Astoria, Brunch, Burgers, Food and Drink, Restaurants, Vegetarian and Vegan Feb 16, 2014 Ovelia’s New Menu Highlights from Chef Pete Brand new menu items in all their delicious glory, straight from Ovelia’s Chef, Peter Giannakas. Share this Scoop by Judith Rich total shares! Twitter Facebook Email Print Brand new menu items in all their delicious glory, straight from Ovelia’s Chef, Peter Giannakas. by Judith Rich Share this Scoop total shares! Twitter Facebook Email Print Recently learning about Ovelia’s face-lift, which is exciting in itself, we also hinted at the new menu items they’ve added. Well we’ve got the scoopage directly from Ovelia’s Chef, Peter Giannakas, who’s always working on something fresh and delicious. Be it dishes fit for special diets (hello Celiac friends!) or putting a modern spin on his family’s deeply seated recipes, there’s always something tasty and creative to be found between Ovelia’s walls. Here’s what you can expect from their new menu: Revamped Menu Faves Ovelia classic Greek coffee skirt steak is now served with a twist on poutine, prepared with fried red potato, white button mushrooms, grilled halloumi and brown gravy. Steak and potatoes are great, but with mushroom halloumi, and gravy you can’t go wrong! Kafteri-stuffed chicken breast is complimented with a Greek “Kofto” (short cut zitti) pasta in the Ouzo and tomato cream sauce. Sweet and savory Lamb-fig kebab is now served with a basil tabbouleh, adding a Middle Eastern flare. Salmon filet is now served with a yogurt based pesto and grilled cherry tomatoes, which has livened up the dish, adding huge flavor. Scallops dish has evolved to include Masticha (tree resin from Xios) in its butter and citrus reduction that pairs perfectly with the sweetness of seared scallops. The grilled asparagus, scallions and shredded prosciutto have remained on the plate, as they fit the bill well. Mixed grain wild rice has been replaced by Mom’s original recipe which we call “abelorizo.” It’s a rice pilaf with grape leaves, dill and fresh lemon served with a scoop of Greek yogurt. Think dolmades turned inside out! New Menu Items Saganaki burger (pictured above) with hand cut fries pairs the classic fried Kefalograviera appetizer with a juicy veal patty, cucumber ribbons and a rich tahini-yogurt spread on Turkish pide bread, which is a light alternative to denser, filling breads. The Seafood Yiouvetsi is based on a traditional baked orzo dish typically prepared with lamb, beef or chicken. Instead, Ovelia toasts the orzo in olive oil and bakes it in a terra-cotta casserole with baby shark, shrimp, calamari and little neck clams in a fresh tomato sauce and saffron. It’s an aromatic delight and a nice seafood medley. Bargains Parea Plate is a meat lover’s heaven and perfect for a small group looking for variety. Served over three grilled pita, the platter boasts juicy grilled chicken breast, pork loin souvlaki, Monastiraki Bifteki (Ovelia’s signature dish!) and grilled Ovelia loukaniko with a pile of hand cut fries, grilled tomatoes and jalapeños. For $32 it’s a steal! Ovelia has added a half order of grilled octopus to satiate the palates of octopus lovers. For $12 the portion is still share worthy. Specials Each night includes a rotisserie and vegetarian special either as entrees or appetizers. Small Plates New appetizers such as bone marrow, hickory smoked sweetbreads, and steamed clams Boubouristi, which made their debut earlier in the year, have become very popular and provide variety for those who are looking for small plates to compliment their cocktails. Brunch Breakfast ribeye burger and Greek style whole wheat pancakes known as “tiganites” I don’t know about you guys, but we’re huuuungry. Go on and check them out and tell us about your favorite new dishes. Ovelia – 34-01 30th Avenue, Astoria. 718.721.7217 Twitter Facebook Email Print Brunchchef peter giannakasgreek foodmodern greeknew menuOveliasaganaki burger Leave a Reply Cancel replyYour email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *Comment * Name * Email * Website Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.