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“Loi by Dara Pollak”


  Occasion: Cuisine: Area: Cost: Rating:
  Night Out Greek Upper West Side Moderate Great

Few things bring me back to my childhood in the same way that the scent of onions, lemons, and herbs do. Being of Greek descent by way of Sparta, I was raised by a family of great cooks and woke up to this aroma trifecta nearly every day. My Yia Yia passed away earlier this year, and my dinner at Loi was the closest I have come to one of her authentic meals in a long time. The dishes were without scratches, the linens were crisper, and the vast space with panoramic photos of Grecian waters certainly didn’t look like home, but with every bite, it definitely started to feel like it.

Chef Maria Loi has been referred to as the Greek Rachael Ray and Martha Stewart; with her own cooking show in Greece and many cookbooks under her belt, she brings her talents to New York City for her first restaurant venture, Loi. New Yorkers are adventurous eaters, but true Greek food has nothing to do with adventure and everything to do with quality ingredients and fresh, fresh, flavor. I visited Greece a few months ago and have never eaten so cleanly in my life; I got sick the week I returned to the US because my stomach wasn’t used to processed food. It was unbelievable.

Chef Maria’s style of cooking also happens to be delicious and relatable, making Loi a perfect spot for Greeks and Americans alike. She spoke to me for a bit about her restaurant and gave some of her favorite dishes off the menu, even though she was slightly disappointed when she discovered that my guest and I do not speak Greek. Please note I had to admit this at least three more times to three different waiters throughout the course of the evening.

While I don't speak Greek, I do know the cuisine, and the food at Loi is terrific. The Horiatiki salad (a classic combination of tomatoes, cucumbers, red onion, olives, oregano, olive oil and a nice slab of feta on top) was like the salad I had in Greece. The produce tasted so fresh while the cheese was milky and delicious, it’s a great, light starter to any meal. If you want a hot appetizer or two, try the homemade phyllo pies of the day (we were lucky enough to get spinach aka spanakopita, which is my absolute favorite) and the Papoutsakia, eggplant stuffed with tomatoes and caramelized onions topped with smoked feta mousse. The spanakopita was made with homemade phyllo, which is a pretty exhausting feat, as it is such a delicate dough to make, and the inside is packed with spinach, herbs, and feta cheese. T ... [more, click below]

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Other restaurants in Upper West Side :
+ 'Cesca   + Asiate   + Blue Hill Stone Barns   + Per Se   + The Neptune Room   + Spigolo   + Telepan   + Aix Brasserie   + 'Cesca   + Bar Boulud   + Dovetail   + BarBao   + Dinosaur Bar-be-Que   + Kefi   + Bar Luna   + Ed's Chowder House   + Red Rooster, by Rachel Barbarotta   + Loi by Dara Pollak   


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