Behind the welcoming exteriors of the restaurants that cover a two- or three-block span along South Halsted Street in the old Greektown neighborhood lies an intense rivalry. Though they have similar menus, there are some distinctions and subtleties that come through to separate the best from the others. One of those best is Roditys. And, though I do not have the opportunity to return to Roditys as often as I would like, each visit has been well rewarded. I still remember the first time; it was almost like a family party. A large part of one or two flanking dining rooms had been taken over by what evidently was a large Greek-American family, complete with infants, grandmothers, and at least one orthodox priest.

Visiting more recently on a busy Saturday night, I wondered how well Roditys would stack up against such a memory. Though the priest and the infants were not there, the party atmosphere certainly was. And yet, in the midst of intense frolic and large crowds coming in and out through the crowded standing room only bar, comes excellent service and food.

To my way of thinking, an order of saganaki, the flaming cheese pie is the ultimate Greek dining cliche. Be that as it may, this was as good as saganaki is likely to be, made with a good quality cheese, less salted than most. For balance came some warm dolmades, grape leaves filled with plumped grains of rice and ground lamb, covered with a mild bechamel-style suace. To round out our appetizers and enjoy the thick slices of bread we took some taramosalate, the pinkish salmon roe spread. Sometimes too fishy,this was as mild as a baby's cheek.

There are dozens of selections on the Roditys menu, and while most are standards, there are some more unusual choices. Among them are daily specials. One might be Chicken Napoleon. Though it stretches the concept of a Napoleon a bit, a phyllo pastry shell wraps a filling of the poultry, coursely chopped vegetables and pine nuts all bound with melted feta cheese. Just so no one goes hungry, oven-roasted potatoes and rice come as sides.

Decor 3/4, Hospitality 5/5, Food 9/10, Value 1/1, K/Rating 18/20