Review: Green Lake’s Eva a hideaway to remember

 Last night, I discovered a neighborhood that I’d never heard of, despite it being a stone’s throw from where I live: Tangletown. It’s aptly named — a tangle of streets that converge at a center dense with restaurants and coffee shops not too far from Green Lake.

If you’re taking someone out for a fancy dinner, sit in Eva’s dinner area, which is illuminated with lights and bright linens. But, if you’re slipping in for drinks and a lighter meal, the less-glamorous bar area has an enviable bar menu.

My favorite dish was Aunt Voula’s taramasalata, a tangy potato dip tinted pink from cod roe, and served with pita. At $6, it was a steal — and a treat to try a new Mediterranean dish.

A meze plate ($14) of a petite lamb samosa, a smaller Asian shrimp cake, and a very large sardine slathered in tomato was fabulous.

The meal went a bit sideways towards the end. A Vietnamese banh mi sandwich ($14) was good, though not as delicious as ones I’ve had from the International District. And the trio of desserts ($8) were hit-and-miss as well.

But, all in all, the hits outweighed the misses, and with a menu as daring and bold as Eva’s, it’s worth the risk. When a dish turns out, boy does it wow.

The one thing I have left to untangle is the spelling of Green Lake. Or is it Greenlake? It seems like even the city doesn’t know.