I have a passion
for Greek food. In my life, fairly long, placebo, I traveled the length and breadth of the Greek islands in search of food is great, beautiful women, and business opportunities and wonderful views … And found all from time to time. In the late 50s, was one of my client / patron, a wealthy businessman Nicholas Greek mythical Reisini, who purchased a wide-screen Cinerama film company, which is why I came on board. I spent a lot of time in the quality of bars of Athens and on his yacht visiting many of the islands. It was one of the most powerful cooking always regretted my lack of food is really good Greek in Los Angeles. Certainly, we have a bar Tony in Malibu, which is fun. A fine restaurant in Manhattan Beach, Peter, but paying a bit daunting. Years ago there was a decent place on Third Street, Sophie, and entered through a long corridor … Gold, but I have not heard from him since the Greek physician / owner of the house. There Christos Papa in South Bay, is questionable, and George Christie has mentioned a small place in the market for farmers.
Kariotoglou Adam is the mastermind behind the money and a sense of our new Greek.
Now is more than one project and we celebrate the rise of XANDROS Greek Restaurant (50 N. No Cienega Blvd, next to Lawry in the half block up from Wilshire, Beverly Hills (310-854-1001). Thanks to the charming and wonderful Greek businessman named Adam Kariotoglou, we have a Greek Palace Dedicate food, and dancing the Greek and Greek … everything. opened restaurants Adam 30 the in 1984, working his way up from the age of 14 as a busboy and dishwasher to become successful in the restaurant Seattle region. “But I’ve always wanted to open a place of truly exceptional in Los Angeles, where you live over the past seven years, when an exciting space does not marsh presented itself, I grabbed the moment, “he said to me the opening night and there were many restaurants in the space, and the last thing is called Tokyo Table, but Adam and rebuilt it in full, of Smart bar and seating area as you enter the kitchen to the show, smartly appointed dining room with banquettes and booths will be filled with parties and the majority of the Greek here onwards. Oh, yes – the big patio for summer dining, private rooms, which – I think!
Do not be surprised when the waitress stopped service to do a short dance.
I asked Adam what the name means, he explains, laughing it is short for Alexander, Alexander the Greek, the name of his son, Zander. (Alexander and Greek, the legendary Macedonian emperor who conquered his world.) Adam will conquer this fantasy in California in which we live with superior food. On opening night, and certainly one of the disastrous rule of a restaurant, and I was very excited to sample its delights, I can not wait, and the desire to get this report to the world. I am returning next week for two or three more meals, before ending a longer review for my Newsletter restaurant and Jay Weston, but the HuffPost / Los Angeles readers can be assured that it is ready to receive them and their appetite for authentic Greek cuisine.
Whole fish cooked on the grill dish is a strong structure in Greek cuisine.
To help in the kitchen, and brought Adam Schiff on board the Greek veteran, Dimitris Mavrogiannis, from that place Manhattan Beach; fashioned together an extensive list and interesting. Nearly all of the traditional Greek dishes I have a dear over the years, including some of the surprises of the islands of Mykonos and Santorini. (Oh, these memories, of donkeys laden with party up the mountain to the summit for breathtaking, and the sun sets, where we enjoyed a few bottles of Ouzou and a wonderful feast of grilled fish just minutes from the sea below).
Review panels this night and the family was Fullmer, Austin, Blake, Lisa.
To help me in my quest for the opening night, I had enlisted the aid of two young people linked with a huge appetite, Blake and Austin Fullmer, charming, and their mother, Lisa, with an appetite more cautious. Owners and enlisted the aid of Glen Tinsley, who is a chef of experienced American who has worked extensively in the Mediterranean region, to provide a modern touch to classic recipes. A selection of Mezzes, appetizers, a meal always begins with the Greek … And we had six plates such small ($ 5 each). Taramosalata Moss is like a combination of smoked fish and olive oil with Greek herbs. (Everything has some olive oil in or around the Greek, and it’s deeply delicious oil that I like). Skordalia is a smooth mix of Yukon Gold potatoes and roasted garlic, and lots of garlic … Stinking Rose across the street and now a competitor of garlic dishes. It was my favorite for Ipirou Tirokafteri, a combination of four Greek cheese with hot peppers and sundried tomatoes. Salah al-Din, of course, the end of the Karpouzosalata (15 $), local watermelon slices, and tomatoes, with feta, fresh mint, then drizzled with Greek honey and black vinegar. Interesting.
