Wednesday, July 03, 2013

MP Taverna, Irvington, NY

Each year when we visit my family in new Jersey, my wife and I drive to the Tarrytown, NY area, where we meet our Connecticut based niece and her husband for lunch. We were also celebrating our 45th wedding anniversary, although it had actually been the day before.

This year, we changed our lunch location to nearby Irvington, a quaint village noted as the home of Washington Irving. Restaurant research in that area is both challenging and enjoyable as there are so many possible options. In the end, we decided on MP Taverna, a modern, Greek restaurant, located in a renovated, riverside warehouse district.


Although the lunch menu is much more limited than the dinner menu, there are still plenty of choices.

The decor is contemporary, and without the usual Greek restaurant kitsch.


The service was smooth and professional but not intrusive.

We were brought a basket of excellent crusty bread and a cruet of olive oil. I decided to indulge in a special drink, a "Ste. Champagne", which mixed sparkling wine with elderflower liqueur. I enjoyed it, but would only do this once every 45 years.

We ordered appetizers to share: first, a trio of dips, consisting of tzatziki, eggplant, and a very dense hummus. Second, fried calamari and chickpeas. Both were enjoyable but not out of this world.

 


I ordered a bottle of Moschofilero Boutari, a white wine from the Peloponesse. It was fresh, crisp and clean. Above all, it was among the least expensive bottles on the wine list.

Our kinfolk chose brews from the extensive and varied beer menu.

Upon ordering our main courses, we went down different paths. Niece J. asked about the fish of the day and on hearing it was bluefish, requested it. I believe that she enjoyed it.



G. ordered the "Dumplings" which are basically gnocchi, with nuggets of spicy lamb sausage and bits of spinach, in a delicious but quite picante tomato sauce. I had the same, and although I'm accustomed to spicy food, the "heat" was excessive.

Dumplings
Similarly heavy handed was the small MP Salad I ordered. It was very salty with chopped olives and an excess of feta cheese.

Sra. Cuevas got a pork souvlaki, which proved to be very substantial as well as delicious, (the otherwise tempting "Smashed" fried potatoes very oversalted.) and the additional shrimp, greens and bulgar salad had to be wrapped for take home.

Shrimp, greens, bulgar salad
In keeping with our celebratory mood, both G. and I ordered dessert. He, an Apple Baklava "Napoleon" with Amaretto Crunch Ice Cream, and I, a Galaktoboureko Parfait. The latter was a dish of soft custard, not very rich, covered with kadaif (Not to be confused with the deposed Libyan strongman.), but closely resembling shredded wheat cereal. It was mildly disappointing.

Apple Baklava "Napoleon"

Galaktoboureko "Parfait"- Meh!

Ratings:

Food:***1/2

Service: *****

Ambience: Smart, contemporary executive

Price: $$$$$ La Cuenta, before tip. It can be done for much less if you eschew alcoholic brews.

Bottom line: Nice place for drinks and a few appetizers.


8 comments:

John Calypso said...

45 years of marital bliss - CONGRATULATIONS!

Tancho said...

Susan is indeed a trouper for putting up with your shtick for all those years......
For some reason Greek food has always seemed one dimensional to me. Looks good, tastes OK, not a go out of the way to try food for me.
Enjoy your journey.

DonCuevas said...

Gracias. Wait until the forthcoming review of where we ate for Doña Cuevas' birthday.


Did you all miss my previous post on Macelleria, in Colonia Roma, México, DF?


DC

Felipe Zapata said...

I am always mystified at your occasional write-ups of New York, etc., restaurants on "My Mexican Kitchen." Other than keeping you off the street and out of mischief for a spell while you write them, why bother? Your readers will never set foot in these places.


Apart from that grump, I send you anniversary good wishes.

DonCuevas said...

I've said before that this blog has little to do with "My Mexican Kitchen", and I once suggested changing the name and the theme, but my loyal readers urged me not to.


Anyway, you can think of the non-Mexican restaurant write ups as food porn.


Thanks for the anniversary wishes.


Saludos,
DC

Andean said...

Even though not been to eat in Irvington, Tarrytown, NY is a familiar area... Do you remember where you dined there?

And a Happy Anniversary to you and Sra. Cuevas.

DonCuevas said...

Andean, Tarrytown and Irvington are contiguous. Two years in a row, we had lunch at Sol y Mar, a Brazilian-Portuguese restaurant. First year was great but second time, less good.


If you do a search within the blog, you should find two reviews.


Saludos,
Don Cuevas

Lou Hlavenka said...

Mike, Por favor give me a shout via email. A chasm seems to have opened in Mexico, into it go all my emails to you. So it has been for a year or more.