Lovers of all things edible and Greek gathered in New York Wednesday night for the inaugural Taste Of Greece event, a tasty tour of wine, Mediterranean cuisine and music at City Winery in Manhattan’s Hudson Square.
Organized by New Wines of Greece, the event saw crowds surging and mingling among wine tasting and food stalls, all set against the familiar sound of the Syrtaki played live on stage by Irini Haridou, Nikos Plios and their band from Athens.
With wine from over 50 of Greece’s most popular wineries on show, alongside nibbles from New York’s most popular Greek restaurants—from Chef Michael Psilakis’s MP Taverna in Astoria to The Greek, Tribeca—it was a popular night out for an upscale set, a reflection of the $75 price tag.
But if $75 ($125 for VIPs) sounds pricey, know that all proceeds went to help feed the needy of Greece through a partnership with the Friends of Boroume Charity, a non-profit dedicated to reducing food waste by distributing surplus food to the poor. When you consider the tough time the beautiful Mediterranean country has had recently, events like this are sure to go a long way.
The best food of the night came in the shape of a chicken souvlaki wrap from MP Taverna: a deliciously chewy pita married up well with chargrilled chicken, tzatziki and vinegared red onions. The second best dish also came from Chef Psilakis in the shape of smoked salmon with olive tapenade.
While charity events like this are an important way to showcase the best of the best, I left reassured that this city has some pretty darn good Greek food. And if you can’t make it on the next plane to Athens, there’s always Astoria.
Twisted Talk: What’s your favorite NYC Greek restaurant? Have you ever tried Retsina, the Greek wine scented with pine resin? Love it or hate it?
