Serra's Bar & Grill, Laguna Beach

Serra is literally steps from the Sawdust Festival grounds. The interior decor was fun/funky. We started our meal with an apertif of "Lion's Milk", a sort of Turkish ouzo, which was delicious. We had appetizers of hummus and pita and dolmas (grape leaves), both of which were delicious. The pita bread was literally hot out of the oven, and the best I've ever had. They list Turkish wine on the menu but apparently have it only sporadically if at all now, because their supply was not reliable; a pity, as we like to try ethnic wines in ethnic restaurants. However, their wine list of California domestics was fine.

My friend's entree was described as a sort of "Turkish ravioli" - it came in a large bowl with a red and cream sauce, little pillows of dough that looked like mini-dumplings. She said it was very good.

Our waiter recommended chicken dishes, so I took a chance on the chicken curry, which turned out to be a pleasant surprise. So often chicken in overcooked, but this was not - kebabs of chicken, brushed with a curry sauce and then grilled to perfection, with just enough of the curry flavor, not overpowering. This was served with a good plain basmati/pilaf type of rice, and vegetables, which in this case were various grilled peppers and onions, nicely done. We finished off with baklava which was of course extremely rich, and very good indeed.

Service was attentive and personal; we enjoyed our young Turkish waiter, who was cheerful and helpful regarding menu choices.

Prices were moderate and reasonable. Appetizers in the $4-10 range, entrees in the $12-16 range. I would definitely recommend Serras.