Albanian food sits at the crossroads of Ottoman, Mediterranean, and Balkan traditions in a cuisine that uses the best of all three without fully belonging to any. Tavë kosi — lamb baked in a yogurt and egg custard, the national dish — is comfort food of an unusual elegance. Byrek, the filo pastry filled with spinach and cheese or meat, is both a street food and a home baking tradition; Albanian byrek with its thick, olive-oiled pastry is richer than the Turkish or Greek versions and served in the breakfast hour from bakeries that open before the cafes. Raki — Albanian grape or mulberry brandy — is the social lubricant, consumed before meals, after meals, and during the morning coffee with an older generation that has not been persuaded to stop. The fresh seafood along the Albanian Riviera — sea bass, dorado, and octopus grilled simply — benefits from water that is among the cleanest in the Mediterranean. It really hits differently.