Greek or not, this restaurant is surely something the whole campus can agree on. Momos “Ouzaria taverna,” or Grecian tavern where ouzo and other spirits may be found, is located in the heart of residential University City on the corner of Gannon Avenue and North and South Road. It serves up Greek cuisine in the traditionally Spanish tapas style of dining.

Momos was the Greek god of sarcasm, blame, mockery and criticism. He was ejected from heaven by Zeus because of his constant carping and criticism of other gods. An interesting choice of mythical inspiration, no?

Momos offers a quaint dining area by day which quickly transforms into a trendy bar scene by night. The rather small interior has a comfortable, warm feel, complete with a fireplace and Mediterranean ambiance.

The red textured walls are contrasted by abstract blue art depicting what seemed to be too anatomical to dismiss as well as mosaics illustrating typical ancient Greek daily activities, such as hurling spears, public bathing and various decathalon-esque events.

Momos specializes in Mediterranean cuisine with a Greek touch. In Greek, tapas are called mezes, and Momos cooks both the hot and cold variety. Because of its Mediterranean influence, much of Momos’ menu is centered on Greek flavors and meats and vegetables.

The restaurant offers a variety of kabobs which are served with lemon oregano roasted potatoes, as well as Greek lamb served with tomatoes, red onions, and tzatziki, a creamy cucumber yogurt dip. While the kabobs seemed rather typical, the lamb and yogurt sauce hit us like a bolt from Zeus’ shaft.

If meat is not what you crave, Momos offers a very wide selection of vegetarian dishes. There is an entire section of the menu which is dedicated to spreads. We entered Momos under the impression that hummus was the only Mediterranean spread known both to man and deity. To our surprise, this was not the case.

Most of the spreads are worth trying, even if you can’t pronounce their Greek names. We randomly chose the Melitzanosalata, a tangy roasted eggplant spread with garlic. The spread itself was delightfully tangy and exuded the essence of the Greek isles’ flavor with its hint of garlic. Its taste was accompanied by pita, which had been warmed to the perfect dipping temperature.

The hot mezes on the menu also includes a variety of seafood and vegetarian dishes. One of the best vegetarian dishes we tried was the grilled flatbread pizza. It was topped with artichokes, caramelized onions, myzirtha cheese and kalamata olives. The mix of Greek flavors again was a treat, and the pizza itself was filling.

We also tried the garlic shrimp, which is prepared with fennel ouzo butter and was a nice complement to the otherwise animal-lacking main course.

Once dinner is completed and it’s time for post-meal drinks, Momos’ bar is a great place to go for the evening’s activities. Most of the specialty drinks bear the name of Greek gods and goddesses. If you are feeling like you could drink like a god, try one of Momos aptly and creatively named “dietinis.”

There were several drinks that seemed particularly inviting, such as the Hermes, which is Red Bull, Absolut Raspberry and lime juice.

Momos has drink specials at each of its nightly bar events, the most Greek of which is the “Saturday Belly-A-Go-Go.” Momos describes this night as a lounge atmosphere with a Greek flare and music from a local radio DJ.

If Greek flare is in fact what you are looking for, Momos has belly dancers every Monday through Friday. Opa!

Happy Hour is Monday through Friday from 5-7 p.m. with $2 domestic beers and well drinks. Come for the food and drink, stay for the belly dancers.

Because of its tapas, or mezes, style of dining, Momos can be as cheap or as expensive as your appetite makes it.

Momos (314-863-3511) is open Monday to Friday 11 a.m. to 11 p.m., bar until 1 a.m.; Saturday 5 to 11 p.m., bar until 1 a.m.; Sunday 5 to 10 p.m., bar until midnight.

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