We’d never had Tunisian food before Tom, Paula, John and I met at the Tunisian Diner one recent Sunday evening. Tom had researched the food of the North African nation, which has couscous as its national dish and liberally uses tomatoes, onions and spices, including chili peppers, coriander and cumin. But we shouldn’t have worried. Chef Salem, the brother of the owner, was delighted to not only educate us about his homeland’s cuisine, but feed us until we were utterly stuffed.

This place is small, with two tables seating four and a few taller tables with stools. Tunisian music played as we watched Salem chop vegetables and ladle out stews in the open kitchen. It was more like being in his home than being in a restaurant. Although he did several takeout orders, Salem was working alone, so we relaxed and enjoyed the food as it arrived— you should plan to do the same.

We started with hot Tunisian tea, poured from a copper kettle, which was deep, minty, sweet and delicious. Paula and I ordered bowls of the day’s soup, lentil ($3.75) and because he could not bear to have Tom and John miss out, Salem gave them each a cup, too. It was packed full of lentils, beans, vegetables, celery and rice, and appeared to be in a meaty simmered stock, perhaps beef, with warm pita on the side. We split an appetizer of Breek ($3.50), a delicious filo pastry pie stuffed with potatoes, parsley, spinach and herbs.

A sandwich of Kaskroot djej harr ($6) started with a warm pita that was filled with spicy hot grilled chicken and vegetables. The moist chicken’s kick started subtle and then showed its power.

Two of us could not finish the enormous dish of Couscous Diari ($12.75), a stew that included tender beef, carrots, tomatoes, onions, zucchini and other vegetables. A Sharmula, or Tunisian fish fry, started with a platter of thin French fries covered with a mixture of soft, cooked vegetables and generous chunks of fried haddock. The vegetables could come as a surprise to people expecting the classic fries-here, fish-there plate.

Salem, the one-man staff, could not have been more gracious and welcoming, and the food was excellent.

The Tunisian Diner is open from 4 to 10 p.m. Friday through Sunday, and may be expanding its hours. Call ahead. It is handicapped-accessible.