''Revales'' may not mean anything in Italian, or any other language that I know, but it clearly speaks to Miami Shores area diners hankering for well-priced comfort fare with a taste of the Mediterranean.

''Revales,'' it turns out, combines the family names of the two couples who own the spot and run it as if it were their home. There's chef Marlon Reyes (re), his wife and her sister, Idalmis and Yaleisy Valenciano (val), and Yaleisy's husband, David Espinales (es). On our second visit, David greeted us as if we, too, were family and seated us at what has become our regular spot.

Formerly Frankie's Big City Grill, the small brick building now looks like a cross between a classic diner and a homey living room. Set with white cotton cloths, the 16 tables forego centerpieces for sturdy sets of Italian olive oil and good balsamic vinegar.

It's clear that the food takes priority. The competent cooking will be familiar to longtime fans of the Village Café, where Reyes manned the stoves for more than five years after a decades-long career at Giordano's, Claudio's, La Bussola and Grazie Café.

There's much more to be had here than Italian fare. Each morning, as early as 7, the kitchen begins turning out crepes, eggs, pancakes, oatmeal, grits and more. Then it's on to pizzas, quesadillas, burgers, salads, wraps, conch fritters and even Chinese grilled salmon.

If you're hungry for something that's not on the vast menu, just ask; chances are Reyes will knock it out for you. An expert in all things kids (the two couples have six between them), he also created a budget-priced menu for little ones with items like hand-breaded chicken cutlets and penne pasta with a choice of sauces.

A waiter with a smile as big as one of the triangles of warm focaccia that starts each dinner is quick to take orders, refill empty water glasses and check on orders.

At dinner, it's Italian all the way with starters such as tiny, Mediterranean black mussels in a luscious white wine sauce generously spiked with lemon and fresh chopped parsley. Lightly fried calamari with batons of snappy zucchini and tangy marinara dipping sauce is another crowd pleaser.

Salads, including a mixed green and a Caesar, can wilt under the weight of too much dressing, so ask for it on the side. A crunchy Greek with hot peppers and a good crumbling of feta is a delicious option.

Reyes does impressive things with the most basic ingredients. Pastas, for example, include an abundance of angel hair with meaty shrimp in a subtle, pink-tinged tomato sauce. A rich Alfredo is smoothly creamy, and a more grown-up spaghetti ai fiume with smoky bacon bits, slivers of garlic and fresh tomato impressed our whole crowd.

Simple pleasures abound in dishes like a pan-seared veal scaloppini lightly anointed with a lemony sauce. Chicken scarpariello was satisfying, but would have been better with bone-in meat. Here, as in all the dishes we sampled, the vegetables are beautifully julienned, mushrooms cut evenly and sauces handled with restraint.

The only true mistakes we encountered were risottos, including a gloppy, overworked version served with a huge plank of salmon.

My biggest gripe is the by-the-glass wine selection -- Beringer, Woodbridge, Inglenook, Yellow Tail and Sutter Home, at best -- served warm as a summer rain and stored without pumping, which creates a sour bite. Bottles are somewhat better and reasonably priced, but your best bet is the liberal BYOB policy and bargain corkage fee.

Desserts such as crème brlée and Nutella crepes are beautifully plated and quick to disappear. A light and fluffy tiramisu with a swirl of chocolate nearly had our party licking the plates, while the chocolate Vesuvias cake was lusciously bittersweet.

A delightful family-run restaurant, Revales is a neighborhood gem.

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