Digital Chaos Media

Michael Psilakis gets a lot of reppage these days; partly due to his take on classic and bold Greek flavors, and partly due to his partnership with one Donatalla Arpaia.  Kefi is the cheap Greek spot, formerly located in a cozy little townhouse on 79th street.  Because of high demand, they relocated to a larger, credit card and reservation accepting spot up the street.  It’s no Anthos, but they dont charge prices like Anthos either.

The Meze section of the menu is probably the best–really bold flavors of olive oil, garlic, lemon
can take you to another place.  The Mussels and gigante beans are my favorite, the feta melts into the mussel jus to create a rich and tangy broth that will have you asking for extra bread.  (Whether your server remembers to bring it is another question).  The grilled sardines and “greek salad” with garlic sauce matched the earthy, almost fishy sardine flavor with pungent garlic and clean olive and tomato.  On the opposite end of the spectrum, the stuffed cabbage was just mediocre–under cooked rice, tough cabbage on the exterior
were not saved by the spot on lemon dressing.  Sweetbreads were cooked just right, and the spreads and meatballs are rich and intensely savory treats.
The sheep milk ravioli is a different flavor profile than most dishes on this menu–it strays from the garlic, lemon, olive oil intensity and is a pleasant palate cleanser with its smooth, sweet, nutty flavors.

The main courses featuring seafood tend towards that same flavor profile, intensely briny flavors paired with strong vegetable flavors (roasted red pepper, cauliflower, tomato), fresh herbs, and a relatively plain piece of fish, whether it be sword, snapper, sea bass, or branzino.
The meats are very traditional as well, and the white meats follow this same profile.  The wine list is varied but features almost exclusively greek wines.

Overall the ambiance here is very informal, and the food is as well, but if you lose yourself in the food and drink, it’s easy to forget that.  The old place was easier to lose yourself in, it was warm and welcoming, an oceanic theme and closely places tables.    The rustic and homey qualities of the food matched the old dining room–you felt like you were in some old Greek lady’s house, maybe you had to wait for a table but it made it seem that much more special to eat there.  Sitting in close quarters gave an energy to the dining room that elevated the food and the diner.  The new place feels empty–they took the old decor and spread it out over the entire dining room, so that yes, the space is less crowded, but it also feels too spacious, if that is possible.  Ambiance aside, the food here is 2.5 stars out of 5.  The new setting makes the food seem less special, and transports you less to a small bed and breakfast on the mediterranean and more to a no-name greek restaurant in NYC.  The food is good, and I’m sure the new spot will change as it has only been open a few days, but for now this place has fallen from a hidden gem to a more standard and less noteworthy resto.