Greek cuisine at Snack EOS in Hell's Kitchen

As we were walking on the low part of Hell's Kitchen, we noticed this restaurant with this heavy oak door and floor to ceiling windows that looked like a wine bar, modern and at the same time rustic. We looked at the menu and decided to try it for dinner. We just discovered Snack Eos, a Greek Taverna that opened in November 2013. 

It is not a big place, but it has sufficient space to accommodate large groups as it was the case when we went there. The menu is Greek, but refined and we were thrilled to try some of their small dishes to get a good feel of the place. 

First they brought us an amuse that was made with chickpea and olive oil, a nice way to start:

We then started with a dip sampler. 

It was composed of tzatziki (made of cucumber, goat and cow milk yogurt, garlic and dill):

Melitzanosalata (roasted eggplant, red peppers, garlic, tahini and parsley):

Muhammara (roasted red pepper, pomegranate, walnut, harissa):

These dips were served with grilled pita that I think was homemade. 

Overall, it was very good and a nice way to start our dinner. Besides the Muhammara, these are fairly classic, that one being interesting with its texture slightly dry and the kick given by the Harissa. 

Then, we got saganaki, but, instead of being flambé, it was served with a tomato jam, pistachio, sumac and some balsamic vinegar for some acid. 

It came very hot in a skillet, the dish still bubbling. We ate it on a pice of pita and altogether, it was similar to a pizza. I should add the they put lots of cheese and if you are a fan of it, this dish is for you. 

After that, we got pork and lamb meatballs. 

They were served with a tomato sauce, feta yogurt and pepperoncini. It was a miss for me, the texture of the meatball identical to what you get when ground meat is undercooked (we checked and it was not). 

The last dish we tried were the braised lamb sliders. 

They were served between a toasted brioche bread, tzatziki slaw and pickles. Although good, I was a bit disappointed as I was expecting more flavors from the lamb. They use the shank and, even if not dry, it did not have that bold flavor that one would expect from a lamb burger, making it different from a regular burger or even short ribs. 

Even if we did not like all the dishes, I liked our dinner at Snack Eos and would not mind going back to try their grilled whole branzino or their crispy chicken skin "under brick". 

Enjoy (I did)!

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And Remember: I Just Want To Eat!

Lunch at Telly's Taverna in Astoria, New York

When we got invited to Telly's Taverna, we were thrilled! Jodi used to live in Astoria at the time I met her and this was my first discovery of Queens. In fact, we walked around and even went to her old place after lunch, trying to identify what was new and what was not. 

I was not surprised that it was a Greek restaurant that invited us: Astoria has a large Greek community and there are plenty of Greek restaurants there. 

The first thing we noticed when we entered in the restaurant was the fish display and the grill that was behind it.

They get their fish from a market in the Bronx and it definitely looked fresh.

After passing the first dining room, we ended up in the second one that was pretty large and full of Christmas decorations, with a tree in the back.

We sat close to the window, ready for a feast! But first was a glass of ouzo, a traditional Greek aperitif that is anise-flavored.

I just added couple of ice cubes in it and sipped it, not like milk for sure...

The first dish that came was Nana's green salad, made with chopped romaine lettuce, feta, scallions and peppers.

It was light and refreshing, however, I would have liked a bit more feta in it.

Then came three dips:

From left to right:

• skordalia (potatoes and garlic),
• taramosalata (fish roe),
• tzatziki (cucumber, yogurt and garlic).

We ate them with some bread:

And some pita:

Both were grilled on an open flame, giving them a fantastic char.

I loved the tzatziki, but I admit that I did not really liked the other two dips, the skordalia having too much garlic and the taramosalata having a different taste than the tarama I am used to.

Later in the lunch, they served us some fried zucchini and eggplant:

That were delicious with the tzatziki:

When I looked at the menu before coming, there were couple of dishes that I hoped they would serve and my wishes were realized...First was the saganaki:

It is so interesting how every Greek restaurant makes it differently. This one was made with the cheese wrapped in phyllo and then pan fried. It was heaven! The cheese was gooey with a slight crunch from the phyllo. 

The second dish was the grilled octopus:

It was grilled on an open flame, giving a nice char to it.

It was tender and quite tasty, bathed in olive oil and lemon.

