DINING OUT: Fotis BBQ

Fotis Kakavis used to run a restaurant in his native Athens and is bringing his culinary skills to Dyker Heights with his new eatery, Fotis BBQ.

Just open for four weeks, the cozy corner spot cooks up steaks, burgers, kebabs and other traditional Greek fare. You can watch Kakavis cook the savory meats on a large, open fire grill. But you won’t find any barbecue sauce, spare ribs or frankfurters here.

“It’s the way Greeks do barbecue,” he said.

And what a way it is!

First we tried Chicken Vegetable Soup ($1.50 for a cup, $3 for a bowl or to-go, $3.50 for a large). It was loaded with carrots, celery, spinach, onions, potatoes, pasta shells and chicken. The broth was savory and not too salty, perfect for a frigid winter day. Kakavis cooks up a rotating menu of soups, so call ahead for daily specials.

Next we tried the Finger Combo off of the appetizer menu ($8 for six pieces). The plate included chicken wings, chicken fingers, mozzarella sticks and fries. Blue cheese and marinara sauces were also provided for some fun dipping. Everything was cooked just right: crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. Unlike regular diners, the morsels were not drowning in grease.

We totally loved the Tzatziki Sauce ($3) served with warm triangles of pita bread. It was absolutely delicious, made with yogurt, shreds of carrot and green pepper. It was sinfully creamy and fresh tasting.

Then we had the Chicken Kebab ($12), served on metal skewers – for good reason, those babies are hot! – with a salad and delightfully thick and substantial steak fries. The chicken was grilled to perfection, tasty and satisfying. The salad contained lettuce, carrots, red pepper, tomato, cucumber, radishes with sweet-tart house dressing. We couldn’t get enough of the steak fries which were big and beefy, super crispy and totally addictive. Everyone back in the newsroom enjoyed them, as well!

For dessert, we loved the Kourabiedes (complementary with dine-in orders, $5 for a take-out box) which Kakavis makes by hand. They melted in the mouth and had just the right amount of powdered sugar on top. You could easily taste the butter it was made with, as well as the tiny bits of almonds.

Kakavis said that more desserts will be added to the menu soon. We can’t wait to come back and check them out!

Fotis BBQ

8424 13^th Avenue

718-630-5559/56

Monday through Friday, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.

Saturday and Sunday, 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.

Free delivery