The National Heraldwww.thenationalherald.com
TH
E NATIONAL HERA
LD
50 BEST GREEK RESTAURANTS ON THE EASTERN COAST
JUNE 7-8 , 2014
50 Best Greek Restaurants On The East Coast2 THE NATIONAL HERALD, JUNE 7, 2014
From time immemorial, Greek culture has heldhospitality sacred. Our ancient ancestors believed oneof their most crucial duties were to feed and clothethe visitors in their homes. Every guest was anhonored guest. Perhaps the venerable history of Greekhospitality explains why restaurants prove to be themost popular Hellenic trade, generation aftergeneration, no matter where Greeks find themselves.
But there is another reason. The simple delights ofGreek cuisine are so complete, so satisfying, it wouldbe a crime not to share them. And so eateries abound,from the humblest food truck to the most palatialdining room. They all hold the same philosophy:eating and drinking is not for mere sustenance, but anopportunity to connect with one another. As theancients would put it, “to recline at table,” to savor
not just the food and drink, but also courtesy,conversation, sometimes music and dancing. It isGreek food, after all.
So dig in to our annual Best Restaurants issue toread about new developments in Greek gastronomy,enjoy new recipes, and see if your favorites made thelist.
Kali Orexi!
CONNECTICUT
EOSWith its recently revamped
menu, this elegant spot boastsfresh contemporary Greek cui-sine and was rated byctnews.com as one of the 13spots to enjoy Easter brunch inStamford. Highlights include theEOS Burger (with beef, feta, andtzatziki sauce – plus homemadefries), Kotopoulo me Prassa(chicken with leeks) and wholefish. There is flaming cheese,souvlaki sticks and comfort foodclassics like Imam Bayaldi (egg-plant). Sip Santorini Iced Tea ora White Sangria made withSamos Muscat. The patio is
open and showcases occasionallive music. 490 Summer StreetStamford, Conn. 06901 (203)569-6250 eosgreekcuisine.comEntrées: $14-$37
FLORIDA
GREEKTOWN GRILLE“Clearwater has a winner on
its hands,” lauded the TampaBay Times when the Kara-mountzos family opened thiseatery in 2008. All the favoritesare on hand: mousaka, pastitsio,lamb youvetsi, dolmades, and agyro platter Yelp users love.There is Euro-Arabic music anddancing every Friday and Sat-
urday night. They even have adoggie friendly patio, for four-legged customers. 1230 Cleve-land Street, Clearwater, Fla.(727) 447-7800 greektown-grille.com Entrées: $12-$25
MYKONOS"Spitiki Kouzina" ("Home
Cooking") trumpets the frontawning of this "hole in the wall"casual restaurant open since1993, and most diners agree ithas some of the best Greek foodon the sponge dock area. Freshoctopus caught daily in the Gulfof Mexico, a large menu includ-ing sandwiches and gyro goalongside the plentiful entrées,including fish by the pound. Thesaganaki, as expected, is a huge
favorite. “Beautiful food, verygood service, good prices, bigmenu,” praises one TNH con-tributor. 628 Dodecanese Blvd.,Tarpon Springs, Fla. 34689(727) 914-4306 Entrées: $10-$20
GEORGIA
KYMAExecutive Chef Pano Karatas-
sos made waves in 1979 withPano’s and Paul’s, and in 1987built the Buckhead Life Restau-rant group, adding this contem-porary Greek seafood spot in2001. Octopus is a hot ingredi-ent nationally, but Atlanta has
been in tentacle utopia for yearsthanks to Kyma. The restaurantgrills it to crisp smokiness andserves it over a simple pickledred onion salad with a splash ofred wine vinaigrette. Opa, y’all.3085 Piedmont Road, Atlanta,Ga. 30305-2624 (404) 262-0702 buckheadrestaurants.comEntrées: $24-$36
MASSACHUSSETS
AEGEAN RESTAURANT “It’s simple. Come hungry.
Leave happy,” is the philosophybehind the homestyle dishes atNicholas and Toula Ntasios’ tworestaurants, the first of whichdebuted in 1981 in Framing-ham. There is a nice selectionof imported beers and a creativespecial mixed drinks menu.“The Improper Bostonian” callsit “the next best thing to havingGreek friends who put a spit inthe yard come Easter.” 257 Co-chituate Road, Route 30 Fram-ingham, Mass. 01701 (508)879-8424 and 640 ArsenalStreet, Watertown, Mass. 02472(617) 923-7771 aegeanrestau-rants.com Entrées: $10-$24
GREEK CORNERRESTAURANT
Corner’s Special Gyro andSouvlaki are among the popular
The National HeraldA weekly publication of the NATIONAL HERALD, INC.
(ΕΘΝΙΚΟΣ ΚΗΡΥΞ),reporting the news andaddressing the issues of
paramount interest to the GreekAmerican community of theUnited States of America.
