the weekend buzz

“Helping Japan, Bloody Mary Challenge, Kefi's New Brunch”

Help Japan

This weekend (and beyond), do your part to help the survivors of the earthquake and tsunami in Japan by supporting these restaurants that will be donating sales to the Japanese Red Cross.

Executive Chef and Owner of Mehtaphor (Duane Street Hotel, 130 Duane Street, 212-542-9440) Jehangir Mehta will donate 100% of the restaurant’s proceeds from bar and dinner sales from Wednesday, March 16th from 6 to 8 pm to the Japanese Red Cross. Mehta will also donate 100% of the proceeds from the inaugural class of his new program Gastro Kids After School. The class, which will introduce young kids to healthy cooking and eating, will be held on Friday, March 18th from 4 to 5pm. The $60 class fee will go to the Japanese Red Cross.

Executive Chef and Proprietor Shaun Hergatt of SHO (The Setai Wall Street, 40 Broad Street, 212-809-3993) will donate 10% of all sake sales from Wednesday, March 16th through Wednesday, March 23rd to the Japanese Red Cross.

And at Tocqueville (1 East 15th Street, 212-647-1515) and 15 East (15 East 15th Street, 212-647-0015), husband and wife team/owners Marco Moreira and Jo-Ann Makovitzky will donate 5% of both restaurants’ beverage sales from Wednesday, March 16th through Tuesday, March 22rd to the Japanese Red Cross. Take the

Bloody Mary challenge at El Camion


How well do you know your cocktails? Put your palette to the test at El Camion and turn one free Bloody Mary into two. Identify all the ingredients in their spicy signature cocktail and your next one is on the house (oh, and your first drink is free with brunch too). Think your taste buds can handle it? Join the boozy competition every Saturday or Sunday from 10:30am to 4pm or Monday from 11:30am to 4pm.

El Camion is located at 194 Avenue A. elcamioncantina.com
—Andrea Branchini

Kefi Introduces Brunch

Weekend brunches don’t have to be all about fried eggs atop hash browns or fluffy frittatas. Fans of Michael Psilakis will be happy to know that he’s now started brunch at Kefi every weekend from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

This Greek restaurant on the Upper West Side is one where you’ll feel relaxed with family and friends. Raw wood-beamed ceilings, soothing white-washed walls and tasteful art all make for a comfortable experience. And once the food rolls out, you’ll feel even better if you appreciate Greek food done with a lighter hand. Psilakis plays on the Mediterranean theme with dishes like lemon pancakes with pistachios and candied oranges ($8.95) and a homemade Cypriot sausage with cucumbers, radishes and olives ($7.50). Or if you prefer Psilakis’s signature dishes, he’ll also cook up chicken souvlaki with tzatki and pita bread ($11.95), sheep milk ravioli with brown butter and sage ($9.95) and grilled octopus with bean salad ($9.95). Enjoy!

Kefi is located at 505 Columbus Ave., 212-873-0200, http://www.kefirestaurant.com/

— Bao Ong

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