At Rudi’s, eclectic tastes feel like home

The Newmarket name hails from the nearby Roxbury square. The recipe aims to sate the bar food cravings of students at Boston University’s Medical Campus next door. Thick dollops of crema on top are a nod to the South End’s Latino community. The greaseless fries and smart toppings aim to appeal to foodies of all walks. Call it hub grub.

But the something-for-everyone approach doesn’t end here. Koeck and Maria kept the best of their Rowes Wharf menu, including lemony, scallion-flecked orzo and artichoke salad ($3.50 side). A dinner menu is fit for a range of tastes and wallets.

Choices run from burgers ($8.95-$10.95) and comfort favorites like turkey dinners ($12.95) and mac ’n’ cheese ($3.50 side) to trendy seared ahi tuna ($10) or blackened catfish ($14.95). Maria, a native of the Seychelles, also turns out island cuisine, like juicy herb chicken with spicy beans and rice ($11.95).

Keeping both the Crayola and the cosmo sets in mind, the menu offers kids’ meals ($6.95), well-mixed cocktails, and a balanced wine list with half-bottles.

Everything we tried was satisfying, if not always memorable. Rich spinach lasagna ($9.75), a soothing bowl of kale soup ($3.95), mini pizzas with nicely chewy crusts ($6.95), and fluffy tiramisu ($6.95) are enjoyable. Bog salad (below) is the standout with its tender grilled shrimp ($9.95), an elegant cranberry vinaigrette, and just enough pistachios and blue cheese to balance a toss of fresh spinach and orange.

The 200-seat storefront holds two venues: the restaurant with oak booths and subdued red and olive walls and a cafe that serves as a lounge by night. R&B evenings are held on Thursdays and by fall you’ll find gospel brunches, afternoon tea dances, and Latin, piano bar, and Bollywood nights. As with those fries, the idea is to offer a little something for everyone.

DENISE TAYLOR