Yes, a lot of power to the interesting, including this from the watermelon, feta and mint with honey dressing.
At this point in the meal, stepped up the tripartite musical Zorba the music up in the supply of such size and our waitress, Corinne, and suddenly joined her colleagues on the edge that separates the dining room of the courtyard … Girls did a huge, and stimulate the Greek dance to the applause of enthusiastic diners. Director of operations at a later time, “said Thomas Lee, consequently, they are trained waitresses in traditional Greek dance, from Wednesday through Sunday, music and dance will be uninterrupted. At this point, a dancer shimmied up to our table and grabbed Austin to join the players form a line of dancers in the middle of the floor.
M
Y favorite dish was fresh and delicious calf’s leg too.
Focused on a range of dishes to come, to get out of the kitchen. The Tijani Marithes Stowe ($ 10) a dish of fried smelts are small, seasoned with lemon and aioli. Greek Kalamata olives, feta cheese, from the curse, rich with spices ($ 10). And kept warm bread coming from the kitchen, and when I asked about the latest cool … And another. Soutzoukakia (15 $), succulent beef President of the hand-crafted and lamb scented with cumin, mint, parsley, sea salt, served with tomato sauce and feta cheese. Karavides (45 $), and four large shrimp from Madagascar, and grilled on the plancha-style bid only ’til, grilled with lemon and served with braised artichokes and lemon spaghettini Basil, one of the favorite dishes of the night.
Giant shrimp grilled on a plancha Los Angeles for the treatment of this special evening.
I wanted a whole fish grilled, and presented a plan to dress shiny, and then deftly boned side Dmitry round, drizzled with olive oil and lemon, then put the center table on a bed of saffron rice. Oh, yes, this was and I know Greece. And came out a lot of pregnancy, of Shank Lamb (28 $) to a dish of well-done, delicious deep cut thin pieces of pregnancy (28 $). Surprisingly, my favorite meat dish is not lamb, but a piece of veal, and this summit did not do well, served with mashed potatoes without garlic.
Ouzo, anise-flavored spirit, is to drink trditional Greek; splash of water makes the Milky Way.
We were full, but I made a note of some things that you will order in the next visits … And Spanakpita, and Tirpita (both $ 9), and the flaky, crispy pastry phyllo pastries of spinach and cheese. There Calamari, zucchini and eggplant dishes galore. Saganaki (19 $) of blessed memory Thessalonia, fried cheese flamed with brandy Mextaxa. Moussaka (20 $), of course. A lot to look forward to.
And rice pudding unusual last delicious sweets.
We finished the meal our with two desserts: Loukoumades (8 $), pancakes homemade, with gelato butter, brown and three of fruit juice, and surprise: Rizogalo (8 $), and rice pudding Greek rice Arboria warm scented with spices and orange zest, with the completion of golden raisins and syrup. Interesting, but not to my taste. Baklava is not night, but soon. I was drinking my love, Ouzou, while the boys and their mother to drink bottled water (unfortunately not Fiji, my passion.) I asked my old friend Jeffrey Stivers, general manager / sommelier, if he has a bottle of Retsina Open, and he brought it for me to I see … Resin-flavored wine, an acquired taste … But it was one, of what you’ve got many years ago and still are.
I’ll finish this novel with some Greek words have gained: Kefi, which is the joy of the Spirit, Meriki, something to do with passion, and Filoxenia, the essence of being Greek … Hospitality. All you will find in XANDROS, in Los Angeles in the Cienega Bevery Hills. How wonderful!
