[Photo: Kathy YL Chan]

The hotter the weather, the cooler I prefer lunch. On days 90 degrees and higher, the Pikilia Combination Platter ($12) at Snack strikes me as an ideal midday meal. The platter includes a trio of Dolmadakia, stuffed grape leaves, with rice, warm pita and your choice of three of the following: Tzatziki, Feta, Melitzanosalata, Skordalia, hummus, and Taramosalata.

I always opt for the same three choices, which I find to be well balanced. First the Skordalia (pictured on the left side of the plate), a spicy potato-garlic puree, chunkier than many versions of skordalia I've had in the city. Pungent with garlic, certainly not for those who fear a smelly breath. The Melitzanosalata, a smokey roasted eggplant dip, is enriched with parsley and diced red pepper. Take one of the slices of fresh lemon in the middle of the plate and squeeze over the Melitzanosalata—an excellent bite. And finally, a generous portion of feta cheese topped with sliced tomatoes, sprinkles of dried oregano, and olive oil.

A handful of olives completes the plate. One pita alone is never enough for the platter, so I often end up having two. (It's a dollar extra for each additional pita—they don't mention it, but it shows up on the receipt.) Accompany your lunch with housemade mint-lemonade. Not too sweet, refreshing, but skimpy on fresh mint leaves—so ask for extra!

Snack

105 Thompson Street, New York NY 10012 (map)
212-925-1040
snackny.com