Kanella

Even when he wades into the well-worn canon of Greek classics, he does them right: the creamiest, chickeniest avgolemono soup I've ever spooned through; a greaseless vegetarian moussaka topped with a bechamel as light as cappuccino foam; lemony, hand-rolled grape leaves; and an array of zesty Mediterranean dips that go well beyond the norm (carp roe-braced tarama salata; garlic-laced skordalia; mashed lentils piqued with anchovy).

There were few disappointments - a bland baby octopus; some overspiced green beans; a few bones left in the whole dorado.

Mostly, though, I'm still savoring the list of highlights. Crisply seared haddock over brothy chickpea-tomato stew. Spice-rubbed loin of grilled lamb with fennel and bulgur wheat. Roasted cuttlefish, so much meatier than squid, tossed like heat-charred petals with cucumber and onion salad. Hand-rolled "makaronia" ribbons, dumpling-esque in thickness and chew, twirled in tomato sauce dusted with mint and creamed with richly strained yogurt.

Pitsillides doesn't ease up at dessert (or even at coffee, which comes Greek mud-style, or classily French-pressed). He churns distinctive ice creams flavored with carob and fennel. A yogurt and lemon mousse with thyme syrup is tart, sweet, and herby. The almond-date cake with cinnamon ice cream is decadently moist. And the classic Greek phyllo desserts - nutty baklava and semolina custard-filled galatoboureko - are as good as they can be.

It's a sweet ending from a chef whose iconoclastic nature is also sometimes not so easy to cozy up to. His refusal to partake in what he considers to be the "gimmick" of Restaurant Week, for example, left his dining room feeling momentarily lonely.

"Every week is Restaurant Week here!" says Pitsillides, that familiar tone of Mediterranean swagger and tirade bubbling up again. I'm so glad to hear it - and taste it - once again.

Next Sunday, restaurant critic Craig LaBan reviews Izumi on East Passyunk Avenue. Contact him at 215-854-2682 or claban@phillynews.com.