Gjelina

Gjelina is a new Mediterranean restaurant in Venice that presents diners with an elegant rustic interior and creative dishes with an emphasis on fresh ingredients. There is a food and beverage bar in the restaurant’s center where diners can gather. (Michael Robinson Chavez / Los Angeles Times)

Sept. 16, 2014 8:46 AM PT

Gjelina’s patio is quieter than the inside restaurant and includes exposed brick, wood boards and vintage tables. (Michael Robinson Chavez / Los Angeles Times)

Travis Letts, 29, is the chef-partner of Gjelina’s. He made a splash as the opening chef at NineThirty in the W hotel in Westwood and had been working most recently as a private chef. At Gjelina’s, he turns out delicious food seemingly effortlessly. (Michael Robinson Chavez / Los Angeles Times)

Pizzas are a specialty of the house. Here is one with lamb sausage, zucchini, eggplant and ricotta. (Michael Robinson Chavez / Los Angeles Times)

A plate of grilled Monterey Bay squid with roasted red peppers, fingerling potatoes and chimichurri sauce. (Michael Robinson Chavez / Los Angeles Times)