New York Eats | 🇬🇷 Taverna Kyclades Greek Cuisine 🍔

This Taverna in Queens is a well-known Greek restaurant that many friends have recommended. There’s also a branch in the East Village, but I heard the food isn’t as good as the Queens location—and it’s not operating recently. Maybe my expectations were just too high, but after making a special trip, I felt it wasn’t really worth it. 🤔 The portions are huge. Two of us ordered three dishes and still took a bunch home. We had: 🐟 Whiting Fish - The grilled fish was super fragrant! It reminded me of small yellow croaker back home, crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, with almost no bones. It was definitely the best dish of the day! 🐟 🐙 Octopus Tentacles - The meat was indeed tender, but the seasoning was a bit too tangy for my taste. The outer layer was slightly burnt and tasted a bit bitter. The accompanying vegetables had no flavor at all; we had to add salt ourselves. The octopus I had in Lisbon was definitely better. 🦑 🐑 Grilled Lamb Chops - The portion was enormous, but they were really tough to chew... The seasoning was simple—just salt and rosemary. The meat was juicy, but it was too tough, especially not friendly for those with braces. 🍖 🦑 The overall vibe of the place is like a neighborhood favorite, a bustling spot loved by locals. It’s popular, doesn’t take reservations, and only allows walk-ins. We went at 2 p.m. on a weekend and still had to wait a bit. The restaurant was filled with families having weekend gatherings. 🦑 In summary, their seafood, especially the fish, is the highlight. I haven’t tried other shellfish, so I can’t comment on those. But honestly, so far, I’ve been disappointed with European cuisine in New York... It’s expensive and just average. Maybe it’s more worthwhile to visit Europe once a year for the authentic experience! ✈️ #ChroniclerOfALovelyLife #NewYork