Newbury Street's Greek haven

We did a double take one night when we saw Nepal-born Prakash Gyawali at the register of this 52-seat bare-bones place. We recognized him from his perch behind the counter at Demos, the Greek restaurant in Watertown, where excellent kebabs fly off the grill faster than the speed of light. Like Steve's, Demos has its devotees; many think it's cheaper to eat at Demos than to eat at home. Within close proximity to Demos is Andros Diner in Belmont, which offers the best Greek salad and delectable dressing this side of Athens. Steve's, please take note.

With Gyawali at the register and kebabs on the menu, we thought Steve's might be at the level of Demos or Andros. Close, but not quite. Steve's does have some excellent offerings -- particularly in its homey baked dishes -- but some ordinary items, including the Greek salad, which comes with most meals, need more attention.

Steve's is named for Greek-born Steve Kourtidis, who opened this spot with his wife, Kipairisia. Kourtidis's daughter Natalia and another sister, Anastasia, work at the Lake View Pavilion in Foxboro, near Gillette Stadium, a banquet hall that the family also owns.

Two years ago, the Kourtidis family bought the building that Steve's occupies, which is one reason they can keep prices below $14 for an ample serving of seafood or meat with rice or fries and a salad. And that's saying something, especially on Newbury Street. Everything here is priced right, and if you choose carefully, you'll be pleased.

Avgolemono ($3.95), the Greek rice and chicken broth soup, was creamy and deliciously lemony. Dolmades stuffed with rice ($5.25) had tender grape leaves and a smooth, cool garlicky tzatziki for dipping. The octopus ($7.95) might have had taste if it had been seasoned before grilling. Appearing like a rosette on the plate, the taramosalata ($5.50), salted fish roe pureed with potato and olive oil, was a gem. The accompanying pita was stale, however, possibly the result of being left uncovered for too long.