Manny's Mediterranean Cafe is a hard place not to like

Manny's Mediterranean Cafe has stepped into the former Camille's Sidewalk Cafe in North Charleston, building up the reputation, and the numbers, of the Manny's Greek restaurant organization.

Already, the company counts a pair of restaurants, one in Statesboro, Ga., and longtime favorite, Manny's Neighborhood Grill, in West Ashley.

Manny's Mediterranean Cafe's offerings differ from the food found at the other restaurants; it's a smaller menu without the litany of steaks, seafood and pastas provided by Manny's Neighborhood Grill.

Instead, the cafe focuses on pita sandwiches, hand-tossed pizzas and authentic Greek specialties and platters.

Of course, the cafe, which is brightly lit and spruced up in shades of light green and yellow (a departure from the original Manny's), still serves a few of the items that have helped Manny's earn a steadfast following: gyros.

Long the restaurant's top seller, Manny's roasts its gyro meat in a tall, vertical spit, carving out the strips for inclusion on pita bread, along with lettuce, tomatoes, onions and tzatziki sauce. It's always going to be a consistent choice.

Of the same esteem, Manny's also makes souvlaki ($6.99), marinated pork loin or lamb; kyma, ground beef with Greek seasonings, plus tzatziki and onions; and gyro melts ($7.49), slow-cooked gyro meat and melted mozzarella.

And of course, Manny's sticks to old-world dishes, too, serving up pastitsio ($9.49), layered with ground beef and pasta, and moussaka ($9.49), a layering of eggplant and additional filling.

With courses such as these, stemming from time-tested recipes and a generous ethos, it makes Manny's a great place to eat.