Thalassa

I was fortunate enough to be invited for a press dinner at Thalassa, which just turned ten years old. The restaurant has been a staple of Tribeca, feeding diners seeking to experience Greek food culture without the expensive airfare. It starts when you walk through the doors. You feel transported to the deck of a boat, as the bar area is designed to feel like you’re sipping a cocktail while sailing through the Mediterranean  Sea. The restaurant is elegant, whimsical

After being whisked to Greece, while still in lower Manhattan, our group was seated in the main dining area. The ceiling are high, the brick is exposed and the room is bright, bright without the feeling of lots of lights. In the corner sits legendary Greek guitar player Spiros Exaras. Exaras strums his guitar every Wednesday, which includes instrumental renditions of many classic rock songs. The music really fits in nicely with the mood and atmosphere of the restaurant.

The wine and cocktail list at Thalassa is quite extensive — the wine list in particular delves into many Greek classics and wines you probably wont find anywhere else. The menu mostly features seafood, but don’t despair if you don’t enjoy the treasures of the sea. There are a several dishes that feature meat as well as a vegetarian option. If you feel like just getting some drinks and snacks, there is a weekday happy hour from 5:30 until 7. You can enjoy  1/2-price on specialty cocktails and  select Greek wines by the glass and a special Meze Menu.

Now, on to the meal. We were given a six course meal which included a shared meze and a multitude of desserts. Away we go…

We were provided to start some nice warm bread and fresh hummus. It was rich and delicious, though I wish it was served with pita, like the following dips. A small bit size cod fritter followed. The fritter was not overly fishy and was warm and crispy. Another successful dish.

To share, the table was provided eggplant and zucchini chips with tzatziki sauce and a five of Mediterranean dips. The eggplant and zucchini chips were came without any soggyness despite being served in and around a tzaziki sauce and fried saganaki graviera cheese. The tzaziki acted as a perfect dip. Chips and dips, I bet you can’t eat just one.

The first course that we were served was grilled octopus with micro greens, olive oil and red wine vinaigrette. The octopus was tender, which sadly, is not always the case. The ratio of red wine vinegar to oil may have been off just a touch (needed a tad more oil), but other than that, a near flawless dish.

The next course was veal dolmas — grape leaves stuffed with veal, rice and a lemon and egg sauce. As my fellow diner Jean-Philippe of I just want to eat said, there was just too much grape leaf and not enough filling. Each component on its own was tasty, but overall it really needed some changes.

The third course turned out to be Thalassa’s signature and most popular dish: Maine Diver Sea Scallops wrapped in filo with sheep’s milk butter and a kalmata olive balsamic reduction. While presented beautifully, the scallop was overcooked and really lost in the nest of filo dough. It is possible that with our table all having these prepared simultaneously, overcooking occurred, but either way, I found this dish a bit disappointing.

The fourth, or main course followed which was a trio of fish. Mediterranean Lavarki (branzino), New Zealand Langoustine and a garlic almond mousse and okra. I love branzino so I was very excited. Unfortunately the fish was overcooked and a bit dry. I did appreciate that it was completely filleted and boned. The langoustine, similar to a prawn, was delicious and slid right from its shell. The mousse seemed out of place. Also, the flower is pretty, but doesn’t appear to be edible, which I find a bit pointless.

For a finale, we were served seven different desserts. The standouts were the ravini, semolina cake with raspberry sauce, Ekmek Kataifi & Cream with Pistachios wrapped in Valrhona Choc olate Dome and panna cotta. This is odd for me, since I’m not a chocolate OR panna cotta fan. So maybe these were just that good.

Overall, I felt that there were a number of very nice dishes and several that didn’t really sing for me. The desserts did leave the meal off on a high note, and I would highly recommend ordering said desserts if you stop in for a dinner. While I am not as familiar with Greek food, I found that some of the dishes tried to do a little too much in their Modern Greek interpretations. I would however go back to try some of the simple fish dishes, and of course, those desserts.

Thalassa is a post from: The Carnivore and the Vegetarian