After a few Manhattan hits, the Greek restaurateur, Michael Psilakis, decided to branch out to Astoria with MP Taverna (there are other MP Taverna locations on the Island now as well). It seems like a somewhat risky venture in that now he is among dozens of other already popular Greek establishments. But Psilakis pulls it off, with a menu that includes both Greek staples and Greek inspired food adventures. The food is truly the star of MP Taverna. Management will need to fine tune the rest.
Our server was over the top in welcoming us. What he lacked in competence he made up with in warmth and gusto. We arrived ravenous (surprised?) and asked for pita bread as soon as he greeted us. Our server informed us that the restaurant servers pita with dinner but at our request, he would bring us pita right away. Twenty minutes went by so we asked again, and then again 20 minutes later. Pita, slightly heated and sliced into triangles, shouldn't take over 45 minutes to arrive at your table.
The wine menu is Greek heavy, but thankfully includes other options from the rest of the Mediterranean and California. One of the coolest things about MP Taverna is that every bottle was available by the glass or half bottle. Brilliant! I wish more restaurants did this.
We opted for the 2010 Decoy Cabernet Sauvignon because I was enamored with the '09 I had a few months back. It was pretty disappointing when we noticed after the server poured the bottle into our wine glasses that despite the menu clearly stating the bottle was from 2010, the bottle was actually a 2011. The wine was too young and the restaurant didn't have decanters (the server didn't even know what a decanter was!). The bottle was ok, but far from the great bottle we had expected and paid for.
If you are looking for a slightly more intimate dinner, ask to be seated upstairs. Otherwise, the dining area behind the bar is lively, playing a mix of music aimed at a mid 20's to mid 40's crowd. This is a great place for a double date, especially if you have friends that will order family style. The menu (including the specials) is large and narrowing down what to eat was a good problem to have. The food is well portioned and thus easy to share. With so many tempting choices, you'd be sad to go it alone.
While everything we had was good, there were definitely a few standouts.
What to Order:To start, opt for the Bulgar Salad with dates, almonds, pomegranates, pistachio, red onion and olives. This dish is served cold, tossed in a light dressing, and is packed with color, texture and flavor. I would have preferred if the dates were chopped (they are too big to be bite sized) but other than that, this salad is an interesting alternative to the standard Greek salad (which is also on the menu).
If the Lamb Risotto is on MP Taverna's list of "Specials", you must order it. This was hands down the best dish of the night. MP Taverna's Lamb Risotto should be a permanent fixture on the nightly menu. The shallow bowl of risotto was mixed with braised lamb shank, Parmesan cheese, a blend of parsley, dill, and chives, shallots, and garlic. Despite the few service hiccups, the Lamb Risotto at MP Taverna is reason enough to return. As you can tell from this shot, it was so good, we could barely leave it alone long enough to take a picture. .jpeg)
If you are looking for something light yet satisfying, order the Grilled Branzino. The portion size, which included a side of your choice, was impressively large (and also attacked upon arrival, which explains the sad state of affair of the fish on the skillet). The freshly caught fish was dressed with olive oil and oregano, highlighting the quality of the fish. This dish is a nice balance to the heavier lamb dishes.
Looking for a food adventure minutes outside the city? Once MP Taverna works out a few service kinks, I know I'll be back,
Your foodie friend
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