I recently had dinner at a Mediterranean restaurant in New York called Estiatorio Ammos.
Everything on the menu is supposed to be extremely fresh. This includes the fresh fish that are flown in daily. I was greeted by a few of these fish when I walked in and saw them on ice.
The atmosphere inside the restaurant was electric. The place was packed, every table was full. I loved the décor on the walls. It was unique.
Appetizers were the first thing I ordered. I made sure to pick some items that would be good to share around the table. First up was the Octapodi. This was fresh octopus that was grilled up with fennel, onions, and roasted red peppers. This mixture was then tossed with a balsamic emulsion. I have not been a huge fan of octopus in the past. However, I was willing to give it another chance. I am so glad that I did. The octopus was extremely tender and the texture and taste of it was truly like chicken.
The next appetizer was the Keftedes. These were ground sirloin meatballs that were stuffed with feta cheese and parsley. The meatballs were topped with a tomato and basil sauce. The meat was moist and full of flavor. The feta cheese gave the meatballs a tangy taste rather than a creaminess.
Out next was the Greek salad which was perfect for sharing. They used Horiatiki beef steak tomatoes, Kalamata olives, onions, cucumbers, and tri-colored peppers. They sprinkled freshly made feta cheese on top and then drizzled extra virgin olive oil on everything.
This was a very fresh salad and there was not a single piece of lettuce. I loved how juicy the tomatoes were. They were sweet and mixed with the feta cheese it created the perfect pairing.
Along with the salad came some fresh made garlic bread with olives on the side. The olives were not pitted so you need to be careful when you take a bite. The garlic bread was very crispy and had a great buttery taste.
For the main dishes we decided to order a fish and a meat to share family style around the table. The whole fish we chose was the Fogri. This is a firm, mild white snapper that comes form the Greek Islands. The chef grilled this fish perfectly with lemon and capers. The chef also de-boned the fish to make it easier to eat.
The fish was light and flakey. The acid from the lemon and the saltiness from the capers complemented the sweetness of the fish.
For the meat, we chose the Brizola. This is a 24oz bone in ribeye that was wet aged. Wet aged means it was marinated in a bag. After grilling it up they drizzled a fine herbed butter on top.
The meat was cooked to a nice medium. It allowed the meat to still be juicy. It was tender but still slightly fatty. The butter added a rich flavor to the meat.
We had to order sides separately but were still able to share them. The roasted lemon potatoes were fantastic. I could not really taste the lemon, but they did have a savory flavor with a little hint of sweetness.
The Brussels sprouts were another must try side. They were sautéed with cured bacon. Then they were flambeed in a white wine sauce. I have never had Brussels sprouts prepared this way. It gave the spouts a nice subtle smoky taste.
The best part about sharing the main dishes was that it left plenty of room for dessert. We ordered two to share around the table.
The Baklava was layers and layers of phyllo dough that were filled with a mixed nut filling. Then the entire thing was dipped in a honey syrup. The nut mixture was extremely sweet and full of nutty flavor. They also served a homemade fig ice cream on the side. The flavor was also sweet, but the fig taste was subtle.
The second dessert was the Karidopita. This was a walnut cake that was dipped in a honey cinnamon syrup. They served vanilla ice cream along with it. The flavor of the cake had a great cinnamon taste from the syrup. It reminded me of a spice cake you would get at the holidays. It was the perfect accompaniment for a cup of coffee or a cappuccino.
The food was fantastic at Estiatorio Ammos. If you like Mediterranean food I would highly recommend you check them out. Visit their website at www.ammosny.com
Enjoy!
