Chef Michael Psilakis (Sil-AH-Keys), Who First Made His Name Serving Upscale Modern Greek

The Walman Report

Featuring Travel Restaurants Entertainment & Wine By Nancy Walman

As Heard on WQXR, The Radio Station of the NY Times, & Seen In CulinaryGourmetNY & Syndicated to Newspapers, Magazines & Websites Worldwide

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Kefi

Cuisine Rustic Greek

Address 222 W. 79th Street, NYC 10023

between Amsterdam and Broadway

Telephone 212.873.0200

Fax 212.873.6985

Date Established January 2007

Owners Michael Psilakis

Donatella Arpaia

Executive Chef Michael Psilakis

Hours Dinner: Tuesday - Thursday: 5:00 PM -10:30 PM

Friday & Saturday: 5:00 PM -11:00 PM

Sundays: 5:00 PM -10:00 PM

Menu Appetizers $4.50-10

Entrees $10-16

Dessert $5-8

Wine Program: All Greek, prices by the glass $6-14, by the bottle $14-115

The Space Designed by Matthew Sudock of M Design

Dining Room: 70 seats Lounge: 18 seats

Private Events Available for lunch

House Policies Cash only

Reservations Reservations not taken

hef Michael Psilakis, who first made his name serving upscale modern Greek cuisine at the Upper West Side gem, Onera, has transformed that space into a new, rustic Greek restaurant called Kefi. The space embraces a casual, accessible format, with the average check clocking in at about $30.

Working off of the original design by Matthew Sudock of M Design, Kefi’s interior reflects the restaurant’s casual approach. The blue walls that have become a long-standing feature of the restaurant will now be lined with white Greek ceramic pieces and a gallery of photos featuring a young Chef Psilakis in traditional Greek dancing garb. Kefi’s new wood-topped tables replace the white cloths of Onera and are paired with new wooden chairs brought in from the Aegean island of Santorini. Copper light fixtures and airy swatches of cloth hang from the ceiling, imparting a casual, fresh quality to the restaurant’s tranquil ambiance.

The menu is divided into Meze, or small plates and appetizers, Macaronia, or pasta, and Poultry, Meat and Fish, all prepared using authentic techniques. Taken straight from his childhood dining room table are Greek classics like Crispy Cod with Garlic Potatoes and Tomato, Grilled Octopus with bean salad, and Baked Noodle Pasta with beef ragout and béchamel. Michael’s seafood dishes—like Baked Shrimp & Scallop with orzo, tomato and Feta, Grilled Swordfish with artichoke confit, dandelion greens and lemon, and Shrimp & Scallop Souvlaki with tzatziki and pita bread—celebrate the traditional flavors or Greek cuisine. All dips are recommended, as are the sweetbreads (although they were not “crispy” as described on the menu). Stuffed cabbage, a vegetarian dish, with an egg-lemon-foam stole the show and was seconded by a terrific braised lamb shank with orzo. All desserts are wonderful, especially an airy walnut cake and a trendy chocolate composite.

Complimenting the menu in its focus on value and authenticity, the beverage program features an affordable selection of Greek wines. Six wines by the glass are on offer for $6 each. Full bottles range from $18-$55 with a small reserve list at a higher, but not exorbitant, price point. Keeping the wine list reasonably priced allows more diners to explore Greek varietals without breaking the bank.

An elusive and folkloric concept, the idea of kefi—or the bliss and delight that accompanies good food in good company—is a word deeply tied to the cultural ethos of Greece. Chef Psilakis channeled the principles of kefi in creating his newest concept, blending rustic cuisine and well-selected, well-priced wines with a serene, comfortable atmosphere.

Side Dish

LA CANTINA TOSCANA Wild Boar Dinner

After months of waiting for the wild boar products, restaurateur/chef Pierluigi Sacchetti, La Cantina Toscana (1109 1st Avenue – 60th & 61st Streets) is introducing a special 5-Course Wild Boar Tasting Menu.

Pierluigi explains: “I believe this is the first time anyone has offered wild boar head cheese in this country. I am using a very old recipe from San Casciano, a small town 20 miles from Florence, that uses a small amount of cinnamon, orange rind, and cloves, which in all probability originated during the Renaissance.”

TASTING MENU

1. Homemade (in-house) wild boar prosciutto, wild boar sausage, bruschetta of wild boar, Tuscan bread (saltless – probably the only restaurant to have it in NYC)

2. Wild boar head cheese, sliced imported blood oranges

3. Pappardelle with wild boar ragu

4. Wild boar stew (shoulder), polenta

5. Tenderloin of wild boar, dusted with fennel pollen, prune sauce

$59.95 prix fixe OR $89.95 with paired wines

Available April 1 through May 31

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