Nicholas Restaurant   

In the past, one look at the cramped, tired, cluttered and crowded dining room and you would have been sorely tempted to turn and retreat. No more: A remodel has pushed the kitchen to the back, creating a larger dining area and slightly more room around the tables. The owners also added some ambience with decorative ceiling arches. Nicholas' now looks passably like a tiny cafe in Lebanon or Greece. The crowd hasn't changed much -- duos of friends, couples on dates, moms and dads with a tot or two in tow -- in general, a cross-section of Portlanders. The wait usually hits 20 minutes on weekends, but the food is definitely worth it. Nicholas', after all, is the family precursor to sleek Hoda's and the increasingly popular YaHala. Choose from appetizers, salads, sandwiches and gyros, several pizzas and calzones, kabobs and five combination platters. Highlights include piping-hot, bubbly, pie-size pitas, amazingly smoky baba ghanoush, ultra-creamy tzatziki and hummus made with a perfect balance of garlic and lemon. There's an intriguingly spiced Mediterranean pizza called manakish, topped with olive oil, oregano, thyme and sesame seeds, and a falafel that is crisp and fluffy and cooked all the way through. The stuffed grape leaves are a melt-in-your-mouth experience. Meats are robust and juicy with infusions of lemon, garlic and olive oil, and the Veggie Mezza sampler of sides and breads is a vegetarian's dream dinner. Best of all, the reasonable prices make even an abundant meal here affordable. -- Jo Ostgarden