The next appetizer was lima beans baked in tomato sauce:

I loved that dish, it was very comforting, the beans being perfectly cooked and melting in my mouth. The beans were cooked with onions that kind of neutralized the acidity of the tomato sauce and added a slight sweetness to the dish. This is a great vegetarian dish and a good side if you order a grilled fish.

Then came a spectacular piece of red snapper that was simply grilled:

Everything looked beautiful in that fish, from the head:

To the tail:

They deboned it for us:

And brought to the table some olive oil and lemon sauce that they made:

The way the fish is prepared is by putting it in a fish grill so it can be grilled on an open flame and turned without any problem. The photo below shows a swordfish grilled as we were leaving, using the same technique: 

The fish was very good: fresh, moist, flakey, the olive oil and lemon enhancing the taste of the fish. I never think about ordering fish in Greek restaurants, going primarily for the moussaka or lamb Yuvetsi, but, after this experience, I will definitely consider fish! 

Then came dessert: it was a Greek yogurt with preserved grapes:

They did not make the yogurt, but made the preserves that were fabulous: their sweetness complemented very well the yogurt.

Of course, I could not refuse a coffee and got a Greek coffee:

They added some sugar to neutralize the bitterness. It was stronger than regular coffee and there was a thick layer of ground coffee in the bottom. When reaching that layer, you know you have to stop drinking it.

Although I did not like all the dishes, I liked Telly's Taverna: it is a nice neighborhoody Greek restaurant that serves traditional food which I found comforting and flavorful. My favorites were definitely the saganaki, octopus, red snapper and Lima beans. Hey! That could be your next lunch when you go there!

Enjoy (I did)! 

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And Remember: I Just Want To Eat!

Please note that the meal was complimentary. However, the opinions expressed in my blog are 100% my own! 

Press Dinner at Thalassa in Tribeca - NYC, New York

If you follow this blog, you will probably think that this is deja vu! No, you are not mistaken: I went to Thalassa already for a press dinner and the review was just ok as there were some mishaps. So, their PR proposed that I come back as they acknowledged that there were some issues that night I went. I accepted of course as, after I wrote my review and posted it, I checked other bloggers' reviews and they seem ecstatic about that place. After all, everybody can have a bad day and I wonder if, knowing that you will serve people who will write about your food, can add a bit of pressure to the kitchen.

As a reminder, when you will read this revisiting post, please remember that the restaurant knew who we were and served us a complementary tasting menu of their choice.

So what makes Thalassa different from other Greek restaurants in the city? It is definitely the fish selection. Anyway, doesn't Thalassa mean "The Sea"?

They have this great fish display where you can see the fish selection and you can order fish by the pound.

In fact, the Chef, Raphael Abrahante, told us that he tries to only buy wild fish as opposed to farm raised. Of course, the price will be different from the market to the plate.

So, here I was at Thalassa, still remembering the place: modern with a spectacular decor designed by a French architect, Jean-Pierre Heim. The bar still looked fantastic with the blue lights and I decided this time to order a ouzo mojito, as we were waiting for other guests to arrive.

The cocktail was pretty good, combining perfectly the anise flavor of the ouzo and the mint. They definitely score some points on the cocktails as I still remember the delicious Greek Pear Martini I had last time.

Once everybody was there, we sat at the table and started our dinner. It seemed very familiar: olive oil, olives, eggplant with roasted red pepper and crostini.

Then, started our culinary adventure that I thought would not stop...

The Cod Fritter:

It was a perfect bite: tasty and not greasy, this is the type of dish I would for sure eat at Happy Hour.

Horiatiki or what any of us would call a Greek salad when ordering in order not to sound ridiculous!

It was composed of tomatoes, cucumbers, onions and peppers with Dodonis feta. Light an fresh,  I liked the fact that they removed the skin from the tomatoes, leaving the crunchiness to the cucumbers and peppers.

Pikilia or Mediterranean dips:

This is a great meze to share. They were served with warm homemade pita.

My favorite remains the eggplant dip for sure!

Zucchini and Eggplant chips:

It was fried zucchini and eggplant with Tzatziki sauce (kind on the middle of this veggie tower) and saganaki graviera cheese. I started with the saganaki that was fantastic! I love that cheese, that is a bit salty and has a semi firm texture. The chips were awesome: slightly warm, they are crispy and not greasy. They paired perfectly with the tzatziki sauce.


Next, we got the Bakalao:

Bakalao is cod croquettes with garlic–almond mousse over sliced roasted beets. First of all, the color of the beets was beautiful! Then, the taste of the dish was fantastic: the croquette was perfectly cooked, a bit crispy, with the fish still moist. The beets were a nice pairing with it.

