November 20, 2005 DINING OUT From Nibbles to Big Portions, a Meal is Made  By M. H. REED Published: November 20, 2005 WHITE PLAINS Tight schedules have made weekday dining out commonplace for singles and families, even those on a budget. Slow food is not always an option and fast food has little to recommend. The local Italian trattoria has often appealed to these customers, but now another choice is becoming popular: the Greek taverna. Of those opened recently, Niko's Greek Taverna earns our vote. The ambience and personal service from members of the Kringas family, who own and operate the restaurant, evoke friendly neighborhood tavernas throughout Greece. A look at their Web site ( nikostaverna.com ) with its page of photographs of family, friends and stages in the restaurant's renovation proves this family's personal involvement. The menu offers a variety of dishes, from a panoply of appetizers to sandwiches and burgers to a platter of a whole fish with rice and vegetables, and there is a full bar and a good selection of Greek wines. Many appetizers and dips invite sharing; an assortment of these and a bottle of Niko's reasonably priced wine would make a fine repast for a convivial group. These are the kind of appetizers that could make a meal. And two of them proved particularly addictive: a flaming, meltingly delicious Greek cheese dish called saganaki and taramosalata, a thick, creamy mixture of roe, lemon and olive oil, ready to be scooped up with warm pita. Almost as engaging, tsatsiki could have used a sprinkling of salt to bring up the piquancy of this smooth yogurt mixed with refreshing bits of cucumber and sweet tangy garlic. Or choose a Greek salad, an assemblage of green and grape leaves, feta, good black olives, onion and tomato - all dressed with a lemony vinaigrette. Hunky octopus tentacles, chewy but tasty from charring on a grill, deserved another try. Diners who like hummus will find the standard chickpea mash here; but rice-stuffed grape leaves (dolmadakia) had little flavor; skordalia was for confirmed garlic lovers only; and spicy, peppery kafteri dip was too salty. Generous pita-wrapped sandwiches came in a variety of fillings, from the familiar gyro to the formidable lamb green sandwich, a pita packed with nuggets of lamb, tomato, onion, tsatsiki and excellent fries.Niko's has an entree menu as well, and lamb dishes were particularly pleasing. Three thick, char-grilled lamb chops were served with rice and broccoli, those sides accompanying most entrees. A special on one evening, lamb shanks came loaded with meat, the rice a fine sop for the tomato cooking sauce. And melted cheese and béchamel topped lots of ground lamb layered with slices of eggplant in a hearty moussaka. More ground meat and béchamel mingled with macaroni in pastitsio. We found this preparation a tad heavy, although we suspect the younger generation would have no trouble forking through the dish.An order of branzino brought the whole fish, grilled to the moment and skillfully deboned at tableside. A thin sauce, served separately, was heady with oregano. Atlantic salmon, however, suffered from underseasoning and overcooking.Baklava had the requisite honey-walnut base, but this dessert has always been too sweet for our taste, unless the pastry is accompanied by a cup of Greek coffee, which balances the sweet with some bitter. A milk pie called galaktobouriko was most appealing with its sheets of frangible phyllo encasing delicious custard. Walnut cake (karidopita) and thick yogurt embellished with nuts and a drizzle of honey were other winning possibilities. Niko's, in the transformed space that was once O'Shea's Tavern, is a terrific neighborhood restaurant, convenient to the County Center and to downtown White Plains. Takeout and delivery are available. Niko's Greek Taverna 287 Central Avenue, White Plains. (914) 686-6456. GOOD ATMOSPHERE Informal restaurant and bar lined with photos of Greece. Fine family service. Tight street parking. Sidewalk dining when weather permits. RECOMMENDED DISHES Saganaki, taramosalata, gyro (lamb), moussaka, lamb chops, lamb shanks (special), bronzino, yogurt with honey and nuts, galaktobouriko (custard in phyllo), karidopita (walnut cake). PRICES Sandwiches, $5.50 to $7.75; entree-size dishes, $10 to $25. CREDIT CARDS Major cards. HOURS Sunday to Thursday, 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.; Friday and Saturday, 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. RESERVATIONS Accepted. WHEELCHAIR ACCESS Street level. THE RATINGS Excellent. Very Good. Good. Satisfactory. Poor. Ratings reflect the reviewer's reaction primarily to food, with ambience and service taken into consideration. Menu listings and prices are subject to change. Published: Nov. 20, 2005 E-mail: westdine@nytimes.com