casual. You can come in and have a refreshing cocktail, great steak and decadent dessert without breaking the bank. We’ve priced our food, drink and wine menu so we can offer a variety for every walk of life. What is the best deal on the menu? I think it’s our fried chicken entree.
This has comfort and down-home cooking written all over it. It’s big enough to share, but once you taste it, you won’t want to share.
Photo by Felix Adamo
What is your favorite dish to make? I love making the shrimp Alexandria
Chef Ro Fernandez of The Mark.
Chef Rogelio Fernandez The Mark, 1623 19th St. What is your favorite ingredient?
Garlic can be powerful if raw, gentle when sauteed and elegant when roasted. I think this is one of the most versatile ingredients you can use/have in your kitchen. I’ve even had
garlic ice cream that was actually really good with a balsamic caramel sauce. Balsamic vinegar is my second favorite ingredient to use, especially an aged balsamic! What is the one thing you want customers to know about The Mark?
I want people to know that we’re upscale/
because I named this dish after my beautiful daughter. Every time I make this dish, it reminds me of how awesome she is. An awesome kid deserves an awesome dish. Plus it’s my wife’s favorite dish, so it’s a win-win. What cocktail keeps patrons coming back? We serve a premium well at The
Mark (Bacardi, Bombay, El Jimador, etc.). We don’t serve liquor you’ve never heard of. Everything that we bring into The Mark bar is a great product that delivers bang for your buck. We also serve some mixology-influenced cocktails and martinis that I picked up in my 10 years in Vegas.
Chef Leticia Skapinakis Athena’s Greek Cafe and Bakery, 9612 Flushing Quail Road What is your favorite ingredient?
Greek extra virgin olive oil because of its rich flavor and the way it enhances every dish that we serve. What is the one thing you want customers to know about Athena’s?
We serve authentic Greek cuisine and pastries, and we offer full service to our customers in the evening with a varied selection of award-winning Greek wine and beer. What is your favorite dish to make? Roasted leg of lamb and lamb chops Photo by Henry A. Barrios
are my favorite, and because I love them so much, I put extra passion into making them. What is your go-to recipe when entertaining friends at home? My family
and friends love my pastitsio, a dish consisting of pasta and meat baked in a savory bechamel sauce. They’ll often request it in hopes of an invitation. What has been the biggest challenge you’ve faced so far at your restaurant? Our biggest challenge has been
letting the public and our customers know
Letty Skapinakis, left, and her daughter Athena, are two of the chefs at Athena’s Greek Cafe and Bakery. that we are a locally owned family restaurant and not a franchise. What kind of beer and wine do you serve? Our customers love the house wine,
Elios, a Greek red wine. Mythos, an awardwinning Greek beer, is out-selling all the other beers.
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