RESTAURANT REVIEW:

Usually I loathe developers and their evil ways, but in the case of Bravo Avo it totally worked out in my favor. So I must thank the company that displaced Avo Kilicarslan and his restaurant, because now he has moved from Costa Mesa to Huntington Beach and a whole new city of diners will be able to discover what others have known for years.

Kilicarslan is one of the best chefs in Orange County and has been for more than 25 years.

Avo and his wife, Najda, had a similar restaurant behind the Wyndam Hotel in Costa Mesa since November 1979. An Armenian from Turkey, Kilicarslan combined those influences with traditional Greek food and the result was spectacular. He was voted one of America’s Best 50 chefs by American Express and his restaurant was consistently voted one of the best in the county.

Then progress came calling. A proposed light rail project threatened to bulldoze the large facility. While the rail plan sputtered, a new plan of a condominium complex was erected and developers bought out Kilicarslan’s lease.

Rather than take the money and travel the world, or take a break from the hectic life of running a restaurant, they decided to downsize and opened a six-booth, four-table restaurant in a strip mall across from Ocean View High School.

Avo went from a nearly 4,500 square foot facility to a room that is no bigger than a single apartment.

Though the room is smaller, Avo’s personality is bigger than ever, and not even a health problem in February slowed him down.

“This is a vacation for me,” Avo said. “Most people think this work is hard. I love it.”

It shows in every dish that comes out of his kitchen. The former visiting chef at the White House has created one of Huntington Beach’s newest gems.

The meal begins with Avo personally coming to every table and greeting diners. He takes the orders, recommends dishes, tells jokes and instantly makes you feel like you are eating at his house.

Homemade pita bread comes quickly to the table.

My guests and I ordered feta and calamata for an appetizer. Generous portions of imported feta cheese and the authentic Greek olives are accompanied by tomato slices.

The cheese was so fresh it popped in our mouths, and the olives were tart but not overly so.

The crab cake, which features blue crab, is another popular choice. The dolmades, which are grape leaves rolled and stuffed with seasoned beef, rice, onion, tomatoes and lemon juice, should not be missed as well.

Lunch items include a roasted lamb sandwich and traditional gyro sandwich. The restaurant serves lunch Tuesday through Friday.

There are 12 dinner entrees.

My one friend orders the chicken ala Avo. The breast is sliced very thin and cooked with a variety of spices. It can be ordered mild, medium or spicy and the medium was fairly hot. So, if you have a tender tongue, order it mild.

My other friend got the lamb shank. The piece of meat was extremely large and soaked in a wine sauce. It was so tender it almost fell off the bone and the spices used in the marinade stayed with the meat all the way to the bone.

I got the gyro plate and the meat was so fresh and flavorful I didn’t even need the chilled yogurt sauce that came with it.

A little Turkish coffee and some Baklava ended our meal. The Baklava, which is one of the few things Avo doesn’t make, was only ordinary.

The rest of the meal was incredible and it won’t be long before he is expanding his business. With food this good, he will have no choice.

Address: 7391 Warner Avenue, Huntington Beach

Phone: (714) 841-7585

Cuisine: Mediterranean

Specialty dish: Avo’s complete dinner

Alcohol served: Beer and wine

Dress: Casual

Family friendly: no

Credit cards accepted: Visa and MasterCard

Rating: *** 1/2

JOHN REGER reviews restaurants for the Independent.