Publisher-Editor Antonis H. Diamataris
Assistant to Publisher, AdvertisingVeta H. DiamatarisPapadopoulos
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Production Manager Chrysoula Karametros
Marketing & Design DirectorAnna Angelidakis
37-10 30th StreetLIC, NY 11101-2614Tel: (718)784-5255Fax: (718)472-0510,
e-mail:[email protected]
Democritou 1 and Academias Sts,Athens, 10671, Greece
Tel: 011.30.210.3614.598Fax: 011.30.210.3643.776
e-mail: [email protected]
The 50 Best Greek Restaurants On The East Coast
EOS RESTAURANT MYKONOS GREEKTOWN GRILLE
KYMA
AEGEAN RESTAURANT
GREEK CORNER RESTAURANT
50 Best Greek Restaurants On The East CoastTHE NATIONAL HERALD, JUNE 7, 2014 3
sandwiches at this cozy spot opened in 1989 incollege town Cambridge. There are lots of appe-tizers and tons of vegetarian entrées, but also aburger if you so desire at George and ThemisBoretos’ award-winning establishment. The broth-ers’ pastitsio was featured on the Food Network’s“Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives” in September 2010.2366 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, Mass.02140 (617) 661-5655 www.greekcorner.us. En-trées: $11-$17
OLYMPIAFounded in October 1952, by Socratis and Kiki
Tingas and relatives Peter and Barbara Cocalis,this is the oldest family-run restaurant in town –and a real favorite with Lowell’s original Greeksettlers. An adjacent building houses a functionhall that can accommodate 300 people. There’s a$10 dine-in menu after 3 p.m. Mondays and Tues-days, not including holidays. There is occasionallive entertainment, which they hope to increaseto every Saturday night beginning in September.453 Market Street Lowell, Mass. 01854 (978)452-8092 newolympia.com Entrées: $9-24
MARYLAND
OUZO BAYAs the name suggests, this Harbor East new-
comer (opened in autumn 2012) stocks at leasteight different brands of the signature Greek spirit– even one distilled in Madison, Wisc. aptlynamed “Americanaki.” Patrons love Ouzo Bay’s
signature cocktails such as the “Ouzo Sour” madewith ouzo, gin, syrup, lemon juice and an eggwhite. The Baltimore Sun rated it number 13 ofBaltimore’s 50 Best Restaurants of 2014.1000Lancaster Street, Baltimore, Md. 21224 (443)708-5818 www.ouzobay.com Entrées: $19-$75
MYKONOS GRILLCycladic blue and white predominate here,
which the Washington Post has described as “aprescription to happiness.” Fresh fish, traditionaldishes like lamb shank and appetizer samplersreign at this 20-year-old institution. Peter Pagonisis from Sparta and his wife is from Athens, buttheir restaurant is named after their favorite isle.There’s no plate-breaking, but plenty of happy,relaxing Greek background music. In 2011, theyopened Nostos Restaurant in Vienna, Virginia,which – as the owners explain – means: “The de-sire to go back to the place where you wereraised.” That spot is decorated with black andwhite photos of Greece of yesterday. 121 Con-gressional Lane, Rockville, Md. 20852 (301) 770-5999 www.mykonosgrill.com Entrées: $14-$31
NEW HAMPSHIRE
AMPHORANamed for the two-handled vase used in an-
tiquity to carry wine and oil, owner PeterTsoupelis opened this modest-looking eatery inDecember 2010, but don’t be fooled by its casualappearance. Yelp users rave about the tender tem-
pura-style calamari, the mousaka (“like eating acloud”), and the Psari-sto-Filo, a family recipethat encases fresh haddock and a white wine andmushroom sauce in filo dough (Tsoupelis calls it“the Greek version of Wellington”).
New Hampshire Magazine named it the BestGreek Restaurant in 2011, and it earned theGreater Derry/Londonderry Chamber of Com-merce’s Business of the Year award for 2013. An-other invention is the baklava cheesecake, whosename alone is drool-worthy. Hood Commons, 55Crystal Avenue, Derry, N.H. 03038 (603) 537-0111 amphoranh.com Entrées: $13-$28
NEW JERSEY
A TASTE OF GREECEMarathon runner, former soccer player and
Athens native Themis Mourelatos took over thisintimate location in 2007, and added healthychoices to the menu, including vegetarian dishes.Daily specials often include seafood, grilled orbaked in tomato sauce, Greek-style. Yelp userscall it the best Greek restaurant in the area. Foodblogger Jason Perlow of Offthebroiler.com praisesthe soups, such as avgolemono, lentil, and veg-etable soup as “meals in themselves.
935 C Kinderkamack Road, River Edge, N.J.07661 (201) 967-0029 atasteofgreecenj.com En-trées: $13-$17
AXIATake your taste buds for a tour of the world
with Solomos Kalamata, Kotopoulo Sparti – butalso Moussaka Tenafly. The menu was designedby Chef Alex Gorant and food expert Diane Kochi-las over a one-month trip throughout Greece,identifying ingredients from many regions. Greatcare is taken with the seafood as well as culinarycomfort items like Yiayia’s Patates (Grandma’sPotatoes). Not only the refined Greek cuisine, butalso the entertainment – with live bouzouki/guitarnights -- has made this restaurant owned by fa-ther/son team Michael and Alexander Parlamis,that only opened in 2006, already popular. It hasthe Best of Bergen award under its belt as well aspositive New York Times and ZAGAT exposure,to name a few. AXIA’s Tim Vlahopoulos bringscustomers Greece’s finest wines. 18 PiermontRoad Tenafly, N.J. 07670 (201) 569-5999www.axiataverna.com Entrées: $17-$40
IT’S GREEK TO ME Three generations of the Papavasiliou family
are involved with this institution, which has be-come a chain of nine restaurants. GrandmotherEro Papavasiliou’s recipes reign at the restaurantsknown for their honest Greek food. The New YorkTimes called the fare: “fresh, simple and moder-ately priced.” 1611 Palisade Avenue Fort Lee, N.J.07024 (201) 947-2050 – plus eight more loca-tions. www.itsgreektome.com Entrées: $8.50-$35
VARKAFrom Arctic Char to King Crab Legs and Lan-
goustines, diners are in for seafood sensations atthis spot launched in 2005 by Stavros Angelakos.Executive Chef George Georgiades’ innovations
50 Best Greek Restaurants On The East Coast4 THE NATIONAL HERALD, JUNE 7, 2014
A TASTE OF GREECE IT’S GREEK TO ME MYKONOS GRILL
OLYMPIA RESTAURANT
OUZO BAY
AXIA
AMPHORA
VARKA
50 Best Greek Restaurants On The East CoastTHE NATIONAL HERALD, JUNE 7, 2014 5
