Ovelia

What sets Ovelia apart is the emphasis on their charcoal grill. They grind their own sausage in-house, in addition to several other homemade specialties. The dishes are full of flavor, and there is a full bar to complement any dish with a glass of wine or cocktail.

We’d been in Ovelia once before, for a drink after sushi across the street at Go Wasabi, and found the décor and drinks very appealing. The bar has integrated fiber-optic lights and in the back there are cool flames shooting up the walls tornado-style.

Upon our return for a meal though we weren’t quite as satisfied. The drinks were expensive for the neighborhood at $8-10, and the food wasn’t anything amazing. Though admittedly we didn’t have the aforementioned homemade sausage, we did order from the grill. V tried the pork chops, which were tough and over dry. I had the ground beef and lamb kebabs which one review called a “dish worth scrambling for.” I disagree. The meat wasn’t anything special, cooked well done, and more chewy than anything else.

The best part of our meal though, was the cheese appetizer, which consisted of three hot cheeses, including halloumi, feta and saganaki. Each was distinct in its taste and texture, and I enjoyed them all (even though halloumi remains my favorite cheese of all time).

Overall, I may go back for an appetizer, maybe a drink if I’m in the area and in the mood for the atmosphere, but otherwise, I didn’t find the service or the entrées that good.