Beyoglu Lunch: Upper East Side Lunch – Octopus & Squid in New York (Part 3)

Part 1
Part 2

captivated

Over the Thanksgiving weekend, I had a special lunch planned with friends. We met in big, ‘ole New York City, and I had no idea that octopus would be in my future. It wasn’t until I was stared down by the menu item above that my meal fate was sealed.

We went to Beyoglu on Third Avenue and 81st Street; a short walk from their abodes. The waiters are friendly and the atmosphere is casual and laid back. The restaurant achieves it’s goal of transporting the diner into a lively, European meeting place. The decor is adorable, with tiled tabletops and an inviting bar at the entrance. There is some confusion about the type of food that is served at Beyoglu, but not of the quality. Whether you call it Turkish or Greek, the Mediterranean cuisine is top notch.

After sitting together and gabbing for a bit (as girls do), we noticed beautifully large rounds of bread delivered to each table. We instantly decided to share dips to put the bread to good use:

starting off right

Just look at that hunk of bread! It was soft and pillowy in the middle, with charred edges and sesame seeds on top. It was the absolute perfect vehicle for the fantastic dips. The hummus was made of chick peas & tahini seasoned w/ cumin & garlic. The portion was large and made for a cozy snack. I can’t seem to find the spinach dip on the online menu, but I remember it the taste well enough. It was chopped spinach topped with homemade yogurt and spices. There was garlic in there, maybe some shallots? We didn’t leave a bite of either one.

While the girls munched on gorgeous, fresh looking salads:

salad one

salad two

I opted for a protein-rich salad for myself:

my kinda salad

Listed as an appetizer on the menu, my main course at lunch was – Ahtapot Salatasi: char-grilled octopus marinated in olive oil & balsamic vinegar. The octopus didn’t exactly show any signs of ‘char’ or ‘grill’ but I have no complaints about the flavor and texture of my 8-legged friend. It was softer than the octopus at the Greek Corner, but that’s just because of the lack of heavy grilling. With a sprinkling of lemon, the small salad was an excellent lunch for me!

Thanks friends, for picking an awesome place 🙂

Beyoglu
1431 Third Ave.
at 81st St.
New York, NY 10028
212-650-0850

Mediterranean Grill for surpise dinner night

Late last week, Lauren called me on her way home from work and asked what we were having for dinner. Since our fridge was almost empty, our pantry was unappealing, and our freezer was filled with [obviously] frozen foods used for lunchtime, I took a risk. I suggested, “Why don’t you pick something up and surprise me?!?” (I sure know how to spice up a boring week)

Lauren agreed and I came home to this:

what can it be?

still not sure but getting closer

Any guesses (maybe from the title)?

greek feast

I was graced with a greek spread that covered all of my favorites – greek salad with all the fixings, grape leaves (dolmas), hummus, warm pita

for 2

for me

A large salad covered in varying toppings makes me happy: it’s large enough to filler up, takes a long time to eat, and covers the vegetable quota for the day. I definitely indulge in the topping area with feta cheese, cukes, tomatoes, olives, hot peppers, tahini sauce (sesame), spicy chile sauce, hummus, and last but not least…..grape leaves:

dolmas is a word reserved for a special set of people

Hot, with a slight crispy outer layer (leaf) and a soft ricey innard, the grape leaves make for a wonderful topping on a cold salad. The rice is intensely seasoned and adds chaos to an otherwise neat plate of food.

can't have greek without hummus and pita

Hummus and pita are necessities – creamy chickpea spread generously dolloped into a warm pita pocket completed my meal with a bit of heft and carb-i-ness.

If the Mediterranean Grill excels at one thing, it’s consistency. I have had this salad/hummus meal more than 25 times at different locations over the past 7 years and it always hits the spot – the yummy, healthy, satisfying, eat a lot of food over a long period of time spot.

Mediterranean Grill
2126 N Decatur Rd
Decatur, GA 30033
http://www.mediterraneangrill.com