KOPIASTE
TELLY’S TAVERNA
OVELIA
OKEANOS
BAHARI ESTIATORIO LOUKOUMI TAVERNA STAMATIS ZENON TAVERNA
include appetizer Lobster Gyros, which is servedwith cucumber tomato relish and mint tzatziki.Rated by Zagat as one of the four best seafoodrestaurants in New Jersey. 30 North Spruce Street,Ramsey, N.J. 07446 (201) 995-9333 varkarestau-rant.com Entrées: $27-$59
NEW YORK (ASTORIA)
BAHARI ESTIATORIOThe staff bustles back and forth between the
displays of the meat/fish ingredients and visiblekitchen in the entry and two pleasant, high-ceilinged dining areas in the back. The Taramos-alata is fluffy, the grilled eggplant Melitzanosalatais deliciously smoky and the fried calamari is ten-der. The seafood, meat and traditional Greekcooking options are endless. 31-14 Broadway, As-toria, N.Y. 11105 (718) 204-8968 bahariestiato-rio.com Entrées: $9-$29
KOPIASTERestaurateur George Georgiou is back in the
same location where his former Taverna Vraka(1980-88) stood with this elegant eatery that putsauthentic Cypriot cuisine at center stage. Withfellow Cypriot and chef partner Skevi Rousopou-los, he opened Kopiaste in December 2012 to ravereviews from the Village Voice, Yelp, and tripad-visor. Sheftalia (ground pork rolls with onion andparsley), koupepia (pork and rice-filled dol-mades), afelia (pork and potatoes marinated inred wine and dry coriander), and lountza
(smoked pork loin) are among the Cypriot deli-cacies rarely found in other Greek restaurants. Apopular item is the $22 Cyprus meze (per person,two-person minimum), which offers tastes of 16different appetizers, from the Salata Kipriaki fla-vored with lemon and cilantro to the daktila, asyrup-dipped dessert served with almonds andcinnamon. Live entertainment every Friday andSaturday nights keeps the joint hopping. 23-1531st Street, Astoria, NY 11105 (718) 932-3220kopiastetaverna.com Entrées: $9-$38
LOUKOUMI TAVERNAExposed stone and wooden shutters put you
in the taverna mood for comfort food like StuffedHalmoumi with eggplant and tomatoes and Cor-fian Strapatsada eggs. There are eight differentsaganaki choices. A highlight is kotopoulo pastit-sada (braised rooster over pasta), a specialty ofowner/chef Kostas Avlonitis’ native Corfu. 45-07Ditmars Boulvard, Astoria, NY 11105 (718) 626-3200 restaurantsgreek.com Entrées: $15-$32
OVELIAYou’ll find the ambiance of a charming side-
walk café at this neighborhood spot dubbed“Greek chic” by Zagat, which gives it a 23 out of30 mark for its cuisine. Opened by the Giannakasfamily (father Ioannis once had a food truck inAstoria Park) in 2006, Ovelia features creativetakes on traditional favorites, including the lambfig kebab (lamb flavored with fig spoon sweets,yellow squash and cherry tomatoes), Greek coffeesteak (skirt steak prepared with a Greek coffeerub), and the saganaki burger (fried kefalo-
graviera cheese topping a chopped veal burger,served with a yogurt-tahini spread). “This restau-rant blends the old Greek character of the neigh-borhood with the new contemporary architectureand hip vibe that Astoria is now known for,” saidFood-guru.com. 34-01 30th Avenue, Astoria, N.Y.11103 (718) 721-7217 ovelia-nyc.com Entrées:$14-$32
STAMATISThe clamor and clatter of happy customers
marks this traditional Astoria favorite with goodsimple food in a frill-free setting. Many New York-ers swear they can close their eyes and the lamb,fish and mezedes bring them home to Greece.One Yelp user who made the drive from New Jer-sey praised, “It’s the only place where the foodtastes almost as good as my yiayia’s.” 29-09 23rdAvenue, Astoria N.Y. 11105 (718) 932-8596 En-trées: $10-$28
TELLY’S TAVERNAFor the real thing, many Greeks beehive to
this Astoria tradition co-owned by charismaticNana Loiselle and her daughter Diana. Peopleflock to the fresh fish, authentic appetizers and –in the summer – garden. The avgolemono soupwas featured on Fox 5, the local Fox network tele-vision affiliate. Zagat calls it “simple perfection.”28-13 23rd Avenue, Astoria, N.Y. 11105 (718)728-9056 www.tellystaverna.com Entrées: $12-$30
ZENON TAVERNAFrom the Tahini Dip to the homemade lounza
(smoked pork loin) and loukaniko (sausages), aCypriot touch distinguishes this popular spot.Since 1988, Stelios and Dora Papageorgiou andtheir family have made people feel at home. Yelpusers rave about the authentic Cypriot cuisineand attentive service. 34-10 31st Avenue, Astoria,N.Y. 11106 (718) 956-0133 zenontaverna.comEntrées $11-$47
NEW YORK (BROOKLYN)
OKEANOSAs its name suggests, this Park Slope eatery is
dedicated to seafood. The Village Voice liked thesardines and grilled octopus; weekend brunch,which includes a Chiotiko steak sandwich and aspanakopita frittata, is popular with Yelp users.314 Seventh Ave. (8th Street), Brooklyn, N.Y.11215 (347) 725-4162 okeanosnyc.com Entrées:$16-$29
NEW YORK (LONG ISLAND)
AEGEAN CAFÉ“Authentic Greek cuisine in a warm traditional
atmosphere” is how the Sayville News describesthis intimate café in the heart of Sayville village,a picturesque town that skims the southern coastof Long Island. The menu lists familiar entrées(souvlakia, spanakopita, mousaka, pastitsio,falafel) alongside a multitude of pasta dishes,
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Among the 40 Best Restaurants “The Washington Post Dinning Guide”
Among the 100 Very Best Restaurants “Washingtonian Magazine”
50 Best Greek Restaurants On The East Coast6 THE NATIONAL HERALD, JUNE 7, 2014
most named for Greek islands that have had Ital-ian influence: Cephalonia, Corfu, Zakinthos,Mykonos, Santorini, Kalamata (with Kalamataolives), and the Italian-sounding Pasta ala Mani-tari – garnished with, of course, mushrooms(“manitaria”). 35 Main Street, Sayville, N.Y.11782 (631) 589-6991 sayvilleaegeancafe.comEntrées: $14-$22
ETHOS GREAT NECK“Perfectly grilled, always fresh fish,” praises
one OpenTable user. The menu boasts an abun-dance of hot and cold appetizers and leans heavilytoward seafood, including Sea Food Orzo: “TheGreek paella – the entire sea on your plate.” Sim-ple wall art and wine bottles adorn the walls, andevery table has a bottle of Greek olive oil.