The Octopodi:

This is one of their signature dishes: grilled octopus, extra virgin olive oil & red wine vinegar, gigantes beans. The octopus was amazing: it had a nice char and was very tender, thanks to the technic, that includes massaging from the Chef!

Then we got two ceviches:

The Fluke Ceviche

The Arctic Char Ceviche

The ceviche were very refreshing and had a nice acidity. It was served with fried oysters that were pretty good. The fish was and tasted very fresh and delicate.

The tartare trio:

It was composed of Royal Dorado, Tuna and Lavraki (aka Branzino or Loup de mer - Lean white fish with mild, moist tender flakes) with taramosalata, tzatziki and garlic almond mousse drizzled with truffle oil. It was a nice an refreshing appetizer. The garlic almond mousse was very good, however, I did not taste any truffle oil.

The Main Diver Scallops:

This is another signature dish. The last time, I did not like it at all, but this time, it was a hit! The perfectly cooked scallop was wrapped in kataifi filo with sheep’s milk butter and Kalamata balsamic reduction. The shell was crispy, a bit messy to eat if you like clean bites, but it was so good, with a nice balance between the butter and the acidity of the balsamic reduction. Fantastic!

The last dish before dessert (I started to get full at that point!) was the Branzino (aka Lavraki or Loup de mer):

They brought it whole, so we could see it, before cutting the filets and serving it to us with collar greens.

The fish was perfectly cooked, flakey and moist. It was served with capers that added some saltiness to it. I really liked it, but there were quite few bones...

The feast was not over! After that, came desserts! Know that the Chef has not been trained as a Pastry Chef, that is amazing considering the desserts below!

Valrhona Chocolate Molten Cake:

I love this type of cake, except when the center is overcooked and not overflowing, which was not the case here!

The Mastiha Panna Cotta:

It was topped with fresh strawberries. I loved it! It was so light and not too sweet! Perfect!

The Baklava:

I was disappointed by it: it was unfortunately dry! Too bad as it was the only traditional Greek dessert!

The Ekmek:

Ekmek is Kataifi & Cream with Pistachios wrapped in a Valrhona Chocolate Dome. The dome was a bit tough to break.

But when broken, it was a nice sight! This was a delicious dessert: the filling inside the dome was more like a creamy ice cream with a bit of crunch from the chocolate. One of my favorites!

This dinner was spectacular and night and day compared to the first Press Dinner I attended last year. The fish was really the star! So, I definitely changed my mind on Thalassa! Surely a place to recommend!

Enjoy (I did)!

And Remember: I Just Want To Eat!
 

Press Dinner at Thalassa in Tribeca - NYC, New York

I have been invited to a press dinner at Thalassa, a modern Greek restaurant located in Tribeca that is celebrating its 10 years of existence. Remember when reading this post that it is a press dinner: food is complementary and the staff knows who we are. 

Interestingly, I went to this restaurant 10 years ago. I was asked why I never went back and the answer was simple: New York City has so many restaurants that I was just trying different ones. Do not ask me if I remember the food: it was too long ago. However, I remember that the lights were less dimmed (I always notice the light for my photos)...So, I was really excited to go back and try their food! 

The restaurant's specialty is seafood as the name Thalassa (Sea in Greek) suggests. This also comes through with the decor as you can see in the photo of the bar below (you can see sails on top).

I like the modern and sophisticated decor of this three levels restaurant. The 30 foot long bar made with ivory marble looks fantastic as well as the main dining room with its white leather chairs and huge columns. It is also nice to see that they left space between tables so you do not have the impression to eat with people you do not know...

They also have an impressive wine list and you can have a glimpse to their wine cellar if you go downstairs. Their cocktail list is also interesting and showcases Thalassa's creations. I went for a Greek pear martini (that I asked in a regular glass because I hate martini glasses: I always end up with some of the cocktail on my shoes!!!). It was fantastic! The taste of the pear really came through and it was not strong at all.

So, as I mentioned, this is a seafood restaurant; they have an amazing display where you have a fresh selection of fish and shellfish. It was beautiful!

