Dining out: Atlantic Cafe

Atlantic Cafe is easy to overlook, situated as it is on a restaurant-saturated stretch of Main Street.

But this is a place worth seeking out and worth passing up other spots to get there.

We had lunch at the Atlantic on a recent, blustery weekday. We passed up the shady outdoor tables for a window-side view inside, where visitors are greeted by a long, intimate dining space that made me think of a European eatery.

I enjoyed listening to our server make recommendations to other diners. She made sure she knew their preferences and mood, then thoughtfully recommended different items for each person.

And when we paid after our meal, she asked where we lived and said she hoped we'd make the drive back from Midvale soon.

My husband didn't need to look over the menu much once he saw the lasagna special listed on the board outside. It was a good choice, too — layers of tender, chewy pasta with savory beef, sliced zucchini and lots of sauce and cheese. With it he had a fresh, simple green salad.

For our son, we selected the chicken pita kebab, and that was a good choice, too. I've rarely seen him eat anything with the gusto with which he attacked his kebab of beautifully browned, lightly oiled chicken pieces. He liked the quartered pita sections, veggies and tzatziki sauce that made up the rest of the lunch, as well.

I chose the half-size Atlantic grill plate, which may have been a bit too much lunch for me. It consisted of a chicken kebab, gyro meat, cevap sausage, a huge side salad, rice and plenty of sauce and pita wedges.

But it was hard to feel too gluttonous. After all, the meats heated up nicely for another meal later, and it was fun to try the many flavors.

The chicken was great, and I give the Atlantic extra points for grilling each piece of gyro meat to give it extra sear and flavor. The cevap sausage was a house-made mix of veal and lamb that was fork-tender, subtly spiced and deliciously browned. It would make a fine centerpiece for a meal.

I liked topping the gyro meat with tzatziki, the chicken with feta and the more robust cevap with ajvar sauce of eggplant and roasted red pepper. Eggplant is not one of my favorites, but it was well used here.

For dessert, we had a tall, elegant and creamy slice of tiramisu and a flaky, nutty triangle of baklava. Plus, we bought a few packaged pastries from Italy to take home to the rest of the family, who were sorry they had to miss our trip to Atlantic Cafe.

Appetizers and tapas $3.99-$9.99, panini and sandwiches $7.99-$9.99, soup and salad $3.99-$10.99, pizza and pasta $7.99-$9.99, kebabs $7.99-$9.99, grill plates $10.99-$25.99, fish dishes $12.99, dessert $3.99-$5.99.

Atlantic Cafe Market

Rating: ★★★

Where: 325 S. Main St.

Hours: 10 a.m.-10 p.m.; 10 a.m.-midnight on Fridays and Saturdays

Payment: Major credit cards accepted

Phone: 801-524-9900

Wheelchair access: Easy

Also: European grocery items available; banquet and private rooms available

e-mail: skratz@desnews.com