When was the last time you found yourself truly excited about eating a meal out?

My dining companions and I entered the completely transformed Minit Mart off Three Springs Road – now known as Anna’s Greek Restaurant and Bar – not knowing what to expect. A sky blue ceiling with shear gold fabric gathered around the lighting fixtures and deep blue accents were both inviting and intriguing. The Greek music that played all evening added to the ambiance.

Our intrigue escalated into giddiness from the moment we began deciding what to eat. It’s almost as if our taste buds knew we’d be experiencing something traditionally Greek, unique and delicious – no matter what we ate. Our senses were overwhelmed with appealing choices.

The excitement sustained throughout the meal when we were served two Greek appetizers chosen at the recommendation of the wait staff. The spanakopita was homemade, crispy filo dough filled with spinach and spices. It was a light and appetizing starter served with a tangy cucumber and sour cream sauce called tzatziki. This sauce is also served complimentary with pita bread, so you’re sure to be introduced to the truly traditional Greek influence right from the start.

The croquettes Santorini were a mixture of tomato with peppers, onion, oregano and mint, breaded and lightly fried. The spices that surrounded the vegetables offered an appealing rush of taste – no dipping sauce needed.

The motto on the menu says: Good food takes time. Our main dish choices would have been well worth a wait, but we didn’t have to wait long at all.

I choose a Greek salad, curious to see if the American version of Greek salad that’s on many a menu is anything close to a traditional Greek salad. I was pleasantly surprised at both the similarities and the differences. The salad was served with kalamata olives, cucumbers, green pepper and feta cheese. The difference was that it also included tangy capers piled on top of a large wedge of feta cheese – a welcome change to crumbled feta. The salad was served with olive oil and white vinegar that I sprinkled over the top. Primitive, but I appreciated choosing the ratio and amount to my liking.

The oven-roasted chicken breast in lemon sauce was a table favorite, especially because it was served with flavor-saturated roasted potatoes. Sharing was at an all-time low for my dining companion, who usually says, &#8220You have to try this,” basically because the oregano and garlic coupled with the subtle lemon flavor created an entire meal that was delicious.

The tenderloin in Madeira sauce and mushrooms also delivered excitement and flavor to everyone at the table. It was a fork-tender pork filet served with French fries, rice, raw vegetables and cabbage salad – cooked cabbage with a taste somewhere between the mildness of coleslaw and the tangy kick of sauerkraut.

The menu is a plethora of food that, for me, is now a must-try, like four-cheese rigatoni served with a blend of mozzarella, parmesan, gruyere and feta cheeses, as well as Greek specialties like moussaka, youvetsi, briami and fasolacia. I’m going to refer you to the Web site listed below so you can learn about these dishes and about the authenticity this new restaurant brings Bowling Green. The chef has been in the United States for less than a year after owning and operating a successful restaurant on Santorini Island in Greece.

Keeping that in mind, I have a few words for Anna and her new restaurant: kafinieo, which means traditional, oyara, which means it’s good, and efharistoomay, which means thank you.

Anna’s Greek

Restaurant & Bar

535 Three Springs Road

Bowling Green

846-2662

www.bggreek.com

Hours: 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Monday to Saturday

Cuisine: Greek

Price range for dinner: $7.99 to $23.99

Libation situation: Full bar

Smoking: No