Apparently, you can select what you want to eat directly from there. I saw these huge king shrimp called Garides: I bet that grilled, they are fantastic! Looking at this display can only make you hungrier than you were before. At least, it worked for me! We had the opportunity to meet the Chef, Raphael Abrahante. We learnt that he is a native of New York of Puerto Rican origin who never set foot in Greece! During his culinary study, he discovered seafood and got passionate about it. He then worked in a Greek restaurant in Hell's Kitchen, before becoming the Chef at Thalassa.

After we sat at our table, they served us some olives and hummus.

The hummus seemed to be freshly made and had a strong chickpea taste. It was served with some homemade bread that was very good. In fact, they brought us later on some pita that was also homemade and delicious!

Then, they brought us some meze. Meze are small dishes served in the Mediterranean, Middle East and Balkans. It is great for tasting and also sharing!

The first one was a cod fritter.

It was an amuse bouche. Very good and not greasy that is always appreciated with fritters!

The second meze was zucchini and eggplant chips.

I really liked it, although I would have preferred it hot. The chips were crispy and not greasy with the veggies perfectly cooked. They were served with tzatziki sauce that was a perfect pairing!

The last meze was Pikilia Mediterranean dips:

They were served with some homemade pita. I have to admit that I do not recall all the dips, but for sure I noticed the first on the left that was an eggplant caviar that was fabulous. The tzatziki sauce was also delicious. It is clearly a perfect dish for sharing and start a meal!

Then came the first course: Grilled Octopadi from Portugal.

It is a grilled octopus served with micro organic greens, olive oil and a red wine vinaigrette. This was my favorite! The octopus was perfectly cooked, not chewy and had a nice char. I loved the fact that you could really taste that it was grilled. I would not have minded a bit less vinaigrette though.

The second course was veal dolmas (grape leaves).

The grape leaves were stuffed with veal and rice, and drizzled with Avgolemono sauce (sauce made with egg and lemon). This dish did not work for me: although the stuffing was good, there was too much grape leaves, making it tough and bitter. The sauce other wise was good with a nice subtle lemon taste.

The third course was the Maine Diver Scallop wrapped in Kataifi filo, served with a sheep's milk butter and kalamata olive reduction.

I was excited to try this as it seems it is one of their signature dishes. Unfortunately, I did not like it. I think the main issue is that the dough was too greasy and there was too much of it, so you could not taste the scallop. I then tried to eat the scallop alone but it tasted bland. For sure, I acknowledge the fact that it is difficult to make a complicated dish that would not overpower the delicate taste of scallop.

The fourth course was the Mediterranean Lavraki (Branzino or Loup de Mer in French).

The fish was served with a New Zealand Langoustine, a garlic almond mousse and okra. I liked the langoustine that was conveniently separated from the shell.  It was perfectly cooked and fresh. However, I did not like the fish that was slightly overcooked, maybe because it sat before being brought to the table immediately. The garlic almond mousse was good, but too cold compared to the rest of the dish.

Then came an assortment of dessert. In fact I think we were lucky to try all of them! I do not remember all of them, but clearly remember the panna cotta that was topped with some delicious caramelized pear, the valrhona molten chocolate cake and the Greek yoghurt that was served with toasted walnuts. All of the desserts looked phenomenal and were delicious. This was a nice surprise to finish the meal! 

Although I did not like all the dishes and we had to wait a long time between each of them, I had a good time at Thalassa with my fellow bloggers. When we were there, there was even a guitar player who played quietly in a corner of the restaurant, contributing to the relaxed atmosphere of the place (there is live music every Wednesday). I like the concept of modern and elevated Greek food, although sometimes less is better and one of the particularity of Greek food, especially for seafood, is to cook simply the main ingredient so it remains the star of the dish.

Enjoy (I always do)!

And remember: I Just Want To Eat!

Hummus Bowl at the Hummus Bar in Hoboken, NJ

How many hummus joints will open in Hoboken??? Well, after I guess a tough competition, two of them already closed: Ibby's falafel and Maoz. I have been a big fan of Mamoun's falafel and was eager to try his competitor, The Hummus Bar, located not far from it! I was more eager when one of my colleagues, Sonnali, mentioned that she went there and had some Indian flavored dish that was apparently delicious. So I was wondering what the menu would be as I imagined before, that a Hummus Bar would simply serve the traditional Middle Eatsern dishes: hummus, falafel, shawarma...Looking at the menu, I realized that it was not the case and that they showcased some interesting combination: Italian, Indian, Greek...