25 Middle Neck Road, Great Neck, N.Y. 11021(516) 305-4958 Entrées: $19-$35
GREEK ISLANDSFind refuge in the Greek isles at this spot with
many classic taverna offerings – including lots ofregionally inspired dishes and a huge section ofladera (vegetarian dishes). The décor includes alovely wall painting of a village street. 253-17Northern Boulevard, Little Neck, N.Y. 11362 (718)279-5922 georgesgreekislands.com Entrées: $15-$35
GREEK TOWN FAMILY RESTAURANTThis casual neighborhood family eatery opened
in 1996 and features a spinach casserole (spinach,feta, and melted mozzarella), pita pizzas, and anice vegetarian selection. Favorites include thegyro, chicken souvlaki, and saganaki (which hereis topped with tomatoes). 90 North Village Av-
enue, Rockville Centre, N.Y. 11570 (516) 678-4550 greetownrvc.net Entrées: $12-$24
GYRO PALACE CAFÉ“The gods on Mount Olympus never ate as
good (sic) as area residents can at the Gyro PalaceCafé,” hails their website, and reviewers seem toagree. The all-beef gyro is universally praised.There is even a “Greek pizza” with spinach andfeta cheese, and a “Greek hamburger” seasonedwith onions and herbs, similar to a Greek meat-ball. 379 Rt. 25A, Rocky Point, N.Y. (631) 821-3322 gyropalace.com Entrées: $7-$50 (servesfour)
KYMA ROSLYNLemon trees planted in giant pots flank the
whitewashed arch over the front door at Kyma,opened in April 2013 by four partners, two ofwhom own Ethos Gallery 51st in Manhattan –and the restaurant has made a splash on Long Is-land. Fresh fish is flown in daily and priced indi-vidually, not by the pound, and got high marks
from the New York Times, Examiner.com, andOpenTable.com users. The Kyma chips, paper-thin slices of zucchini and eggplant pan-fried andserved with tzatziki, are also a hit. The entirerestaurant, from the ceiling to the walls, tablesand chairs, is bathed in white and ivory. There isalso a spirited bar scene. 1446 Old NorthernBoulevard, Roslyn, N.Y. (516) 621-3700 kyma-roslyn.com Entrées: $25-$55
LIMANIOysters, clams, mussels, octopus, calamari –
and of course fish – await, and are prepared infront of your eyes at this special occasions restau-rant. Pendelikon marble and large clay pots fitinto the breezy Grecian de�cor. In the summer,there is elegant outdoors dining. New York Timesreviewer Joanne Starkey wrote of the new eatery
in 2009: “Limani is not only the best Greek restau-rant I have sampled on the Island; it is the bestseafood restaurant, too.” One TNH staffer raved,“I went to a bridal shower there, and they even
had sushi.” 1043 Northern Boulevard Roslyn, N.Y.11576 (516) 869-8989 limaniny.com Entrées:$27.50-$80 (for two)
MYKONOS RESTAURANTThis family-friendly, casual restaurant in the
center of Great Neck offers reasonably pricedGreek fare. In addition to an assortment of salads,there are numerous hot vegetarian dishes. Re-viewers love the lemon potatoes, the salads, andthe charcoal grilled salmon. 37 Great Neck Road,Great Neck, N.Y. 11021 (516) 773-8010 Entrées:$12-$29
MYKONOS GREEK RESTAURANT “Zeus-sized” salads, gyro platters, and feta
(“the best you can get in Suffolk County”) keepscustomers coming back to this family-owned and
operated spot, open since 1993. There is a decentselection of mostly Greek wines, but also a CypriotChardonnay. Newsday praised the “deliciouslysmoky calamari, airy taramosalata, house-madeGreek sausage, perfectly cooked risotto withplump fresh mussels and exceptionally lightpastitsio. 45 Rte. 111, Smithtown, N.Y. 11787(631) 979-2000 eatmykonos.com Entrées: $13-$24
SKORPIOSFamily-owned and run for more than 30 years,
Skorpios is frequented by Greeks as well as locals– an indicator of its authenticity and quality. Thegyro, a combination of lamb and beef, is actuallyroasted on an authentic vertical rotating grill. Re-viewers love the robustly sized favorites, includingthe gyro platter, salads, and chicken, with endlessraves about the tzatziki. There is also a Greekpizza with spinach and feta cheese – sort of analternate take on spanakopita. 340 New York Av-enue, Huntington, N.Y. 11743 (631) 549-8887Entrées: $15-$24
NEW YORK (MANHATTAN)
AVRAThe villa motif is carried through each succes-
sive space of this upscale Manhattan eatery. Thisvilla is set near the sea, no doubt, as there’s araw bar, fish (including imported Mediterraneanfavorites like Tsipoura and Barbounia) and lotsof sea appetizers. The grilled prawns are a favoriteof Yelp users, as is the octopus. 141 East 48thStreet, New York, N.Y. 10017 (212) 759-8550avrany.com Entrées: $25-$53
ETHOS GALLERY 51ST Zagat praises the “always fresh catch,” and
“abundant portions” served “with finesse by afriendly crew” at this lively spot in midtown Man-hattan. Its dramatic décor is identical to sisterrestaurant, Kyma in Roslyn, N.Y. – floor-to-ceilingwhite and ivory, with pops of green from thestrategically placed potted plants and trees. Sig-nature cocktails include the Mediterranean Mar-tini made with fig vodka, fig puree, honey syrupand lemon juice, garnished with fresh figs.
905 First Avenue, New York, N.Y. (212) 888-4060 ethosrestaurants.com Entrées: $23-$35
GREEK KITCHENA casual bistro feel predominates at this old-
style Manhattan West Side neighborhood restau-rant opened in 1999. Taste the large GrilledPrawns or the Fried Codfish with Skordalia. In2012, the restaurant spun off the Clinton BakeryCafé next door for breakfast, lunch, and catering.889 10th Avenue, New York, N.Y. 10019 (212)581-4300 greekkitchennyc.com Entrées: $14-$28
ITHAKAOriginally opened in New York’s Greenwich
Village and now thriving on the Upper East Side,Ithaka, whose name was inspired by the Constan-tine Cavafy poem, is devoted to classic cookerywith the influence of Mytiline and the exotic cui-sine of Asia Minor. New York Magazine praisedits “unpretentious, honest cooking and rustic-nau-tical embellishments” as well as the flaky spanako-pita, smoky grilled octopus, and a baklava, whichthey call “close to the Platonic ideal.” 308 East86th Street, New York, N.Y. 10028 (212) 628-
GYRO PALACE CAFÉ
LIMANI
GREEK KITCHEN
SKORPIOS
ITHAKA
MYKONOS GREEK RESTAURANT
AVRA
KYMA ROSLYN
GREEK ISLANDS
AEGEAN CAFÉ ETHOS GREAT NECK MYKONOS RESTAURANT ETHOS GALLERY 51ST
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50 Best Greek Restaurants On The East CoastTHE NATIONAL HERALD, JUNE 7, 2014 7
MILOS ESTIATORIO
NERAI
ATHOS RESTAURANT
ELIA TAVERNA
KELLARI TAVERNA MOLYVOS THALASSA RESTAURANT YEFSI
9100 ithakarestaurant.com Entrées: $19-$35
KELLARI TAVERNAExecutive Chef Gregory Zapantis specializes
