Budget Bites

------------------------- Orexi Restaurant 31 Bellevue Way N.E., Bellevue. Sunday-Thursday 11 a.m.-9 p.m., Friday-Saturday until 10 p.m. Major credit cards. No smoking. 425-455-5344. -------------------------

What the Spanish call tapas, and the very with-it call "small plates," the Greeks call "mezethes" or "orexi," from which this spacious and nicely-appointed spot near Old Bellevue takes its name. Make no mistake, there are plenty of full meals featuring lamb, chicken, vegetables and delightful Greek treatments of squid. But you could easily eat taverna style here, using fresh-off-the-grill pita to sop up all manner of primi piatti, er, orexi. For instance you might try a starter of fried squid, or those same seemingly gnarly critters sauteed in white wine, herbs, parsley, onion and almonds. Perhaps sauteed mushrooms done similarly, minus the almonds. Or some of the dips, made from eggplant, chickpeas, potatoes, yogurt or fish roe, and spiked with olive oil, garlic and lemon. Another special squid dish, from the dinner menu, was probably one of the better restaurant entrees I've had. That, plus the high points of our other entree, a combo plate, earn Orexi a recommendation. But there's still need for a bit of fine tuning.

Itemized Bill For Two Kalmarakia Gemista, $7.99. # Dionysus Plate, $9.99. # # Taramasalata plus one extra piece of pita bread, $5.49. # # # Tax, $2.14 Total, $25.61

# A superlative creation. Thin pouches of baby squid are stuffed like tiny footballs with tomatoes, onions, garlic and fresh basil, and served on a bed of fresh spinach over a tasty tomato sauce studded with sauteed bell peppers, onions and tender, yummy baby squid tentacles. A great way for the squid-phobic to conquer their unfortunate hangup.

# # This combo platter was a winner, with a few minor shortcomings. The moussaka was divine, the gyros nicely done, and the spanakopita tasted marvelous, but the crust was a bit soft in parts rather than flaky. The dolmades were also delicious, but the grape leaves unraveled precipitously upon cutting.

# # # What we got was good, but seemed to lack the pizzazz the starring ingredient of fish roe usually lends to this dip. I wondered if we hadn't actually been served the potato-based blend called skordalia, but was assured this was not the case.