Papa Cristo's Greek Restaurant

A 6:30 dinner date is a bit early for me, but the idea of a family-style dinner at Papa Cristo, the taverna attached to the soulful Greek market C & K Imports, was too much to resist. Held on Thursday nights, the "My Big Fat Greek Family-Style Dinner" is usually a sold-out event and reservations are a must.

Galacto-Baklava custard, an original creation, is one of the bestselling desserts at Papa Cristo's.

In the parking lot behind the restaurant, a grapevine twines up one wall and someone has lovingly planted corn, Mediterranean herbs and flowers in big pots. The entrance is through a storeroom painted with murals of Greek village life and stacked with sacks of flour. Past the deli with its rows of olive oils, honey and jams, Greek wines and other groceries is a big whitewashed room with long tables set out to accommodate the guests.