in classic Greek mezedes and whole fish at thisspot, which prides itself in the motto “Enter asStrangers, Leave as Friends.” Contributing to thisfeeling is warm and attentive service, as well as amore-than-extensive wine list. Fresh fish reignsin the elegant, uncluttered surroundings markedby wood-beamed cathedral ceilings. Kellari is pop-ular for lunch, business and intimate dinnerevents. There is also a Kellari Taverna in D.C.that is making its mark. 19 West 44th Street NewYork, N.Y. 10036-5900 (212) 221-0144 kellari.usEntrées: $26-$43; 1700 K Street NW, Washington,D.C. 20006 (202) 535-5274 kellaridc.com En-trées: $26-$46
MILOS ESTIATORIOChoose your fish – ala Greece, Spain, or Por-
tugal – from the display at this acclaimed restau-rant bathed in soothing whites. Milos prides itselfon honing in on only the finest (often organicand/or heirloom) ingredients for two decades.Favorites include the Lavraki, Petropsara Soupfor two and Mediterranean sardines. There areMilos restaurants in Montreal, Miami, Las Vegas,and Athens too.125 W. 55th Street, New York,N.Y. 10019 (212) 245-7400 milos.ca/en/newyorkEntrées: $49-$95
MOLYVOSThis Livanos Restaurant Group restaurant
made a splash when it opened in 1997. Sincethen it’s proven a favorite for elegant Greek dining
with a difference, just a block away from CarnegieHall. New (as of January) collaborating chef Di-ane Kochilas emphasizes regional Greek cuisine(see her chef profile in this issue). Molyvos boastsa menu that includes new twists on classic Greekfavorites. The exclusively Greek wine list includeswines that cannot be found anywhere else in theU.S., not even a liquor store, says sommelier Ka-mal Kouiri. Reviewers hail the “perfectly exe-cuted” grilled octopus and the “outstanding” lambchops. 871 Seventh Avenue, New York, N.Y.10019 (212) 582-7500 molyvos.com Entrées:$22-$38
NERAIThis barely year-old spot in the heart of Man-
hattan sports two floors, decorated yacht-stylewith white seatback cushions roped to thebenches along the wall, and soft folds of whitefabric cascading from ceiling to floor. Co-executivechefs Chris Christou and Ioannis Markadakis ex-ecute what the Huffington Post called a “thor-oughly modern conception of Greek food, of akind it would be difficult to find even in the moremodern restaurants in Athens.” Examples of theirmodern twist: ouzo-scented yogurt, sweet parsnipchips, grilled octopus with chickpeas and red pep-per, and masticha-flavored gelato.
55 East 54th Street, New York, N.Y. 10022(212) 759-5554 nerainyc.com Entrées: $26-$60
THALASSA RESTAURANTSail into the Mediterranean, within a historic
Manhattan building. One of the signature startersis Maine Diver Scallops wrapped in kataifi filo.There is meat, but, true to its name, Thalassa fo-
cuses on fish imported from the Mediterraneanto Hawaii. There’s also a 40-foot long wine roomleading to a wine and cheese cave whose selec-tions have been awarded by Wine Spectator, WineEnthusiast and Sante. Forbes is among those whohave given the restaurant, with Ralpheal Abra-hante as the Executive Chef, top marks. There islive music every Wednesday and Sunday. 179Franklin Street, New York, N.Y. 10013 (212) 941-7661. thalassanyc.com Entrées: $24-$58
YEFSIOpened in 2012 by Cypriot native, New York
restaurant veteran and chef/owner Christos Chris-tou, Yefsi’s unassuming outdoor awning and rusticde�cor does not prepare you for the intoxicatingCypriot aromas that permeate his cooking. Fa-vorites include the arni youvetsi with a cinnamontomato sauce, and the popular mezedes, of whichthere are 30 different kinds. Zagat calls it “a win-ner,” while the New York Daily News praised thehousemade loukaniko (sausage) and mousaka(“like a lamb tiramisu”). 1481 York Avenue, NewYork, N.Y. 10075 (212) 535-0293yefsiestiatorio.com Entrées: $19-$34
NEW YORK (STATE)
ATHOS RESTAURANTThe best and only Greek eats in the New York
capital. Chef Harry, of Manhattan restaurantIthaka fame, offers classic recipes like ShrimpGrekolimano (shrimp cooked in an ouzo-infusedtomato sauce simmered in an earthenware pot)
and Veal Cephalonia (simmered in an earthen-ware pot with spinach, leeks, dill, lemon, arti-chokes, and rice). There is also marinated char-grilled quail. “So good, in fact, you'll want toshout "opa!"” wrote the Daily Gazette. Athosearned OpenTable’s 2013 Diners’ Choice award,and Tripadvisor gave it a Certificate of Excellencein 2012 and 2013. 1814 Western Avenue Albany,N.Y. 12203 (518) 608.6400 athosrestaurant.comEntrées: $18-$32
ELIA TAVERNAThe New York Times raved of this four-year-
old arrival: “There is a graciousness to Elia Tav-erna that is missing all too often in restaurantstoday.” The options range from gyro sandwichesto Moussaka-type fare and grilled meat or fish.There are also Greek style round fries andHaloumi Cheese, which gives away the Chef/Co-owner Michalakis Sarris’ Cypriot origins. 502 NewRochelle Road, Bronxville, N.Y. 10708 (914) 663-4976. http://eliataverna.com Entrées: $13-$27
PENNSYLVANIA
ESTIA RESTAURANTOpened by Pete Pashalis, Nick Pashalis and
John Lois, Estia offers the true taste of Greecethrough whole grilled fish, some of it flown infrom Greece, Morocco, Tunisia, and Portugal.Philly.com calls it “exquisite.” The ambiance isthat of a Greek island home, complete with stuccowalls, limestone floors, a blue ceiling and even alive olive tree. Interesting dishes include the
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YIASOU ESTIATORIOFINE GREEK CUISINE2003 Emmons Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11235
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Fresh seafood, lamb chops, steaks.All types of grilled fish: porgies,lavrakia, synagrides, barbounia,
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By Sophia S. Huling
For as long as he can remem-ber, Michael DeGeorgio has livedand breathed food.
From his childhood watchinghis Greek immigrant maternalgrandmother prepare mealsevery day with ingredientsshipped directly from Greece, theBrooklyn native wanted to bewherever the cooking was goingon.
“My grandmother who livedwith us, my mom’s mom, cookedGreek food every single day. Sheused to make fillo dough byhand!” he marveled. “Anytimewe’d go to my aunts’ or uncles’houses, there was always some-thing cooking. I’d be so inter-ested in looking at the handwrit-ten recipes, the way they didthings. And then when I went tothe Culinary Institute, I saw howall the influences tied together.”
The executive chef/partner atVetro Restaurant & Lounge inHoward Beach, N.Y. (a brand ofRusso’s on the Bay, an eventplanning and catering hall inHoward Beach, where he is alsoexecutive chef) makes his pro-fession specializing in classic Ital-ian cuisine – his father’s familycomes from Bari, Italy. But heloves creating the classic dishesof his mother’s ancestors, theLoukas family from the south-eastern Aegean island of Kos.
