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Athenian chef Yiannis Baxevanis’s kitchen emphasizes fresh, sophisticated ingredients, unlike far too many of its less adventurous Astoria brethren. Gold-leaf ceiling recesses, sienna walls hung with raw-edged canvases, and a smattering of Doric columns add character to an otherwise generic white-tablecloth eatery. Appetizers are more than enough to build a satisfying meal; start with creamy white taramosalata, saline fish roe puréed with olive oil and lemon juice, which breaks from tradition by omitting the potatoes or bread crumbs conventionally used to stretch the pricey roe. Dip into a smoky, baba ghannouj–esque grilled eggplant spread, melitzanosalata, with crunchy Cretan barley rusks. Entrée basics like simple baked fish are amped up with bitter herbs like lovage, sorrel, and dandelion greens, and a licorice splash of ouzo. A fruity Xinomavro Syrah is just one standout on a proudly Greek wine list. — Krista Garcia

Taramosalata, $6; kapnisti melitzanosalata me eftazymo ntako, $6