So we decided to try it. We picked two different Hummus bowls. A Hummus bowl is a the equivalent of a plate rather than a sandwich where the bottom of the plate is spread with hummus (classic, black olive and herbs...). You can even decide to replace the hummus by guacamole (not sure I would try that there) or babaganouj. 

Jodi ordered the Hoboken Hummus Bowl with classic hummus.

 It was made of avocado, chickpeas, fresh mozzarella, grape tomatoes, olives, cucumber and pineapple. This was delicious and very fresh. But they could have put a bit more salad in the bowl. The pineapple added a nice sweetness to the dish that matched the acidity of the tomatoes. Delish!

On my side, I ordered the Lamb Tikka Hummus Bowl.

It was lamb marinated overnite and grilled with onions, peppers, tomatoes and spices. It was good and flavorful but they did not use a great part of the lamb. Tasty though. I noticed that it is off the online menu and that they now serve the chicken tikka: it might be better.

Concerning the star of the bowl, the hummus, I have to say that I loved it: it was creamy and delicious, as good as the one at Mamoun's...

I would probably try something else next time as their menu offers plenty of interesting choices and combinations!

Enjoy (I did)!

Molyvos, Greek Restaurant - NYC, New York

I always loved Greek food, but, when living in Paris, I hated when people where proposing to go Rue de la Huchette to eat there. Each restaurant had a guy outside calling people and trying to persuade them that their restaurant was the best. Most of the time, it was not!

In New York, I have two references: 

• Ithaca on the Upper Eat side (308 East 86th Street  New York, NY 10028).
• Molyvos.

I have been to Molyvos many times and have never been disappointed. In fact, one of my colleagues if from Greek descent and once told me that Molyvos is the best Greek in New York. Considering my experience there, I would agree!

Last Friday was the first time I went since their renovation: the restaurant is way nicer! It looks brighter and more modern than before. I love the blue color as well as the walls of shelves with plates: it give a soothing and homy atmosphere, reminding the Greek Islands. In fact, Molyvos is the name of a village on the Greek Island of Lesvos.

They have a nice menu, proposing not only appetizers, but also tasting plates (mezedes). So, this time, we went for some new dishes as well as usual ones. Let's see what we got:

The first one is the Saganaki. If you are not lactose intolerant, you have to try it! It is Haloumi cheese (cheese made of goat or sheep's milk that originated from Cyprus) that is flambe with Ouzo and then drizzled with a lemon sauce. See the process on the video below!

What is interesting about this dish is the texture of the cheese that is rubbery but not chewy! And it tastes so good!

Then, we got the Keftedes.

These are meatballs that were served with some tzatziki, that is a spread made with yoghurt, mint, cucumber, garlic and dill. The meatball by themselves were very good and tasty. I could taste some spices in it, that I believe are cumin. The fact that it was served with yoghurt gave some freshness to the dish. I could it it with or without in fact.

Then I was surprised to see crab cakes on the menu and decided to try.

It was served with an artichoke salad and an eggplant spread. 

It was a nice presentation and you could easily see that they cooked the crab cake with a ring, giving to it this perfect shape. The top was crispy and you could really taste the crab. The artichoke salad and eggplant spread was original and was well associated with the crab. You could from time to time get a hint of lemon that I guess was drizzled on the plate first, before putting all the components together.

For the main dish, we ordered the mousaka. Each time I went there, I had to have it. It is one of their specialty dishes and according to the waiter, one of the most ordered. The plate came extremely hot and it was still sizzling from the toasting of the cheese on top.

It is made in several layers: potatoes, eggplants, grounded lamb, bechamel and tomato sauces between layers and cheese. I love it! It was the first time that I tried a lamb moussaka and it is delicious! I do not know if it is the strong taste of the lamb that gives more flavor to the dish or the bechamel sauce, but the flavors are simply amazing.

Of course, we had to finish with dessert...

We ordered the baklava (rolled layers of phyllo stuffed with walnuts and pistachio with a spiced honey syrup. On the side, they give you some candied walnuts. Usually, restaurants will serve you pieces of baklava rather than this chunk of it. Fortunately, they give you a knife so you can easily cut it through and share! It is one of the best baklava I had: tasty and very moist. My wife who does not like nuts usually loves it too! So it tells something.

I once again had a great dinner at Molyvos: I have never been disappointed and recommend it! The diversity of the menu will satisfy all palates and the variety of small plates and appetizers is a good opportunity for groups to try some delicious Greek food!

Enjoy (I did)!