“I love doing different appe-tizers: the tyropita, the spinachpies, avgolemono soup, pastitsio,mousaka, any kind of seafood,grilled fish,” he said. “I can makeloukoumades, kourabiedes –things that you would see atmost families’ homes. The stuffedvegetables; all the stuff youwould see every day.”
DeGeorgio describes himselfas “born into the food business.”From the age of 5 he longed towork with his Italian-American
father, a butcher and deli-catessen owner, and his Greek-American uncle, who owned aluncheonette in Manhattan.
“As a kid I learned the lun-cheonette business,” he said. “Ifthey left me home, I’d be cryingall day. It was crazy. My motherwould be tortured all day if theydidn’t take me to work withthem.”
While DeGeorgio was weigh-ing his options after graduatinghigh school, his father, who con-sidered his son “a natural chef,”discovered the Culinary Instituteof America (C.I.A.).
“As soon as I stepped foot inthe front door, I knew that wasfor me. This is where I want tobe. It was everything to me; itwas my whole life,” he said.
He graduated in 1987 fromC.I.A.’s two-year program first inhis class. One of his Greek un-cles, a banquet manager at theYale University Club of NewYork, got him an apprenticeshipthere. He soon became one of
the chefs at the private club, andbecame the go-to cook for familyand church gatherings. He wasbaptized and continues to attendThree Hierarchs Greek OrthodoxChurch in Brooklyn, whose pas-tor, the Very Rev. Fr. Eugene Pap-pas, is a family friend.
“Any family parties we usedto do, we did them at the Greekchurch, and I used to cook forall the parties,” he said. “I wouldcook Greek food, Italian food; Idid a lot of the festivals over atthe church, and worked togetherwith friends and family.”
Soon afterward, he was hiredas a chef at Il Cortile Ristoranteon Mulberry Street in Manhat-tan’s historic Little Italy, and waspromoted to executive chef atonly 23 years old. He spentnearly 20 years at Il Cortile, andhas also consulted for companiessuch as Unilever Foods, ColavitaCompany, Carmelina Tomatoes,and Darden Restaurant Group.He has won awards from theJames Beard Foundation.
A few years ago, DeGeorgiobegan consulting for Russo’s onthe Bay, eventually partneringwith owner Frank Russo Jr. toopen Vetro in 2010. The restau-rant won OpenTable’s Diners’Choice award in 2013.
As his culinary skills and ex-perience grew, he continued tofind inspiration from his earliestmentors: his family. He remem-bered his grandmother, withwhom he spoke Greek until herdeath when he was 8 years old,receiving monthly deliveries di-rectly from Greece: cans ofhoney, boxes of masticha, grainsand other products not availablein the U.S. at the time.
“The Greeks and the Italiansalways wanted to do it the best,”he said. ”Even if they didn’t havemuch money they would stillwant to buy the best ingredients,the freshest ingredients, and startit from scratch and make it thebest that they could. To this day,there’s always that voice inside
my head telling me, “That’s notgood enough. Do it better. Youcan make it better.” And that’swhat keeps it creative and keepsthe energy going and lovingwhat I do.”
Having a background in bothGreek and Italian cuisine, DeGe-orgio said, makes it easy for himto adapt from one cuisine to theother.
“If you go to any of thosehigh-end Greek (restaurants)and you see a mussels dish, andit’s sautéed with a bit of ouzoand a little feta cheese and apinch of saffron, what makes itso different from an Italian mus-sels dish?” he said. “Stuffed cala-mari: the Greeks do a calamaristuffed with feta cheese andgrilled. The Italians do them dif-ferently, but once you go to thedifferent islands and regions ofItaly, you’ll find many similarthings. When I went to Sicilyand we drove through to get toa town called Corleone, there
were Greek ruins everywhere. Soreally, what are we talkingabout? We’re talking about, Iwould say, the same culture. Youhave different flavors because ofthe terrains, where Greece is andwhere Italy is – two totally dif-ferent agriculture climates. Butonce you go to the ocean, you’redealing with a lot of the sameseafoods.”
The turning point in DeGeor-gio’s life came at the prematuredeath of his mother, Mary, at theage of 54, when he was only 27.
“She got to see me successfulat Il Cortile, but from when I wasjust 25 she got sick, and twoyears later she died. It was verytough,” he said.
That event prompted hiscousins to urge him to visit hismother’s and godmother’s ances-tral island of Kos – a place hismother, who was American-born, never saw.
“I knew that she would havewanted to see Greece, and herlife was cut short, and here I was– I felt like I was seeing itthrough her eyes,” he said. “Ittook a toll on me because of howGreek my mother really was. Shewas born in America, but therewas nobody more proud to beGreek, nobody more proud tolive the way the culture taughther.”
When his cousins introducedhim to relatives he met for thefirst time, he was startled to findphotos of himself as a small childin their homes.
“They were relatives mygrandmother would send pic-tures of me to, and they’d keepthem forever,” he said. “That’sreally special to me to be withthese people that I never wouldhave met, and they’re my family,and they have baby pictures ofme. It’s just surreal.”
The long-awaited odyssey toKos brought him “a feeling of
50 Best Greek Restaurants On The East Coast8 THE NATIONAL HERALD, JUNE 7, 2014
ESTIA RESTAURANT KANELLA NOSTOS MOURAYO
Kavouri Kefteda, a jumbo lump crabcake, servedover lentils and marinated giant beans. Zagatgives it a 25 out of 30 mark for food, and ravesabout “the fantastic selection of fresh, exotic fishand amazing lamb.” 1405-07 Locust Street,Philadelphia, Pa. 19102 (215) 735-7700 www.es-tiarestaurant.com Entrées: $23-$45
KANELLALimassol-born Chef/Co-owner Konstantinos
Pitsillides opened this Cypriot Restaurant in 2008.Rustic, authentic food – with plenty of organicmeat – includes the likes of Cyprus Tortelloni
(stuffed with haloumi), Pouleriko (brick-cookedbaby chicken) and a pork kebab flavored withsaffron.
