No twists. No fusion. No unholy street food-foie gras alliances. Just recipes from mom. That’s the concept behind Semeli, the new Greek restaurant that occupies the second floor of 14^th Street’s Sakerum.

“I did not want to do any modern dishes here, because I wanted it to be a home-cooked experience,” says owner Stephanos Andreou. “Through the years, I have kept a lot of my mother’s recipes, and she has explained to me all of her little secrets.”

Mom’s inspo means a lot: Andreou named the restaurant after her.

Semeli, in Andreou’s description, is in the style of a Greek taverna. “I grew up in Cyprus, where I went to tavernas with my parents all the time,” says Andreou. Tavernas are cozy, homey spaces, he explains. They’re also known to have dishes and prices already set (and lots of wine), for an unfussy, uncomplicated dining experience. That’s Semeli in a nutshell.

Sakerum (still on the first floor) had occupied its two-story digs for three years, but it was only now that Andreou decided that it was time to open up his sweet ode to a Cypriot village.

When Sakerum began service, disgraced celebrity chef Mike Isabella ran Kapnos and its sister sandwich shop, G, across the street. Both closed in December 2018 (the storefront remains vacant).

Without the direct competition, Andreou says he knew he should use the opportunity to showcase his take on traditional Greek cuisine and strong ties to his family and home island. The street-level Sakerum continues to serve its signature sushi on the first floor, but Andreou decided to mix up the clubby bar space on the second floor to give proper respect to the multi-course experience.

Semeli presents two main options for the diner: its signature 14-plate mezze sampler for $39, or the catch of the day, with price varying per fish and day.

“For the mezze, I wanted to have my favorite Greek and Cypriot dishes that I believe are the best of the best,” he says. The menu will rotate at the whim of the chef and the market.

The 14 courses are meant to take diners on a journey, “where they get a variety of good food: soup, dips, olives, salad, seafood, and meat,” he said. There’s also dessert. While each course is smallish in size, it’s unlikely diners will leave peckish.

In the constellation of the city’s increasing prix-fixed universe, Semeli falls squarely on the affordable side. 14^th Street neighbor Rooster & Owl serves four courses for $65, and even higher-end destinations like Matt Baker’s Gravitas (five courses for $90) and Nicholas Stefanelli’s Masseria (four courses for $98) abound.

Each of the mezze dishes is also available a la carte, and the restaurant is considering other sampler options. On weekday afternoons, for example, 5 p.m.-7 p.m. is Opa Hour, at which appetizer platters are $15 and small plates and drinks are $7.

At dinner’s end, after the chef is done with his surprises, there’s one constant: Semeli offers a complimentary shot of Mastiha, an ancient digestif derived from the earthy sap of a pine tree endemic to the island of Chios.

And Greek wines, white and red, are as important to this restaurant as the kebabs and herb-flecked feta, because Semeli isn’t just Andreou’s mother’s name, Semele is the name of the mother of Dionysus, the Greek god of wine. Andreou, with mom Semeli as consultant, sourced and curated the list from among his favorite varietals. One of these is a red from the Agios Chronos label, which translates to “Holy Times.” Released only every three years, the wine reflects its volcanic soil origin: warm, powerful, high minerality, and spicy, like an alcoholic lava flow.

Naturally, Greek culture also serves as inspiration for the liquor, as fruit and olive oil infusions make their way into vodkas. Greek-inspired cocktails include the Tears of Chloe, a gin rickey touched up by Greek liqueurs, and The Kalamata Stance, an olive-oil-infused vodka martini.

Given the culinary concept change upstairs, the décor has changed as well. In the place of a dark lounge, Semeli comes alive with brilliant blue and whitewashed walls right from Cyprus’ steep sun-splashed hills. Azure lanterns dangle from the ceiling, and green vines climb up the walls to meet them. Bottles of olive oil sit on the tabletops, flavored by bunches of rosemary. And when guests enter, the welcome mat—as well as throw pillows that lounge on the benches—feature Greek symbols to ward off the evil eye.

Paired with the soft strains of Greek music coming over the speakers (Andreou curates the playlist), it makes for a snug, familiar environment that feels like home.

Semeli is located at 2204 14th St NW. Open Monday to Friday 5 p.m.-10 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday 5 p.m.-11 p.m. It does not yet have a website.