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At long last, the new Bobby’s restaurant is up and running and though the last few weeks were almost painful for some of us, the delicious results were certainly worth the wait.

Bobby’s new location on Second Avenue has great parking and the outside of the restaurant is bright and beautifully lit, with Greek columns accenting a stylish entrance. (Two steps lead down to the hostess desk, and those needing a more level approach should use the side door on the far right of the building.) The interior décor has a warm Mediterranean feel that’s going to be even more inviting when it’s 40 below outside. The bar was lively during our midweek visit, and many diners preferred the smaller, more informal setting there to the main room on another level.

We were shown up the short ramp to the main dining area and were quite taken with the beauty of the room. Not only were the tables exquisitely set with linens, glass and flatware, the walls glowed with rich, deep colors. The ceiling is painted with clouds floating in a pale blue sky and our eyes kept returning to that tranquil scene during the evening. Though there are many tables scattered about the room, you won’t feel crowded, and that’s due in part to Bobby’s servers. They were attentive and efficient, and thankfully they lack that frantic, high pressure sales pitch that can so easily turn a leisurely dinner into a hurried disaster. We also noticed that tables were bussed silently and set again in record time by an obviously well-trained crew.

Bobby’s menu covers a lot of ground and features many Greek specialties from all kinds of souvlaki to gyro to calamari, spanakopita, and moussaka. There’s even swordfish on the menu as well as a dazzling variety of pizzas. I keep hearing the lasagna is incredible and that the bakalava is phenomenal, but for this trip we stuck to some fairly basic dishes.

Here’s what I know about saganaki ($10.75), the deep fried Greek cheese appetizer. It’s fantastic. And when I say fantastic, I mean a sizzling rectangle of brown, crispy, salty, gooey goodness that will make your mouth water before you even grab your fork. Despite the elegant décor, we pretty much ditched our manners and elbowed our way toward the platter, forks aloft. Silence reigned while we savored our bites and began plotting how to get more cheese onto our forks without seeming too greedy. I dimly remember someone saying they hoped to return to Earth as saganaki someday and bring joy and happiness to all. I may sign up for that job myself.

I’m terribly fond of eggplant and couldn’t wait to try Bobby’s legendary moussaka ($20.75). Layers of potato, eggplant, well seasoned ground meat topped with mile-high nutmeg scented béchamel worked together perfectly in this wonderful dish. Eggplant can be tricky, and sometimes bitter, but no worries here — every bite was divine. I felt privileged to be indulging in such goodness, as I apparently got the last order. For the rest of the evening, servers were apologizing to disappointed customers that the moussaka was all gone. To run out of a signature dish by 6:30 on a weeknight tells me I’m not the only one who thinks Bobby’s Moussaka is world class.

The moussaka came with a side of the most incredible carrots I’ve ever had in a restaurant. As someone at the table remarked, they were real carrots, not canned, and not fake mini carrots boiled to mush, either. These are the carrots of your dreams, with large, round coin cuts cooked just beyond too crisp and just this side of too soft. They were dressed with something wonderful and tangy and tart and slightly sweet that I just couldn’t place, but I know I want again very soon. We harbor a deep-seated fear that Bobby’s may think carrots are mundane and switch to broccoli. Here’s hoping they hear the pleas of the table of happy eaters in the far corner to leave a very good thing alone and keep them on the menu forever.

The rack of lamb ($31.75) arrived napped with pungent mustard seed glaze and was well worth the 25 minute wait. Ordered medium rare, it arrived exactly that way and made the diner across the table ecstatic after one bite. The two bites I was allowed were incredibly tender and the excellent seasoning didn’t overwhelm the delicate taste of the lamb. Accompanied by alarmingly undercooked roasted rosemary potatoes, tasty rice pilaf and the incredible carrots, this was an ample plate of food with only one failing — all the sides were cold. We figured they had been plated too early and waited around while the lamb finished in the oven. On the plus side, order the house-made Greek salad dressing for your salad. Brilliant with tarragon, it was refreshingly bright and added a new dimension to the pre-dinner salad routine.

We couldn’t resist trying one of the amazing varieties of pizza and settled on the Athena (shrimp, chicken, feta) for $20.75. We saw a lot of people ordering pizza as an appetizer, and it’s also a great option for kids who might not like the more exotic fare on Bobby’s main menu. The rabid pizza fan at our table knows her pies and after one thoughtful bite gave her verdict: “That may be the best crust in Fairbanks.” I have to admit it was pretty darn good. Even though it was a bit thicker than I usually like, the slightly charred crust added a bit of smoky aftertaste which complimented the shrimp and chicken combination. The feta cheese is assertive but not overdone and if you like white pizza, you’ll want to give this one a try.

No one could manage dessert this trip, which happily gives us another reason to head back to Bobby’s very soon. While I wait for that special day, here are a few final thoughts. I hope the handicapped entrance issue will be resolved before winter sets in. Anyone with limited mobility will find it challenging to navigate safely to the side door in the snow and ice. I was delighted to find many good things at Bobby’s besides the outstanding food. There were several celebrations during our two hour stay — everything from a 50th anniversary to a girls night out to a sweet 16 birthday. Every special request was granted cheerfully, and at one point a chef came out to personally greet a special guest. We saw a wheel chair customer easily accommodated. We saw servers who were alert and attentive without being intrusive. And we saw, quite possibly, the most amazing ladies powder room in Fairbanks or perhaps even in all of Alaska. It was dazzling or stunning or astonishing or remarkable or elegant or quite possibly all of those things, and worth a visit, especially if you like chandeliers as much as I do.

And if you like excellent food, top-notch service and warm atmosphere as much as I do, here’s my recommendation: Bobby’s is the place.