The Philadelphia Inquirer said of the chef: “Heis especially masterful at redeeming the nearlylost art of the braise and the stew.” Esquire mag-azine chose it as one of the 59 Best BreakfastPlaces in America in 2009. 1001 Spruce Street,Philadelphia, Pa. 19107 (215) 922-1773www.kanellarestaurant.com Entrées: $21-$32
YIANNI’S TAVERNAOriginally opened as Gus’ Crossroads in 1975
by Gus and Eleni Zanakis, the couple’s son anddaughter took over and remodeled Yianni’s fouryears ago, renaming it for the new owner: Yianni,Gus’ son. Customers love the remodel, which sep-arates the bar/lounge area from the dining room.The saganaki is popular, as is the fresh fish fromthe Philadelphia Fish Market and the baklava icecream Tripadvisor.com awarded it the 2014 Cer-tificate of Excellence. 3760 Old Philadelphia Pike,Bethlehem, Pa. 18015 (610) 867-8821 yiannistav-erna.com Entrées: $15-$30
VIRGINIA
NOSTOS A spinoff of the popular Mykonos Grill in
Rockville, Md., Nostos Restaurant opened in 2011with the goal of "presenting a fresh, modern takeon Greek culinary culture," according to its web-
site. As owners Peter Pagonis and his wife explain,the name of the restaurant means: “The desire togo back to the place where you were raised.”Even non-lamb lovers on Yelp were impressedwith the lamb youvetsi (braised lamb). 8100Boone Boulevard, Vienna, Va. 22182 (703) 760-0690 nostosrestaurant.com Entrées: $19-$33
WASHINGTON, D.C.
CAVA MEZZEFrom the Saganaki to the Kokkinisto beef,
everything is served meze style. Owners TedXenohristos, Ike Grigoropoulos, and chef DimitriMoshovitis were named Washingtonian Maga-zine’s Restaurateurs of the year in 2010. The mag-azine named it one of its 100 Very Best Restau-rants for 2010, 2012, and 2013. There are threelocations: Capitol Hill, Rockville, Md., and Ar-lington, Va. The partners have rolled out a line offood products, sold at various grocery stores inthe Mid-Atlantic and Northeast. A fast-food ver-sion of the restaurant called Cava Grill openedits first location in Bethesda, Md. in 2011. Fourmore locations in the Washington area haveopened, with more on the way. Zagat ranked itamong its “8 Must-Try Cheap Eats in DC.” 5278th Street S.E. Washington, D.C. 20003 (202)543-9090 cavamezze.com Entrées: $6-$25(mezedes)
MOURAYOGreek yacht-meets bistro in this critically ac-
claimed restaurant that opened in 2004.Themoussaka includes duck stock reduction and thelamb chops are wrapped in country phyllo dough.The Washington Post included Mourayo in itsSpring 2012 Dining Guide, and said, “This restau-rant ventures from typical Greek dishes to give ataste of more authentic regional fare.” Yelp userspraise the attentive service and the almost exclu-sively Greek wine list, several available by theglass. 1732 Connecticut Ave N.W., Washington,D.C. 20009 (202)-667-2100http://mourayous.com Entrées: $19-$30YIANNI’S TAVERNA
CAVA MEZZE
Classic Italian Chef Finds Peace In His Greek Heritage
DeGeorgio, second from left, with a Vetro staff member andstudents from his cooking class, December 2010
One of Chef Michael DeGeorgio’s signature dishes: Veal Chopcon Granchi – grilled rib veal chop stuffed with lump crabmeatand a tarragon demi-glace sauce.
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ITHAKAClassic Greek Cuisine
50 Best Greek Restaurants On The East CoastTHE NATIONAL HERALD, JUNE 7, 2014 9
peace,” he said.“Just a sense of calm that was
just so different from anywhereI’ve ever been in the world,” hesaid. “A lot of it has to do withthe family and the culture andwhat I found there – the simplic-ity of it. The little night life, the
little taverna places that are justoutdoors, everybody out thereuntil 1 or 2 in the morning,singing and laughing…the sim-ple things.”
Food and music strike a deepchord for DeGeorgio, especiallyfor his Greek side. Many of his
Greek relatives sing and play mu-sical instruments. With his fam-ily, he would often go to listento his godmother’s son play thebouzouki in a Greek, Armenianor Middle Eastern café. To thisday, its sound will stop him inhis tracks, he said.
“To listen to the music, andsee them singing and what itmeant to them – I didn’t under-stand every word, but I wouldget to understand what the songwas about. And I was mesmer-ized by it, and all the differentfood coming out and people eat-ing and drinking wine and beinghappy,” he said. “To this day, if Ihear it, I’ll cry a little bit. Because
my family, everyone was so con-nected to this Greek culture thatwas everything. So it was not justabout the food – it was about theculture.”
DeGeorgio, who will turn 50this year, said his next goal is toshift the emphasis of his workmore toward consulting andteaching and away from the typ-ical 70-hour weeks he hasworked most of his career.
Still, he said, when he looksat his life, “I probably wouldn’tchange it for the world” despitethe grueling conditions he hasfaced at times.
“The heart and soul of my en-tire life has been the food busi-ness, and I really have to bethankful for all the wonderfulpeople I’ve met in my career,” hesaid. “I thank God every day thatI have a career I love with all myheart.”
Michael DeGeorgio, Execu-tive Chef/Partner at VetroRestaurant & Lounge inHoward Beach, Queens, N.Y.
Artopolis has been awarded withthe Excellent & Extraordinary
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Christo’s Restaurant in Trinity has been in the Mitchell Ranch Plaza since 2003.
We are the place where you can experience a piece of Greece without leavingthe Suncoast. We are proud to serve traditional cuisine that’s good enoughto satisfy the most particular of Greek and American appetites. Our mealsare prepared with fresh ingredients daily and cooked to perfection.
To all of our customers, thank you for choosing Christo’s. We will always be here to satisfy you the best way we can!
Kontos Foods, Inc.PO Box 628 | Paterson, NJ 07544Call us at 973.278.2800Vist us at www.Kontos.com
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50 Best Greek Restaurants On The East Coast10 THE NATIONAL HERALD, JUNE 7, 2014
By Sophia S. Huling
A casual glance at some ofthe country’s best restaurantslists or a flip through a Zagatguide brings up a reasonablenumber of Greek restaurants. Itis a relatively recent phenome-non, about five to ten years. AndGeorge Marcus, owner of one ofthe country’s most successfulreal estate firms and the 11thwealthiest Greek-American, andhis restaurant partner, dentistKen Frangadakis, are responsi-ble for that.
The two joined forces toopen the 100-seat Evvia Estia-torio in Palo Alto, Ca. in 1995and the 175-seat Kokkari Estia-torio in San Francisco in 1999.They named the restaurants af-ter Marcus’ family’s home is-land, Evia, and Frangadakis’wife’s birthplace, Kokkari fishingvillage on Samos. Both restau-rants consistently boast a listingon Zagat’s 10 best restaurantsin San Francisco.
