A tangle of warm tagliarini has gratifying bite, paired with a textured tomato sauce while perfectly cooked lombatello (Italian for hanger steak) arrives chargrilled over twigs of rosemary, with braised rainbow chard and a lovely anchovy and oregano salsa. This kitchen brings a deft touch to their small, daily-changing menu, with ingredients pulled straight from the greenmarket. For dinner, go for the hen of the woods mushroom lahmajoun, a flatbread laced with labneh, thyme, confit garlic, and harissa or savory shakshuka, which stars a skillet of spicy lamb meatballs and poached eggs simmering with tomato, chickpeas, Swiss chard, and currants. Start with the delicious whipped feta with pistachio and dill a bright fattoush salad or roasted Brussels sprouts tossed with yogurt, mint, pickled sultanas, and Urfa peppers. Come Sunday for the well-priced supper and half-price wine. Some standouts include spanakopita spring rolls, chicken gyro bao buns, and moussaka with lamb or vegetarian options. Instead, the chef infuses a hint of whimsy into each dish and delivers on flavor and quality. Lola Taverna (Soho)This is not your average Greek restaurant serving the tired old clichés. Casual servers deliver confidently prepared winners, like grilled maitake with ramp purée, whipped ricotta, and fried bread. Though the menu is unassuming-a few vegetable-forward appetizers, pastas, and proteins-the Mediterranean and Asian influences that inform the cooking are nothing short of delicious.
It would be a mistake to write-off this groovy spot as just another hotel restaurant, as it is in fact a fully formed dining room that simply happens to be in a hotel. Don’t miss the mussels escabeche, floating in an irresistible olive oil-drizzled broth, perfect for dragging the house-made sourdough bread through.
MEDITERRANEAN RESTAURANTS HOW TO
The staff here is welcoming and well-informed on how to pair the brilliant Spanish wine list with the Med-inflected fare, including flaky squid empanadas, plump with inky filling or savory Serrano ham paired with tender butter beans and Meyer lemon. There’s an impressive list of cocktails and wine not to mention a globetrotting beer selection ranging from Austrian lagers to Japanese ales. Crisped black bass with a parsley root velouté sings with a side of green apple cabbage, which is flecked with chunks of smoky bacon. The inventive American menu here gets a lift from Mediterranean accents: fried artichokes served with a tangle of bitter-spicy arugula in a creamy vinaigrette are positively addictive.
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