Mediterrano: Family-run restaurant in Ross provides true taste of Greek cuisine
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Chef Ben Swiger at Mediterrano restaurant, where braised lamb shank is on the menu.
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Pittsburgh has long had plentiful options for Greek food, just consider the dozen or so Greek food festivals thrown in the region each summer.
But most local Greek restaurants follow the same pattern of pita and Mediterranean dips, followed by skewers of grilled meat or hefty slabs of moussaka with baklava to close. Mediterrano, a Greek restaurant in Ross, which opened in late 2010, has all of these standard dishes, but it also looks beyond the typical, offering a more contemporary take on Greek cuisine.
The restaurant is a family affair, owned by Frank Erdeljac and managed by his daughter Helena. Frank's wife, Katina, contributes family recipes from her Greek parents. The kitchen is primarily run by head chef Ben Swiger, but he works closely with the Erdeljacs when developing new dishes. The cozy, homespun dining room, with its mismatched wooden chairs and colorful china, captures the spirit of a Greek island taverna.
- Hours: Tuesday-Saturday, 11 a.m.-10 p.m.; Sunday, 4-10 p.m.; Monday, closed.
- Basics: Traditional Greek and Mediterranean dishes in a casual but atmospheric family-run restaurant.
- Recommended dishes: : Spanokopitakia, skordalia spread, saganaki, avgolemono soup, podarakia arniou (lamb shank), roast lemon chicken, sea bass filet with a Yukon gold potato hash; milopita (apple pastry).
- Price: Appetizers, $5-$10; entree salads, $12; entrees, $15-$30; desserts, $1.50-$9.
- Summary: Wheelchair accessible; credit cards accepted; reservations encouraged for peak weekend times; BYOB, corkage $4 per bottle.
- Noise level: Medium loud.
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The typical dishes were appealing enough. A table could quickly fill up with spreads and snacks from the appetizer menu, but certain items readily distinguished themselves. Two golden brown triangles of spanokopitakia (more commonly called spanikopita) were delicate, filled with lightly cooked spinach and just enough feta to flavor the delicate greens ($7).
Cheese is an important part of any Greek menu, and the offerings typically change with the seasons. At Mediterrano, try the saganaki made with Kefalograviera, which was doused in a sweet brandy sauce then flamed to form a delicious, caramelized crust ($8). It's served with a lemon, which isn't just for show, as the acid nicely cuts the richness of the cheese. Olives play a similar role for feta de elies, their brine offsetting the feta's own tang ($7).
The various spreads, from revithosalata (hummus) to melitzanosalata (eggplant) weren't particularly exciting, but the trio sampler was a nice option ($12). Next time, I'd choose the skordalia, a sweet puree of garlic, potato and almond; the tzatziki (yogurt sauce) and htipiti, a mix of sweet and spicy peppers. Importantly, the pita was served warm, and servers were generous with refills.
A bowl of avgolemono soup was the perfect antidote to a blustery winter night ($5). Sunshine yellow, it was thick with strands of beaten egg suspended in the savory, rice-flecked broth. Each bite was incredibly tart and refreshing, with a mild, clean finish. Pittsburgh does not have the benefit of a Mediterranean climate, so serving an excellent Greek salad year-round is not in the cards. The best of the salads at the moment was a flavorful mix of fresh spinach, toasted walnuts, Fuji apples and dried cranberries ($6).
Entrees included sandwiches and skewers of grilled meat, but there also were a wide array of more elaborate dishes, which drew my focus. Lamb chops glazed with sugar and mint, and evening specials, were almost overshadowed by the humble root vegetables that accompanied them. Parnsips, carrots and rutabaga had been cut into small cubes and roasted until sweet and caramelized, a beautiful complement to the lamb ($39). Podarakia arniou, a braised lamb shank, was a bit underseasoned, but still impressive. Serving it simple allowed the flavor and texture of the meat to shine ($29).
Arni Sto Fourno, roasted boneless leg of lamb, was less appealing ($27). The meat was dried out, and the flavor of the lamb was overwhelmed by the minced rosemary spread throughout the roulade. The white meat portion of a roasted half chicken was also quite dry, but the leg had remained tender and richly flavored.
Most entrees were served with a choice of two side dishes, such as roasted lemon potatoes, dark, crisp fries, sauteed spinach and crisp-tender green beans. Simple and well prepared, they were a good complement to the rustic proteins.
The kitchen's most elaborate preparations were reserved for the separate menu of daily fish and seafood specials. Some could be ordered whole or fileted, a good sign that the kitchen knows how to handle fresh fish. A whole red snapper was served over a bed of creamy artichoke hearts and potatoes, almost a gratin, which was a good match for the fish's mildly sweet flesh (Market Price, $25-$27). The substantial fish could easily have served as an entree for two.
A filet of generic sea bass was more reasonably portioned, served with a tasty hash of Yukon gold potatoes, zucchini and yellow squash and lightly pickled red onions ($23).
On another visit, a filet of Chilean sea bass was served in a tomato-lemon stew, thickened by bits of roasted potato and zucchini, all served over rice ($25). The bright, lemony notes of the stew were a good foil to the meaty flavors of the fish, but it was a little too similar to the avgolemono soup that I'd eaten just before it.
Pizzas, baked in a gas-fired brick oven, had sweet, soft crusts that tasted of olive oil, with toppings that evoked other greek dishes, such as tapenade or a lamb gyro. The spanaki was delicious, the crust spread with a traditional white sauce, enriched by crumbled feta and thin slices of mozzarella and provolone and scattered with bits of sauteed spinach ($11).
There were a number of other vegetarian options as well, like a vegetarian moussaka with layers of sauteed eggplant, zucchini and a portobella mushroom sauce in place of ground lamb, the vegetables blanketed in a thick layer of bechamel ($18).
The warmth of the service and the cozy room encouraged tables to linger. Dessert, however, wasn't the strongest of the courses, and no Greek coffee seemed to be offered. The best option was the milopita phyllo, an echo of earlier savory pastries ($4). These golden triangles of phyllo were drizzled with caramel and filled with sweet roasted apples scented with cinnamon -- call it Greek apple pie.
Some of the prices were a bit high for a casual restaurant, but Mediterrano's patrons did not seem to mind. Busy even late on a weeknight and completely packed on a Saturday, the restaurant has clearly found a following in the neighborhood and farther afield.
Thanks to a mix of family inspiration, creativity and culinary skill, Mediterrano manages to be more than just another Greek restaurant, while providing a memorable taste of true Greek food.
First Published December 15, 2011 12:00 am
