New Arrivals – January 2020
Posted by estiator at 18 January, at 09 : 05 AM Print
A coast-to coast glance at some of the industry’s newest additions
Maryland
XENIA GREEK KOUZINA
8850 Columbia 100 Pkwy, Columbia, MD
xeniagreekcouzina.com
Fifteen fish items (from whole bronzino from Greece to local Chesapeake rockfish) are on display in this posh new eatery, sharing menu space with grilled meats such as kotopoulo and lamb chops, and braised meat dishes (arni yiouvetsi) thrown in for good measure. The vibe is modern greek, even if the menu nods more to tradition. Classic spreads and small plates (dolmadakia, grilled halloumi, zucchini chips and calamari) make a showing, as does a quartet of homemade pasta dishes.
New Orleans
ROCKROSE
217 Camp St., New Orleans, LA
rockrosenola.com
Blue Crab owner Nick Asprodites and chef/partner Brian Doyle have teamed up to open this contemporary Mediterranean eatery in the central business district. Situated in the International House Hotel, the 80-seat restaurant has tables of white marble, industrial lighting, and peeling brick walls. On the menu are modern takes and fusion dishes such as braised lamb with ricotta gnocchi and tuscan kale, crispy chickpea fries with whipped feta, and an ouzo-and-beet cured salmon with orange and labneh. The partners took inspiration from their extensive travels in Greece.
Washington, D.C.
SEMELI GREEK TAVERNA
2204 14th St NW, Washington, D.C.
Cyprus native Stephanos Andreou has transformed the rooftop area of Sakerum (an Asian-Latin fusion spot) into a Greek meze concept named for his mother. Some of her recipes, he says, figure into the menu, which offers a price-fix meze meal (14 small plates for $39 per person) as well as a whole fish catch-of-the-day. The enclosed space has scores of potted plants hanging from a glass-top roof along with rows of tables and authentic wooden taverna chairs, and creative interpretations of the “mati” motif. The hip vibe recalls rooftop bars in Thiseion.
Midwest
PAROS ESTIATORIO
10561 Mission Rd., Leawood, KS
parosleawood.com
“Toto, I have a feeling we’re not in Kansas anymore.” Named for the beautiful Cycladic Island, Paros Estiatorio serves “honest Greek fare with a modern twist.” Its menu includes sustainable seafood and locally sourced produce. This white-tablecloth restaurant has an elegant grace, with wood floors, white walls, and a wall of windows that look out onto the city. It serves lots of fish, including fagri, a Mediterranean white snapper that it bills as “the king of the Aegean.” Grilled meats are prominently offered as well, with a mixed grill that includes pork shop, chicken skewers, and lamb chops.
New York
ELA TAVERNA ASTORIA
26-19 23rd Ave., Astoria, NY
With a menu heavy on meze, Ela Astoria (an outpost of the like-named eatery in Williamsburg) has opened on New York’s Greektown side streets, nestled three blocks west of Ditmars Blvd. and three blocks north of 31st St. (The area’s two main thoroughfares). Standouts include kokokythokeftedhes (zucchini fritters), Ela calamari (with spicy feta), ravasaki (feta wrapped in phyllo with sesame seeds and honey) and chargrilled lamb riblets. Vegetarians can delight in the veggie moussaka (made with lentil, potato, eggplant, zucchini, and bechamel) and gemista (non-meat versions of the classic rice-stuffed tomatoes and peppers).
Tampa
PSOMI
701 N. Howard Ave., Tampa, FL
eatpsomi.com
This breakfast-and-lunch spot (dinner perhaps in the future) has two dining rooms that offer full service for their bakery-café concept. Fresh baked breads and pastries shine, with mouthwatering ladokouloura (koulouri cookies baked with olive oil), herb biscuits (made with Greek thyme honey), and bougatsa (baked custard in phyllo dough), sending visitors into carb nirvana. Salads, handhelds, and baked savory pitas round out the menu alongside poached eggs benedict and strapatsada, a traditional Greek egg scramble with tomatoes, onions, and feta.
