Mursel Karatas grew up in the eastern part of the Mediterranean region. It was here, the terminus of ancient spice trade routes, that the learned the art of crafting his culture's cuisine. He honed his skills at a local restaurant for more than 10 years, and he brings his healthy, scratch-made fare to Mountain View today at Taverna Bistro Mezze.

As the executive chef at the restaurant, Karatas recreates the food of his childhood using family recipes. Order a few "mezzes," or small plates, to start your meal. Try the baba ganoush, a roasted eggplant dip, and the house-made hummus. Then enjoy a light romaine salad topped with shredded carrots, cucumber, tomatoes, a dusting of feta cheese, and a mint-infused dressing. Just make sure that you save enough room for a kebab loaded with meatballs, a skewer stuffed with grilled shrimp, or crispy falafel perched atop a pillow of fresh hummus.

CC-BY-2.0/Flickr T.Tseng