Kefi

Photo: Jeff Gurwin

Sure, Kefi has been billed as a downscale Greek joint, and all the standard elements of the cuisine—moussaka, souvlaki, spanakopita—are in place. But diners should expect no less from chef Michael Psilakis (Dona, Anthos) at this spot than they did at Onera, his haute Greek restaurant that previously occupied the Kefi space. In its latest reimagining, the eatery is casually dressed down, with bare wooden tables and swaths of blue and white fabrics billowing from the ceiling. The equally artful yet laid-back food includes a variety of memorable meze, like the inventive open-faced spinach pie—a phyllo dough cup filled with béchamel sauce, sautéed spinach and feta—and a foursome of flavorful spreads (tsatsiki, eggplant, fava and a top-notch taramasalata). The vat-size bowl of bland veal-and-rice meatball soup was one of few disappointments. But the entrées, including a robust roasted chicken with potatoes and red peppers (pictured) and a hearty lamb shank with orzo (that nicely soaked up the dish’s red-wine sauce) rendered that pratfall a distant memory. Beverage director Kostas Damianos was vastly knowledgeable about the all-Greek wine list and made some excellent recommendations, like the zippy, sparkling moschofilero, which was a fine foil to Kefi’s oil-rich meze. The reasonable prices—appetizers top out at $9.95, entrées at $15.95—make sticking around for a classic dessert of thick Greek yogurt with fragrant honey a no-brainer.—TONY

Photo: Jeff Gurwin