Phantom Gourmet: Juniper In Wellesley

WELLESLEY (CBS) -- If you're looking for something deliciously different, look no further than Juniper restaurant, where chef-owner Dave Becker is bringing Mediterranean flavors to Wellesley, Massachusetts.

"What we are is kind of like a Eastern Mediterreanean, Greek-inspired, maybe a little Lebanese, Moroccan in there restaurant," says Becker. "We make our own cous cous and pita bread, make our own hummus."

Every meal here should definitely start with some spreads and breads. After that, there's fried calamari, seared manchego cheese, lamb bolognese, and chicken tagine. While the flavors might be bold, Dave likes to keep things simple.

"My philosophy on cooking is just use really good fresh ingredients, let them speak for themselves," says Becker. "Don't make it too self-conscious or try too hard. Just make it so you make food that people will like."

Dave is a laid back kind of guy, and his restaurant has that same fun and relaxed feel.

"I've just tried to create a party environment," he says. "I want it to be really fun and feel festive even on a Tuesday night. Like, you show up and it's a land of plenty."

And if it's not enough that this chef cooks the food you'll be eating, he also makes the actual plates it's served on.

"So a couple years ago I started taking pottery classes, and was immediately drawn to it," he explains. "By making my own plates, I've kind of like added to the actual soul of the restaurant I think. When you can go out to dinner and you're eating off of a plate that nobody else has, it's pretty cool."

Watch Phantom Gourmet on Saturdays and Sundays at 10:30 and 11 a.m. on myTV38.