Traversing the Mediterranean.

In 1972, the Hampars came to New York City from their native Istanbul, intent on running a restaurant, as they had in Turkey. Rather than bringing Istanbul cuisine to the city, they opened a simple American diner. After the couple had spent 29 years in New York, some of their extended family in Southwest Florida convinced them to move to Naples. Swayed by the weather, the Hampars relocated. In 2000, they opened Laru's Kabob House, specializing in Middle Eastern fare.

Business was steady until 9-11 put the restaurant in a slump. The Hampars changed the restaurant's name from Laru's, a combination of their son and daughter's first names, to Dardanelles, a channel of water between the Aegean and Black seas. "We put Mediterranean in the name and we had a good response," Raffi says.

At lunch, you can explore Turkey, Greece and Armenia. At dinner, everything from Spain to Turkey is available for order. Not up for exploring? Some American dishes are available, including Philly cheese steaks, fish sticks and chicken potpies. If you are unsure, Raffi offers samples.

"Many are amazed by the taste of the food," he says. "How tasteful it is. When they start trying it, they want to continue."

What we ate: Authentic Mediterranean cuisine. All of the dishes on the lunch menu hail from countries that flank the Mediterranean Sea-Turkey, Greece, Armenia and Syria. The good news is you don't have to be well versed in Middle Eastern dishes-falafel, jajik, borek, doner, spanakopita-to decipher Dardanelles' menu. Each item is expertly translated so you know exactly what you are ordering.

Feeling adventurous, we started with the mixed appetizer plate, a part of the winter lunch special that also came with a choice of entrée-lamb or chicken shish kebab or souvlaki-for $15.95. This allowed us to sample borek, hummus, yalanji dolma, patlijian with sauce, falafel and jajik served with wedges of fresh pita bread. There was more than enough of each for us to try a taste of everything. It whetted our palate for more.

The lamb shish kebab was cleverly arranged across a bed of rice to make it appear as if the large portions of tender meat and vegetables were skewered. It was a nice surprise to find that no wooden stick bound them together, and we could enjoy the dish without any threat of flying food or elbows.

The doner (gyro) platter ($6.95) satisfied our craving for the popular Greek specialty. The slices of gyro meat, a mix of lamb and beef, graced a bed of rice and were accompanied by a dish of jajik, a creamy yogurt sauce punctuated with garlic, cucumber and a hint of mint, and plenty of grilled onions and bell peppers.

One of our group hoped to play it safe with an American standard, the Philly cheese steak sandwich cleverly wrapped in pita bread, but after some good-natured ribbing she too went authentic, conservatively so, with the chicken shish kebab sandwich ($5.95). The warm pita bread came stuffed with chicken, onions, tomatoes and lettuce all glazed with jajik. Very tasty, but requiring lots of napkins.

Moussaka ($10.95) is another Greek dish we savored-and barely managed to finish. The dish consists of two tender eggplant slices, each topped with a seasoned meat, a hefty dollop of rich, creamy bechamel sauce, and cheese. Rice accompanied the filling dish.

For dessert, we sampled Dardanelles' take on a traditional favorite-baklava ($4.95). The honey-and-nut concoction received a unanimous "yum" from us all. We finished our meal with the national drink of Turkey-hot tea ($2.50), which arrived at the table in elegant glass cups and matching saucers from Turkey; and the famous Turkish coffee ($2.50). A Turkish proverb prescribes that "coffee should be black as hell, strong as death, and sweet as love." Dardanelles, served in elegant demitasses, exquisitely fulfilled this credo.

Atmosphere: The scene from windows facing busy U.S. 41 doesn't contribute to the atmosphere, but small touches inside whisk you away to the Middle East. Heavy embroidered curtains, intricately painted ceramics hanging from brass chandeliers, and framed prints depicting life in Istanbul give diners a peek into a 6,000-year-old culture.

Service: Courteous and swift, with a bit of Raffi humor tossed in. Fast when switching courses, he also took the time to notice small details such as when a knife needed replacing. He also kindly poured the tea himself through a tiny strainer. "See how I serve you," he said.

Power Quotient: A few parties of businessmen in suit and tie dined among others indulging in a leisurely lunch. There's also a back room available for larger groups.

Dardanelles Mediterranean Restaurant

572 N. Tamiami Trail, Naples. (239) 213-1232. Lunch: 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Monday through Friday. Dinner: 5-9 p.m. Monday through Saturday. Closed the month of September. Credit cards.