Kokkari is rated the numberone restaurant in the city onTrip Advisor, and is listed onUSA Today’s 10Best as one ofthe city’s 10 most romanticrestaurants.
With a décor that evokes theambience of a stately villa,
Kokkari features a grand stonefireplace where the day’s meatsare grilled on rotisserie, rusticwooden furniture, discreet light-ing, and an open kitchen facingthe dining room. The menu of-fers unique takes on Greek cui-sine: oven-baked feta withtomato, capers, and Metaxabrandy; ravioli stuffed with peasand feta with mushrooms andpine nuts; and an artichoke-and-eggplant souvlaki served withonions, peppers, and Greek yo-gurt. Their galaktoboureko is ac-companied by a lemon spoon
sweet and crème fraiche icecream, and they have an ouzosorbet. There are a dizzyingnumber of wines from aroundthe world, with more than 20available by the glass.
This year, Kokkari and Evviascored big when they were cho-sen to cater the White House re-ception marking Greek Indepen-dence Day. The event has beenorganized every year since 1981by Rev. Alexander Karloutsos,who represents the Greek Or-thodox Archdiocese of America,and long-time WashingtonGreek lobbyist Andy Manatos.As a result, many more WestCoast Greek-Americans than
usual made the 6,000-mileround trip trek to attend the cel-ebration.
We chatted with Marcus, anamateur chef, about how the el-egant eatery came to be, Greekcuisine and the restaurant busi-ness, and what he likes to eat.
TNH: How did Kokkari comeabout?
GEORGE MARCUS: Kenny(Frangadakis) and I come fromnormal Greek families, and werealized our mothers were ac-tually very, very good cooks. Butthere was no real systematicway of translating home Greekcooking to restaurants, because– it’s going to be a surprise toyou, but – there are no Greekcooking schools, in Europe or inthe United States, where youcan learn traditional Greekcooking. So the chefs cookingGreek in a variety of restaurantshave all been giving a lot offood, not really concerned aboutthe quality. Both of us have donewell in our lives, and we werenot looking to make money. Webasically said, “Hey, we’re reallygoing to stay, not true to theconcept of village Greek food,but true to the flavors ofGreece.” We didn’t think it wasgoing to be necessarily success-ful. Because when you take sur-veys of Americans without anyethnic affiliation at all, peoplewouldn’t eat Greek food if youpaid them.
TNH: Why do you think thatis?
GM: Well, take a guess. Theaverage Greek restaurant is abouzouki place, it is a dancingplace, it’s a lot of mezedes, andreally pretty bad food – in Cali-fornia, anyway. All the restau-rants in the Bay Area that wereGreek-inspired were nice restau-rants, but you would go thereto dance Greek dancing, or seesome belly dancing, or break
some plates. We’re talking about20-30 years ago now. Wethought it was time to not haveentertainment, but to see if wecan’t find a way to inspire peo-ple to come in to the restau-rants.
We just cared a lot. We tastedall the food ourselves. We hadfriends who were not ethnictaste the food. We didn’t havepride of ownership, like “it’s mymother’s recipe, whether youlike it or not.” We tweakedeverything. Both Kenny and Icook – he’s a much better cookthan I am. I do all my mother’srecipes, the stifado and the ka-pama and all that stuff. So es-sentially because we both en-joyed food and wine, and wedidn’t care about makingmoney, the financial pro-formahad us breaking even for fiveyears. Nobody would do any-thing like that.
We found out that the serviceportion became more importanteven than the food. People justloved being treated with respectand with joy. We had a Greekmanager who ultimately left usand formed restaurants in NewYork, Stavros Aktipis. He tookour concept to New York. Wehad another manager who tookour concept to Chicago. But ourconcept is: let’s provide reallytasty Greek-ingredient food. Ourlamb chops are better than av-erage because we have bettercuts of meat, we marinate themlonger. We’re just not trying tomake a lot of money; we’re justtrying to provide really goodvalue to the customer and a re-ally great experience. And guesswhat happened? People love it.
TNH: Greek restaurantsseem to be coming up muchmore frequently on the bestlists.
GM: And I think Kenny and Iare responsible for that. Becausewe gave it dignity, we cleanedit up. We spared no expense inthe improvements, the furni-ture, the fixtures, because wewanted to show off our culture.If Aristotle Onassis had a tav-erna that he hung out in, thiswould be it.
TNH: What do you like tocook?
GM: I like to cook unusualstuff, Greek things that peopledon’t normally cook. My motherhas a dish that is regional fromEvia: calamari baked in the ovenwith spinach. I would say mywife makes a kapama that no-body in the world can beat. I dothe plaki, fish with tomatoesand onions.
TNH: What do you like to eatwhen you go to Kokkari?
GM: Anything new. Neitherof our chefs is Greek, but they’realways inspired to try differentthings. So they’ll take the ingre-dients – they’ll make a mush-room dish that has the Greekflavors, or they’ll do artichokeswith Greek flavors. I don’t go tohave lamb chops at all anymore.We offer fish three ways: grilled,baked, ands pan-fried. I’m abaked fish kind of guy.
TNH: Tell us about how theWhite House event came about.
GM: Fr. Alex and I have beenfriends for a long time. Hecomes up periodically, he’s eaten
at Evvia, and he was very im-pressed. They thought it wouldgood to have something fromthe West Coast, because usuallyChicago and New York are theones that provide the food.We’re just very fortunate. Weenjoyed it very much. Our chefswere there about four days be-fore the event, and they broughttheir families. We served appe-tizers that we have at the restau-rant.
TNH: What do you see onthe horizon for the restaurant?
GM: Just enjoy them. We’vebeen asked – and this is no ex-aggeration – at least 100 timesto expand to different markets,to go to Los Angeles, to go toLas Vegas, to go everywhere.This is something we love andwe enjoy, and we eat there. Andthat’s what we wanted. It wasn’ta business venture we were go-ing to make money at. We justwanted to enjoy our culturalfood and make our communityproud.
The Best Greek Restaurant On The West CoastTHE NATIONAL HERALD, JUNE 7, 2014 11
Kokkari’s Marcus Brings Greek Flavor to the Bay Area
The massive fireplace near the Kokkari entrance, which showcases grilling meats on a rotisserie
George Marcus, restaurateur and real estate tycoon
50 Best Greek Restaurants On The East Coast12 THE NATIONAL HERALD, JUNE 7, 2014
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