Sophia’s: Belly Dancers and a Bellyful of Greek Fare

Belly dancing and loud music are what people expect from a Greek restaurant, and that’s exactly what you get from Sophia’s in Placentia, any weekend evening. It’s a good thing, too. Entertainment is a clever diversionary tactic when cooking is less than inspirational, as can be the case here.

It’s not for lack of trying, though. Sophia’s belongs to the Ghosn family, known for the Placentia institution called Gyro King. (They also own a fire-roasted chicken and rib joint in Placentia called Tiki Grill.)

This is a friendly restaurant with glass-topped tables, a pleasant blue-and-white decor, an open kitchen and a menu skirting the Mediterranean from Athens to Beirut. Begin with pikilia , an appetizer assortment consisting of several components, and you’ll get off to a reasonably happy start.

After the fresh feta and pungent Kalamata olives you get to Sophia’s serious appetizers: taramo , hummus and (say it fast five times) khtipito. The first, sometimes called Greek caviar, is creamy cod roe whipped up with lots of olive oil, and Sophia’s version is soft and subtle. Hummus is the well-known Near Eastern garbanzo and sesame puree, which most people like to scoop up on triangles of grilled pita bread. Khtipito is the real standout. It’s a grainy, eggshell-colored cheese dip, spellbindingly flavored with thyme, onions, diced tomatoes and sesame seeds.

Among the main courses, chicken in garlic sauce ( skordalia ) and Sophia’s choice benefit from good olive oil marinades. Sophia’s choice is a calamari steak served in a sizzling iron pan. It’s properly tender, and the topping of garlic, pine nuts and parsley is a treat.

Paidakia is grilled lamb chops, and Sophia’s makes them straightforwardly, merely brushing them with olive oil, parsley and garlic. That’s sufficient.

Unfortunately, Sophia’s does not let well enough alone with arni psito . This dish of roast lamb--the flagship of any good Greek restaurant--is just an overdecorated tugboat here. A stingy portion of meat is mixed with rice, almonds and pine nuts and then wrapped up in filo pastry, like some misbegotten burrito. And they expect you to eat it with a watery yogurt dipping sauce.

The rest of the menu has more problems. It’s nice that Sophia’s puts quail on the menu, but the ones that came to our table were dry and insipid. As for the dishes that accompany the entrees: kudos to the smooth, lemony egg-lemon soup you can have in place of Greek salad; jeers to the bland, uninteresting rice pilaf foisted on most main courses. Sophia’s may age with grace, but for the moment, this restaurant is in an awkward stage. We’ll take another look soon.

Sophia’s is moderately priced. Appetizers are $2.95 to $7.95. Dinners are $9.95 to $16.95.

* SOPHIA’S

* 1390 N. Kraemer Blvd., Placentia.

* (714) 528-2021.

* Open for lunch Monday through Friday 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., Saturday 11:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.; for dinner Monday through Thursday 5 to 9 p.m., Friday through Sunday till 10 p.m.

* All major cards accepted.