Restaurant Spotlight: “Thalassa”
Posted by estiator at 12 August, at 10 : 27 AM Print
Thalassa
179 Franklin St., New York, NY
thalassanyc.com
NESTLED in the artsy haven that is Manhattan’s Tribeca, Thalassa has been representing elevated Greek cuisine since its inception in 2002. Owned and operated by the Makris family, this site had an earlier life as a Fantis manufacturing plant, where the pioneering Greek specialty foods company (still owned by the family) made cheese and phyllo. When operations were moved to Carlstadt, NJ, the beautiful three-story brick building was converted into a restaurant, focusing (as its name suggests) on fresh fare from the sea, which makes up 80 percent of Thalassa’s menu.
Offering guests the finest bounty from the sea possible, Executive Chef Ralphael Abrahante works directly with fishmongers in Greece, Spain, Portugal, and Hawaii, and quite often, directly with the fishermen themselves, who bring him fresh catches daily from local waters as well as from all parts of the world. “I regularly have conversations directly with the fishermen in Europe to understand what is available, and where they are catching their haul,” says Chef. “Those seasonal fishermen know their waters and know exactly where and when they can catch various species.” Sustainability, he says, is important in how he sources his seafood. If there is an indication that a species is being overfished, he will remove it from his menu until it’s had the chance to rebuild its population.
Guests at Thalassa choose their dinner from a sumptuous seafood display that greets them upon entering. The chosen fish is then presented at the table, brought to the kitchen where it is grilled and deboned, and returned to the table for the guest to enjoy. “Seafood is delicate and doesn’t require more than a touch of sea salt, fresh lemon, extra-virgin olive oil and a dash of mountain oregano,” says Abrahante, who reiterates the restaurant’s mantra: “Eat fish, live longer.”
The space itself is elegant without being pretentious: Exposed brick brings warmth to each of the eatery’s three levels (a private room is situated downstairs and a loft above), while white fabric draped along the ceilings provides a “sail” effect, conjuring the space as the inside of a ship out to sea.
Thalassa’s menu is much more than an upscale iteration of a traditional Greek fish tavern menu, with items that include Mediterranean fish tacos (lavraki, caviar mousse, and fennel), baked seafood (whole shrimp, baby clams, and mussels slowly baked in a robola wine sauce with fresh tomato and organic Greek feta), “colossal” crabmeat salad (over a mix of frisee and arugula with a truffle vinaigrette), diver scallops from Maine (wrapped in katiaifi brushed with sheep’s milk butter and drizzled with a Kalamata balsamic reduction), and a stunning tartare trio. For this inspired appetizer offering, Chef Abrahante erects three distinct stacks, each of which features sushi-grade ceviche or tartare-style fish (most often royal dorado, lavraki and tuna) atop a vegetable bed (such as avodaco, beets or red peppers) and topped with a dollop of tzatziki or garlic almond mousse.
Thalassa is open for lunch and dinner, Monday through Saturday, and accommodates large groups for corporate outings, special events, and family milestones.
