a greek drama with a delicious ending

I’ve always been a fan of Greek food. Lots of grilled fish, lamb, salads, and, mmmm, yogurt–what’s not to love? Recently, I’ve developed a crush on a certain chef who is out to give this favorite cuisine a makeover. Michael Psilakis is on a mission to innovate and elevate the Hellenic food of his descent to new heights. He’s had many restaurants over the last several years (a few with ex-partner Donatella Arpaia) that run the gamut of culinary offerings: white tablecloth dining at Dona and Anthos; a gastropub called Gus & Gabriel; rustic cuisine at Kefi, to name a few. About a year ago, he opened Fish Tag on the upper westside of Manhattan. There, the ambitious menu intrigues and delights, and has quickly become my family’s go-to spot for a culinary celebration. This dining experience is thought-provoking and delicious, and feels far more precious than its moderate price tag.

 Fish Tag

As the name suggests, the menu at Fish Tag is mainly seafood, but most fish dishes, combined with sausages, chilies and cheese, showcase some unusual mergers. The menu, as your friendly and knowledgeable server will explain to you, is unusually laid out beginning with lighter dishes at the top, moving down the page to heartier fare–appetizers typed in red ink interspersed with entrees typed in black. Drink and wine pairings are thoughtfully suggested in the columns.

Psilakis is a master of crudos, all of which are artfully presented on the plate. Fluke crudo with piquillo peppers and muscat grapes is light and delicate, but with an interesting accent of heat and sweet; sturgeon salad with greek yogurt and beet puree reminds me of great Jewish appetizing with a side of borscht.

I find it interesting the way the chef morphs signature dishes from one season to the next, changing ingredients to reflect what the market will bear. 



For example, my favorite sheep’s milk dumplings (think really soft gnocchi) are served in cream with fava beans and crab in the summer,




then paired with tangy white anchovies and a beautifully contrasting tomato fonduta in the fall.




Fresh garganelle pasta with rabbit, cockles, and buttery spinach…




…becomes creamy garganelle carbonara with tender squid, preserved lemon and salty pancetta.

This menu will appeal to those willing to forge an ambitious culinary adventure. Many ingredients are unusual and not for the faint of heart, such as whole branzino stuffed with head cheese, or sepia and tripe stew topped with a soft cooked egg–all worth the risk.

But even my most finicky eater has found a few favorites she craves, especially the giant bruschetta, heaping with grilled prawns, feta, and spicy chilies.

There’s something for everyone here, and the meal is gratifying in its unexpected complexity. We also love the cozy and welcoming dining atmosphere here and, so, we’re sure to return again and again. So now imagine our delight–no, out and out glee!–when we found out Psilakis was opening a restaurant in our hood…

MP Taverna

Yes, we can dine well in the burbs. Michael and his family live in these parts, so it was a natural choice for him to open nearby. MP Taverna is more casual than Fish Tag, with a masculine, clubby dining room, yet the dishes still echo the same wonderful flavor combinations, albeit a little less avant-garde. To begin our meal, we start with a trio of spreads which may sound familiar, but this is no hummus we’ve ever tasted before. Chickpeas combine with sun dried tomatoes, creamy tsatsiki is unusually seasoned, and a spicy feta chili mix is finger licking good. Perfectly grilled octopus salad with chick peas and a drizzle of yogurt is a stellar starter as well.

The sheep milk dumplings that I am in love with are paired here with spicy lamb sausage, tender spinach, and crunchy breadcrumbs, all in a a rich, but light tomato sauce.

Another popular offering, at MP Taverna, as well as at Fish Tag, is a killer lamb burger, served with spicy whipped feta and smashing smashed potato fries.

One of my favorite dishes appears on both restaurants’ menus in different incarnations. At Fish Tag, braised mussels are an entree in a spicy tomato broth with Tuscan kale and bacon; at MP Taverna, those same mussels, served as a starter, are paired with gigante white beans, loukaniko (Greek pork and lamb sausage), and tomato.

To me, this version is really hearty enough to make a meal. And, because I loved it so much, I recreated it at home with great success…

Braised Mussels, Lamb Sausage, Cannellini Beans & Tomato with Ciabatta Croutes

This dish will shake up your weeknight dinner routine. Colorful and multi-dimensional in textures and flavors, I think of it as a party in a bowl. Sauteed shallots, garlic, fresh oregano, plum tomatoes, and dry white wine make an aromatic base for briny mussels, tender white beans, and caramelized lamb sausage. 

Translating this recipe to be home cook friendly, I substituted canned cannellini beans for the gigante beans used at MP Taverna. I was thrilled to find lamb sausage at my new local Fairway Market to use in place of the Greek loukaniko. If you can’t find lamb sausage, pork sausage will make a good substitute.

Begin by prepping all your ingredients: scrub the mussels clean and remove any “beards”–fibers that may protrude from their shells. Discard any mussels that are open.

Place the mussels in a large bowl and cover with cool water. Sprinkle some flour over the mussels, which will help them “cough” up any sand they may be harboring in their shells.

Finely chop garlic cloves, thinly slice shallots, pick leaves from fresh oregano stalks. Drain and rinse the canned cannellini beans. Chop ripe plum tomatoes.

Squeeze the sausage links to remove the meat from its casing.

In a large heavy pot or dutch oven, heat a tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat. Add sliced shallots and chopped garlic to sauté. Sprinkle in a pinch of red pepper flakes and the oregano leaves. Stir and cook for 3 to 4 minutes, until shallot is lightly golden. 

In a large skillet over medium high heat, warm a tablespoon of olive oil. Sauté the sausage meat until nicely browned and caramelized on all sides, about 10 minutes.

Add the chopped tomatoes to the shallots in the pot. Cook for one minute. Add a knob of unsalted butter, season lightly with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper.

Stir in cannellini beans and pour dry white wine and water into pot. Bring to a simmer and add the rinsed and drained mussels. Cover and simmer for 8 to 10 minutes, until the shells have all opened. 

While the mussels cook, prepare the Ciabbata Croutes. Thinly slice the ciabbata bread and toast until golden. As soon as the bread comes out of the toaster, brush with extra virgin olive oil and rub with a halved garlic clove.

Add the sausage meat to the pot. Serve mussels in large shallow bowls, making sure to ladle lots of sauce, sausage, beans and tomatoes over all. Sprinkle with oregano leaves, drizzle with extra virgin olive oil, and serve with the Ciabbata Croutes alongside.

Serves 2:

2 pounds cultivated mussels
a large pinch of all purpose flour
2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
3 to 4 garlic cloves
2 large shallots
leaves of 2 large sprigs of oregano, plus more for garnish
1 15.5 ounce can of cannellini beans
3 plum tomatoes
3/4 pound lamb (or pork) sausage
pinch of red pepper flakes
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 cup dry white wine
1 cup water
extra virgin olive oil, for garnish

Ciabbata Croutes:
1/2 loaf ciabbata bread
extra virgin olive oil
1 garlic clove, halved

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