dining
KELLARI
Enter as Strangers, Leave as Friends By Jennifer Hedley
K
ellari offers an elevated Greek dining experience with delicious seafood selections and an exquisite wine list in the heart of Midtown Manhattan. The restaurant which has become an institution over the last decade shines with elegant lighting, comfortable leather seating and crisp white linens with a Santorini feel. The restaurant’s motto is “Enter as Strangers, Leave as Friends” and that continues to be the case with warm hospitality complemented by fantastic cuisine. Owner Stavros Aktipis recently brought on board Executive Chef, Themis Papadopoulos who has over 20 years of experience working in fine-dining restaurants and 5-Star hotels in Paris and Greece to elevate the restaurant’s menu with traditional modern Greek touches throughout. Chef Papadopoulos earned his education from Ecole Lenôtre and as a visiting chef at the Michelinstarred The Kitchen Gallery in Paris and the 2 Michelin starred Greenhouse in London. Papadopoulos’ worked as a gastronomy consultant at the Athens Was Design Hotel from 2015-2017 and spent the last seven years as the Chef de Cuisine at the Michelinstarred Le Mavromattis in Paris. Prior to that he was the Executive Chef at ANEMI Hotel in Greece
64 | resident.com
from 2007-2011 and for two years during that tenure also was the private head chef for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Athens. He also spent seven years at the Executive Chef of Brasserie Valaoritou in Greece from 2000-2007. Papadopoulos is now continuing his journey with a big move to the United States to helm the kitchen at Kellari. Chef will introduce a new five course tasting menu this fall with Greek wine pairings from Santorini and beyond. The menu satisfies the senses and begins with pickled beetroot salmon with mango and fresh turmeric root coulis, followed by a Cannelloni bean soup with mastiha extract. Then comes a stand-out avocado cannelloni with smoked almonds, crab meat, red peppers and squid ink tuille, Seafood dolmades with pan seared langoustines and fresh herbs are served over a lobster bisque and then comes a picture-perfect Branzino Tart with /tomato concasse, yellow zucchini and a watercress pesto. The perfect ending is a poached fig in Mavrodafni sweet wine with salep cream and walnuts. Additional offerings at Kellari include a pre-theater menu, Greek tapas menu served nightly at the bar, a signature wine club and Dine Well rewards program
with special dinners and tastings as well as an over the top Captain’s Table menu which can serve 12-15 guests. This meal includes your choice or Amuse Bouche, Lobster Bisque and an appetizer of Charcoal Grilled Octopus from the Mediterranean or Citrus Marinated Sea Bass. Main courses includes a grilled 25-30 pound fish and a choice of four sides. Side options include: Greek Fries, Spanakorizo, Spanaki, Horta, Lahanika, Broccoli Rabe, Lemon Roasted Potatoes, Beluga Lentils or Gigantes Melitzana. Lastly, finish this epic meal with a selection of of homemade traditional Greek desserts & fruit. Kellari Hospitality Group owner Stavros Aktipis continues to grow his restaurant empire which boasts Kellari, Cesca on the Upper West Side, a new Greek restaurant called Lefkes in Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey and he has plans to open another Greek restaurant and cafe this winter near Columbia University.
19 W 44th St. New York, NY 10036 212.221.0144 kellariny.com