Revisiting Greek cuisine in Cohasset

The restaurant opened in June in a space where several restaurants — remember Acapulco’s, Pacini’s, or Blackstone Tavern? — had failed in recent years.

But Constantine’s wife is related to the family that ran Signorelli’s restaurant in the same location for about two decades starting in the 1950s, and we’re guessing Constantine’s could have similar staying power.

Constantine is Greek and his wife is Italian, and the menu offers both cuisines.

We decided to focus on the Greek dishes, and started with saganaki ($10), pan-seared kasseri cheese that is flambéed with lemon and brandy. It arrived flaming gently, and once it cooled we dipped in with pita chips. Gooey and salty, it was studded with bits of Kalamata olives.

A cup of avgolemano ($4), creamy chicken and rice soup, was perfectly accented with tangy lemon.

The roasted beet salad ($8) was beautifully presented with layers of red and yellow beets, candied walnuts, and crumbled gorgonzola cheese — all sprinkled with olive oil. We added a lamb kabob ($5), which made a satisfying dinner combined with the salad.

The lamb souvlaki ($17) was served with rice pilaf, sliced tomatoes, cucumbers, pita bread, and the yogurt sauce. Yes, it was tasty.

A traditional Greek gyro sandwich ($8) featured the same sauce over lamb and beef strips folded with lettuce, tomatoes, and onions into pita bread.

And the Greek garden salad ($8) was a meal in itself, with lots of mixed greens, tomatoes, cucumber, red onion, feta cheese, Kalamata olives, pepperoncini, and a creamy dressing.

Our waitress told us the pizzas at Constantine’s were the best she’d ever had, so we tried the pizza special ($12) and it was true to its name. A thin crispy crust was covered with fontina cheese, figs, baby arugula, and prosciutto, and the result was a satisfying combination of sweet and salty, softness and crunch.