With an upscale-cafe ambience and quality food, La Méditerranée has long warranted its reputation as one of the quainter inexpensive restaurants on upper Fillmore. Here you'll find freshly prepared traditional Mediterranean food that's worlds apart from the Euro-eclectic fare many restaurants now call "Mediterranean." Baba ghanouj, tabbouleh, dolmas, and hummus start out the menu. More importantly, the menu offers one very tasty chicken Cilicia, a phyllo-dough dish that's hand-rolled and baked with cinnamony spices, almonds, chickpeas, and raisins; also good is zesty chicken pomegranate drumsticks on a bed of rice. Both come with green salad, potato salad, or soup for around $8.50. Ground lamb dishes, quiches, and Middle Eastern combo plates round out the very affordable menu, and wine comes by the glass and in half- or full liters. A second location is at 288 Noe St., at Market Street (tel. 415/431-7210).