Ithaka -- It's all Greek to Me

[Stone]

I went to Ithaka tonight with my sister and her roomate. I don't have much experience with Greek food. Gyros, souvlaki, moussaka, spanokapita -- the usuals. Some were here, but the restaurant also offered a great selection of grilled seafood, seafood cooked with orzo in a clay pot, meats, etc.

It was terrific. All the dishes had full, but even flavorings. No overbearing use of garlic; no dousing everything in lemon. No packing dried oregano on every open piece of flesh. Great food.

The was deep, with whitewashed walls, and wood beams across the top. I can't say that it recreated something from Greece, but it was a nice, open, comfortable space. The restaurant was only sparsely filled. Most of the diners seemed to be speaking Greek.

Waiting for my companions, I had a glass of restina. it was supposed to be a spice wine, with a "pine" scent. It wasn't. Just a bland white wine. But this was about the only black mark on the evening.

We started with four appetgizer plates (I forget the Greek names).

First was the combo plate -- Tzatziki, eggplant, and fish roe. Each was possibly the best rendition I'd have. The tzatziki was a cool, fresh yogurt and cucumber dip, with chopped parsley and a bit of chopped dill. The roe, was excellent, tasting creamy and smooth, with a the flavor of a mellow lox spread. (I hate lox.) The eggplant, mashed smooth and flavorful, with a bit of lemon. Two dolma, plump and tasty, finished it off.

Next was Gigantes -- giant beans in a vegetable sauce. The beans were large and plump and perfectly cooked al dente. The sauce was like a base of flavorful vegetable soup, with tomato, carrot and fresh herbs. Excellent.

After that came the charcoal grilled octopus before. Usually, I find octopus to be chewy and tough -- which I don't mind at all. But this came out charcoal grilled on the outside, and firm but tender on the inside. Two long tentacles, resting on a bed of shredded lettuce with a lemon infused oil drizzled on top.

Finally, the spanakopita. This wasn't great, but certainly passable. The filo dough was a little dry and britle on top, and the spinach insdie a bit overcooked.

Along with all of this was some amazing bread. Served piping hot -- I assumed it was cooked on the premises, but it came from down town. The was long and flattish, reminding me of ciabatta. Crunchy crust on the outside, soft and airy on the inside. Terrific.

We got a large greek salad, which wasn't much. ("A Greek salad is a Greek salad", as the waiter said. No excuse, could have been better.) I was some chopped lettuce, a smallish amount of feta, with some leaves of endive.

The final trophy was a fresh grilled red snapper. Perfectly cooked, fresh and tasty. The meat was white, flakey and moist. The skin was wonderfully crispy and perfectly spiced with oregano and thyme. The only slight criticism was the lemon oil that was poured a little too lilberally on top. The waiter deboned it for us -- promising a free meal if we found five bones in the meat. We found only two.

For dessert, some baklava and an egg custard in filo dough. The baklava was, again, superb. Not the sticky sweet honey drenched filo pie I'm used to. This was a tall stack of firm filo, filled with ample crushed nuts and only slightly soaked with honey. A little cinnamon rounded out the flavors perfectly. The custard was hot and creamy, not too sweet, stuffed into a roll of filo (looked like a long blintz). Again, excellent flavor, without being overly sweet.

it was a great meal. The final mention must be of the waiters. Two great fellows -- one tall and bald, one young and slim. They were charming and funny and helpfull -- although we could barely understand a word they said!

Well done.

[DavidJS]

Hey Stone,

Mind if I ask how the prices were on the wallet usually Greek restaurants are often spendy especially in that neck of the area.

[IrishCream]

The final trophy was a fresh grilled red snapper.  Perfectly cooked, fresh and tasty.  The meat was white, flakey and moist.  The skin was wonderfully crispy and perfectly spiced with oregano and thyme.  The only slight criticism was the lemon oil that was poured a little too lilberally on top.  The waiter deboned it for us -- promising a free meal if we found five bones in the meat.  We found only two.

Your meal sounds wonderful. If only the servers at the Slanted Door last week had made the same offer re the bones! Keep us posted on your NY adventure (sounds like a whole month of food, not just a weekend!). Enjoy! (kinda envious emoticon)

[Stone]

The bill came to $100 for three, including the glass of retsina and a good shot of ouzo at the end. A little pricier than Uncle Nick's (Hell's Kitchen), but much better all around.

[Suzanne F]

Did you happen to notice if they had Kokoretsi on the menu? (innards wrapped in more innards and grilled over charcoal, YUM) I've been told they had it in their old location.

As a matter of fact, does anyone know who might have Kokoretsi?

[Stone]

I saw sweetbreads on the menu. Don't recall any double-guts surprise. (Reminds me of Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom, with live eels stuffed in a large python.)

[Stone]

I saw sweetbreads on the menu. Don't recall any double-guts surprise. (Reminds me of Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom, with live eels stuffed in a large python.)

The waiter said the restaurant used to be something else -- Strapa? But that old place had a Mexican chef who turned the Greek food into Taco Bell. They now have a Greek chef.

[jeunefilleparis]

a year or two ago it was closed. i wasn t sure if it was closed for good, or just being redone, i m happy to hear it still around, i ve eaten at lots of greek places, my favorites are greek symposiium, its columbia student land, but great food, anda great environment, i m a sucker for the flaming cheese

the other is high end, MILOS, unbelievable food, but very expensive! the fish is by the pound, they have the ripest redest tomatoes in the dead of winter. and theres this yogurt dip to die for

also in the east village there is , a place called, its greek to me, a fun cheap delicious place

[rozrapp]

I always enjoyed eating at Ithaka when it was on Barrow in the basement level of a brownstone. We always sat in the back room, a large space which, though enclosed, made you feel as though you were eating in an outdoor taverna. The food was excellent, and prices were quite reasonable. They were forced to close because of a fire. I have yet to get to this new location but am glad to hear that the food's still good. Btw, Ithaka's sister restaurant is Kyma, in the Theater District, on the corner of 8th Avenue and 46th St.

[Pan]

Lauren:

It's Greek to Me (the one on E. 7 St.) closed months ago and has been replaced by an Italian place, something-or-other di Vino or something like that. I passed it by tonight and noted that its menu didn't seem very expensive. Their wine list wasn't posted outside. The space looks nice.