sandwiches come with Petra fries or rice pilaf and include gyro (a blend of marinated lamb and beef), chicken, seafood, lamb, vegetable and the Petra burger made of spiced ground beef and lamb. Popular entrees are moussaka (roasted eggplant casserole with beef and lamb), shrimp and scallop couscous, grilled Atlantic salmon, dolmadakia (grape leaves), braised lamb shank and kotopoulo, half roasted lemon-oregano chicken. Among the salads are Greek Caesar, the Harvest, and a plate of roasted beets with spinach and herbed goat cheese. Featured appetizers are avgolemono (lemon chicken soup), feta and olives, braised octopus in olive oil and lemon juice, spanakopita (spinach, leeks and feta in warm filo) and saganaki, where kasseri cheese is flambéed and served with pita. And don't leave without enjoying baklava or Greek yogurt topped with fruit, walnuts and honey. Entrees begin at $16 and sandwiches at $10. Petra is open from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 11 a.m. to 1 a.m. Friday, 10 a.m. to 1 a.m. Saturday and 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. Sunday. - Jack Bulavsky