Coming into Paul K on a rainy night feels more like stepping into a friend’s living room for an evening in, than a night out on the town. The cool gray-blue of the walls and the abstract art that hangs on them help create a comfortable and cozy vibe, as do the dim lighting and the tea lights. Guests are seated at small and close together tables in straight rows that allow intimate conversations to rise up and create a ripply hum through the restaurant. The cooks in the exposed kitchen rattle away, preparing Paul K’s much-lauded dishes, but the bustle doesn’t disrupt the calm intimacy of the dining room and gastronomic feel-goodery.

Owner Paul Kavouksorian’s Armenian heritage sits front and center in his menu, but his dishes transcend any one cultural designation. Many hints of Greek and North-African dishes like the dinner menu’s mezze platter delight the palate. Bleu cheese and red onion dressing, grilled romaine hearts, and cauliflower and a delicious meyer lemon aoli accompanied the grilled spearfish, a persuasion of northern Californian freshness rounds out the menu. Paul K’s chef, Daryl McDaniels, has cooked and eaten just about everywhere, and it shows in his cooking.

As per the menu, skip past the cocktails, which are standard and unsurprising, to the restaurant’s excellent wine list. A delicious old vine zinfandel meets any of the meat entrees very nicely. Though complimentary pita and hummus are dropped off with drinks, whetting the appetite on the mezze platter is a move that is highly recommended, as it is the true star of the menu. From there, the Syrian spiced duck breast with its pomegranate molasses, the lamb chops paired with cardamom yogurt, and the grilled prime ribeye flavored with harissa all help demonstrate what it means to be uniquely Paul K.

So on the next drizzly evening, do yourself a favor and head out. This neighborhood eatery, with its urbane design and its confident menu, offers up the best of the Mediterranean with the feeling of comfort food.

For more info, and to reserve a table, check out the Paul K website.