BITE OF THE MOMENT: Elevated Greek Cuisine at Amylos Taverna

There are a plethora of Greek restaurants in Astoria, and when you're choosing one, you're going to want to go with the people that know their stuff. Enter: Amylos Taverna. Operated by the Arvanitis family (of the iconic Omonia Cafe), they've taken their knowledge and experience in the New York City dining scene, creating a haven of elevated Greek cuisine that we were lucky to visit.

On a Thursday evening, the space was lively and welcoming, with the windows wide open, letting the cool early autumn air flow into the stylish, spacious dining area. The specialty cocktail menu features a list of drinks with the first letters of each spelling out A-M-Y-L-O-S - The Muse (vodka, bergamot liquor, passion fruit puree, lime, cinnamon syrup), a specialty cocktail, is a photogenic, fruity sunrise of a drink. On the classic cocktail side, The Dirty Greek lives up to its name - an elegant and salty martini topped with feta stuffed kalamata olives serving as a fun little extra snack.

The menu combines traditional and modern Greek fare, and there's great pride in the sourcing of ingredients, leading everything to be composed with great care. As a Greek menu should, there's a focus on fresh seafood - a sizable chunk of the menu is devoted to fresh whole fish, with a display case of the goods towards the back of the restaurant, and a variety of seafood items featured on the menu. As an appetizer, the steamed Mussels are generously portioned, lazing in a Ouzo, wine and fennel broth, seasoned with fresh herbs, and topped with parsley crisps. The Moussaka is a must-get, and if you can, grab the Lobster Moussaka - one of the menu's highlights, a dense portion of layered mashed potato, fried eggplant, and a hefty amount of lobster.

We also tried the Beet Salad, composed of greens, apples, juicy heirloom beets, a citrus vinaigrette, and dreamy little pillows of caramelized feta. Meat dishes are also in abundance - the Lamb Chops are delicately charred yet still juicy, with a generous handful of crispy seasoned fries, served with a grilled lemon. The menu boasts rotisserie options as well that we were too full to touch upon for this trip, but we are looking forward to diving deeper into the offerings for next time!

All photos by Conor Rose. This meal was provided by Amylos Taverna, however all opinions are our own.