New Arrivals – December 2022
Posted by estiator at 13 December, at 09 : 17 AM Print
A coast-to coast glance at some of the industry’s newest additions
Tampa, FL | LILAC | editionhotels.com/tampa/lilac/ Michelin-starred Chef John Fraser celebrates his Greek heritage at this glitzy restaurant inside Mar- riott’s new Tampa Edition hotel. The cuisine at Lilac “highlights locally sourced and seasonal ingredients showcasing unique flavors and techniques through an Eastern Mediterranean lens,” the company said. Signature dishes on a rotating prix-fixe menu include locally sourced grouper cooked in a cataplana, short ribs cooked on a rotisserie, and herbed pasta with egg and chanterelle mushrooms.
Teaneck, NJ | NISIOTIS TAVERNA | nisiotistaverna.com Though Teaneck mainstay Vasili’s Taverna closed in July, this New Jersey suburb didn’t have to wait long for a new Greek dining option. Nisiotis took over the space in October, offering Greek comfort food in a white- washed room. Gyros and souvlaki share the menu with sandwiches, salads, spreads, and seafood. Without a liquor license for now, Nisiotis is offering a BYOB option.
Columbia, SC | AMBROSIA TAVERNA | ambrosiataverna.com Στην υγειά μας! Everything old is new again! That’s the message on the website for this eatery in down- town Columbia, which opened last month in a spot formerly occupied by another Greek restaurant, Elite Epicurean. “The overall décor is reminiscent of an upper-middle class dining room—decorated in subtle shades of blue and white with tasteful accents of pottery and plates and paintings depicting Greek ruins,” a local news site said. The menu showcases staples like saganaki, moussaka, fish, chicken, and meats.
Walpole, MA | KOSMOS | kosmoswma.com “Greek cuisine, once prepared in our mothers’ and grandmothers’ kitchens” is the theme at this bright new restaurant in a suburb between Boston and Providence. The menu features familiar staples, including keftedes and spanakopita, along with splashier dishes like poikilia kreaton—grilled meats for two— and giouvetsi thalassinon, a seafood selection also designed for two. Signature cocktails include the Athena, with blue- berry, pineapple, tequila, and lime, and a Kosmo with vodka, white cranberry, orange, and lime. A local news site reports that the proprietors also run Christopher’s Kitchen, an American bistro in nearby Woonsocket.
Wheaton, IL | YIA MAS A TASTE OF GREECE | opayiamas.com Tradition drives the menu at this new spot in a suburb about 25 miles west of Chicago. Look for htipiti, skordalia, and tzatziki among cold starters; saganaki, dolmades, and keftedes on the roster of hot appetizers; and mousaka, spanakopita, and kokkinisto on the list of entrees. Whole seafood is a specialty, with lavraki, tsipoura, and sinagrida rounding out the menu. Sweets include halva, galaktobouriko, and baklava. The restaurant also features an outdoor patio.
Miami Beach, FL | AVRA MIAMI | theavragroup.com/location/avra-miami A native of Nafpaktos, Nick Tsoulos is the force behind this upscale mini-chain, which has grown from a single Manhattan location to glittery outposts in Rockefeller Center, Beverly Hills, and— as of November—Miami Beach. The newest Avra opened at the Estates at Acqualina, a luxury beachfront condo complex in Sunny Isles. At more than 10,000 square feet, it boasts an oceanfront patio that seats 200. Whole grilled fish, salads, some plant-forward dishes, and a wine list with Greek selections among its French, Italian, and California choices.
