The Montfort name keeps finding new outposts, this time in a strip mall on the town line between Burlington and Oakville.

The Burloak Drive location follows the formula, basic but agreeable decor highlighted by bold art and a tried and true menu that meets at the crossroads of value and quality.

This one offers a few new items, including a Thai shrimp dish that puzzled.

The Montfort chicken platter ($15.95) and steak in a pita ($7.99) were dependable, winning good marks on recent visits but the seafood appetizers disappointed.

The chicken dish, a successful marriage with pineapple and spices, is a favourite across the chain and to these tastes.

It was up to standard at the newest location with plenty of moist fowl chunks that came with a fresh garden salad and a mound of fluffy rice -- the choice over french fries and home fries.

Similarly, beef bits spilled from the top of an open pita like a horn of plenty.

These were not so tender, but still lean and hot with onions.

In both cases, garlic and onion sauces sat at the ready, but the mains were fine all on their own.

The seafood needed their help. The calamari and Thai shrimp dishes were both $9.50 and in both cases were so heavily breaded there was little to no taste, even though they had thankfully been deep-fried smartly and held no lingering oily taste.

The 15 rings of calamari and seven butterflied shrimp were good quality.

A simpler flash grilling with a bit of lemon would have been true to the Mediterranean theme and much fresher on the palate in both cases.

The service, meantime, was quick, engaging and attentive.

Montfort Mediterranean Cuisine

728 Burloak Dr.

Burlington

905-634-4111

The look: Spare and simple

The feel: Relaxed

What you'll pay: Appetizers range from hummus at $4.95 to eggplant salad for $5.75 and tomato feta plate for $6.75. Soup of the day is $5.25, garden salad is $5.95 and $7.95 and Greek grilled chicken salad is $12.75. Pita sandwiches include chicken shawarma for $6.49 and lamb shashlik for $7.49 and pita grilled cheese is $7.25. The falafel sandwich is $4.25 and vegetarian pita is $7.90. Entrees run from $15.95 for the Montford chicken dish with pineapple, garden salad, pita and choice of fries, home fries or rice, to a large lamb shashlik for $21.95. A 10-ounce New York steak is $19.95.

The hours: 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sunday to Thursday, 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday. Wheelchair accessible.

jkernaghan@thespec.com

905-526-3422