New Greek Restaurant Akrotiri to Open on 30th Avenue

A new Greek restaurant is opening up on 30th Avenue in the old Plaza Lounge space—Thursday, March 15 will be Akrotiri’s first day of service with a seafood- and fish-focused menu. Greek wines will also be a major feature here, as described in a recent NY Times story, Skip the Bordeaux, Go for the Assyrtiko.

The article mentions a menu that offers “dishes normally not found on a Greek menu.” Some of those dishes include:

• Htapodokeftedes—octopus fried balls flavored with lemon dill aioli
• Volvi—pickled baby onions flown from Crete
• Taramas Lava Me Trufa—black taramosalata made with herring roe, truffles and squid ink
• Astakomakoronada—linguini pasta with fresh tomato sauce and lobster
• Kleftiko Perka—perch fish cooked in parchment paper and seasonal vegetables

You can see more of their menu below (click to enlarge):

Along with their Greek wine list, they’ll also offer organic and natural wines; there is a small selection of French and American wines, too. Chef Nicholas Poulmentis (formerly of Kellari Taverna and Theo’s on the UES—and also a guest chef in 2012 for President Barack Obama in the White House) admits a bit of trepidation about the tastes of their future diners, in the aforementioned Times article: “My fear is that people don’t know Greek wines, but I feel if they try it, they will love it. I’m very afraid, but I hope people understand.”

The Times article also had this lovely moment to share about Chef Poulmentis and his connection to one particular wine on the list:

“I don’t like this dessert wine,” the chef said. Everyone froze. But he smiled, threw his hands up and yelled: “I don’t like it. I love it! I can’t explain how much I love it. I have no words.”

Akrotiri’s namesake is an ancient Greek city on the Island of Santorini in the Aegean Sea—it was destroyed during the Theran eruption at about 1627 BC and buried in volcanic ash, which preserved it. Historians believe that this settlement was the inspiration for Plato’s Atlantis, the fictional island of myth and lore mentioned in his “allegory on the hubris of nations.”

Akrotiri is owned by Chris Kouvaros.

Akrotiri, 29-20 30th Avenue, Astoria. 718-726-2447
akrotiritaverna.com

One Comment

i'mnotafuckingrobot March 20th, 2018

$24 for a shrimp cocktail? Who are these people?

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