Travel Guide

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"Have you had paella?" he asked. "We get a lot of complaints about the paella."

I took his advice and didn't try either--and should also have heeded friends' warnings to skip the grilled lamb souvlaki. My punishment was a few dry and flavorless chunks of overcooked meat spiked with rosemary. It's never a good sign when a single skewer of lamb is served with two full ramekins of tzatziki sauce.

Still, hints of Mediterrano's prowess showed up on my souvlaki plate, which featured a bouquet of lightly sauteed snow peas, carrots, and broccolini. Mediterrano's strength is fresh, healthy food, beautifully presented. Except for one feta-drenched pasta, almost everything I sampled had a light, clean flavor. Mediterrano's dinner menu also includes three low-fat entrees approved by St. Joseph Mercy Hospital's Michigan Heart and Vascular Institute, a thoughtful gesture I wish more non-corporate restaurants would make.

Mediterrano makes phenomenal salads, bestowing care on even the simplest starters. I loved a Caesar salad made with sprightly romaine and didn't mind paying an extra dollar for a trio of pudgy anchovies packed with salt. A basic Greek salad, topped with a block of fresh feta, was colorfully garnished with slivers of red and yellow bell peppers.