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A FEAST FIT FOR ZEUS
Kanella elevates Mediterranean dishes in a warm environment
BY ALLIE BIENENSTOCK | PHOTOS BY ADRIAN FRANCO
As we hurried inside
from a hushed street,
Kanella warmly welcomed
us in from the cold
(pun intended). My ears were
instantly flooded with the
sounds of pleasant conversation
coming from the tables
of hipsters and old folk neatly
settled in the petite space. The
cozy ambiance of this BYO is
reflected in its simple decor:
brick walls, wooden tables and
whitewashed arches are reminiscent
of the Mediterranean.
Our gracious waiter explained
to us that Sunday
nights are unique at Kanella;
instead of its normal menu,
the restaurant hosts a three–
course prix fixe Sunday Meze
consisting of dishes specially
created by chef and owner
Konstantinos Pitsillides. We
ordered both the meat ($35)
and vegetarian ($30) options
so we could taste all the offer-
ings.
We were stoked when the
waiter brought out complimetary
sourdough bread with
a lentil spread, tabouli and
pickled vegetables—so good
and flavorful that they vanished
in the blink of an eye.
Our mouths watered as our
first course was set down: an
assortment of small plates that
included fried loom cheese,
braised chicken, chickpea fritters
and pork sausage. Oh man,
the sausage was spectacular—
tender meat infused with rich
spices and accompanied with
an airy lavender sauce. The
spice–dusted, crispy–skinned
fritters, sitting atop a bed of
piquant diced tomatoes were
another hit, reminding us of a
thick steak fry.
With the arrival of our entrees,
I realized Kanella loves
parsley—nine of the 11 dishes
we were served with this ver-
dant garnish. Apricot and
fig skewers, baked Chinese
eggplant, calamari stew, veal
flank, an egg scramble, pork
ribs and beet falafel rested on
the table. We were surprisingly
enamored by the beet falafel
with hummus. The majestic
magenta inside was smooth
and the exterior crispy. The
winner of the night, though,
was the pork ribs. The crispy–
skinned meat, drizzled with a
pork demi–glaze, fell right off
the bone. We’re still depressed
that there were only two; we
could’ve had a dozen more.
“The dessert is the most underrated
part of the meal,” our
waiter disclosed. He picked
two favorites for us: a walnut
tart and lemon mousse. The
tart, consisting of walnuts
packed atop a thin doughy
crust, tasted like it was covered
in maple syrup without any
stickiness. The mousse was too
RIDE A BIKE
tangy for my taste, overpowering
the light–textured dish.
We left Kanella satisfied,
thankful to have enjoyed a
wide array of inventive dishes
far removed from the cycle of
humdrum foods we are used
to consuming on campus. We
made a reservation for next
Sunday’s Meze, eager for a
fresh taste of Chef Pitsillides’
invention.
KANELLA
Washington Square West
1001 Spruce St.
(215) 922-1773
DON'T MISS: Kanella Platter.
SKIP: Lemon and Yogurt
Mousse.
$$$$
Dining Guide
34TH STREET Magazine February 13, 2013
13