Because of its rich Mediterranean flavor profiles, Greek cuisine has always been a kind of comfort food for me.

And my favorite place to eat it is now Veranda Greek Taverna in Roswell.

This almost two-year-old eatery and bar resembles the well-loved neighborhood taverns found all over Greece. It’s simply yet tastefully decorated —owner Pete Pukish and his right hand, general manager Filippos Kourkoulos, aren’t trying to wow customers with fancy trappings. The food is the star here, and I’m happy to report that I haven’t enjoyed Greek food this much in years. This is the real deal.

Lots of good quality olive oil and olives, cheeses, grilled meats and seafood, spices and herbs such as oregano, garlic and rosemary are basic elements of Greek cooking. The lunch and dinner menus at Veranda pay homage to those culinary traditions in a gamut of dishes ranging from the familiar to some that are seldom found unless the chef really knows his way around the cuisine.

We ordered an example of the latter as one of our two starters. I have to commend the bravery of my dining companion on this one, because octopus isn’t on most people’s radar as a nosh. Veranda’s version is absolutely delicious. Marinated in lemon, garlic, oregano and olive oil and charcoal grilled, it’s tender as love and has a smoky, deep flavor that hints of the sea without being overpoweringly fishy.

Our second appetizer was one of my all time favorites, flaming cheese. We asked for saganaki, which is the sharper of the two imported varieties offered. Flamed tableside with a shot of 151-proof rum mixed with ouzo and served with hot pita triangles, this was a real treat.

The list of starters was so extensive intriguing that it was really, really hard to settle on just two. Next time I’m trying the marinated grilled quail and the sautéed mussels in an ouzo seafood broth. Or maybe the grilled and chilled marinated dill salmon rolled in grape leaves and rice.

I wish I’d had room for a salad before our entrees, because the signature Veranda salad looked and sounded terrific. Grilled Portobello mushroom, lightly fried eggplant, tomato and zucchini are bedded on spring greens dressed with roasted red pepper vinaigrette. The whole thing it topped with a tangle of fried leeks and fennel and crumbles of feta cheese. I must eat this. Soon.

Again, selecting main courses from the multitude of choices was an exercise in self-restraint. We wanted it all, but settled on mousaka —a benchmark dish that will tell you pretty quickly if the chef has any skill —and lamb chops. As a sheepherding people, lamb is something Greeks have been eating for centuries, so the kitchen should be able to get it right.

Veranda scored big points on both dishes. The lamb, flavored with rosemary and olive oil before it was grilled, was succulent and tasty by itself, but we couldn’t resist mopping a few bites in the boldly flavored red wine reduction on the plate. The homemade potato croquettes accompanying the chops were so good as to be downright addictive.

“Light” isn’t a term I usually associate with mousaka, which is layers of ground beef, eggplant and potato held together with a rich béchamel sauce flavored with cheese and a bit of tomato sauce spiked with cinnamon. Veranda’s chef, Clifford Tukes, turns out a version that is creamy and delicious but doesn’t sit in your stomach like a cannonball. According to Kourkoulos, the secret is blotting every bit of excess grease from the meat and veggies before baking.

Pukish, who owns Satori martial arts studio in the same strip center as Veranda, is an unlikely restaurant owner. With no industry experience but with a desire to revitalize a declining pool hall/Mexican eatery a few doors down from his studio, Pukish sought expert help. He found Kourkoulos, a veteran in the world of Greek restaurants. Tukes, who for 15 of his 20 years in a restaurant kitchen has been cooking Greek food, helms the kitchen.

Every menu item has had to pass muster with Kourkoulos, a native of Corfu. “I taste it to be sure it’s authentic,” he said.

A vegetarian himself, Pukish has several veggie-centric dishes on the menu. Veranda also has a well-chosen wine selection, a full bar and patio seating in good weather.

One cautionary note: don’t expect food to come flying out of the kitchen during dinner service, because everything is cooked to order and some items require longer cooking times, sometimes as long as 25 minutes. Just relax, have an appetizer and a glass of Greek wine or one of Veranda’s imaginative martinis, and be patient. Americans are in too much of a hurry. The food is worth a small wait.

Information:

Veranda Greek Taverna

11235 Alpharetta Hwy., Roswell

(678) 330-1218

www.veranda greektaverna.com