Undoubtedly, the shiny, new Hudson Yards complex in Manhattan is currently the most buzz-worthy development in the global real estate mise en scene. Billed as a playground for billionaires by its developer Related Companies, Hudson Yards is indeed an ambitious property complete with The Shed, a new center for artistic invention in Manhattan, The Vessel, a $200 million landmark and public structure designed by architect Thomas Heatherwick and offices, resident condos and a glittery mall with the first Neiman Marcus in New York City at its center. The rest of the mall is sprinkled with interactive art installations, luxury brands and high-end restaurants helmed by celebrity chefs. The splashiest space in the development is Estiatorio Milos, an expansive, white-washed, bi-level space on Levels 5 and 6, with its signature fresh seafood display over ice, floor-to-ceiling windows and views of the Hudson River. It is the second Manhattan outpost of Chef Costas Spiliadis’ elegant restaurant chain regarded worldwide for its indubitably fresh seafood.
I was very fortunate to have had dinner in the opening week with a food connoisseur from India. We were seated at a table with direct views of The Vessel, The Shed and the Hudson River. Obviously, this added to the whole gustatory experience, and needless to say, my friend pronounced it as near perfect a meal he’d had in a long time despite his international culinary acumen.
Chef Spiliadis’ mantra lies in the celebration of all things Greek from the food, to the wine and to the process. On Level 5, diners will encounter Milos Wine Bar, a new concept for the Milos chain, where the wines presented read like a geographical map of Greece with varieties originating in sun-drenched vineyards from Santorini, Macedonia and Thessaly. The menu consists of small plates and meze with a potpourri of Greek favorites like htipiti, keftedakia, spanakopita, souvlaki, olives, cheeses and of course, raw bar front runners such as oysters, sashimis, tartares and octopus. A look around Milos Wine Bar and you will find several cheesecloth bags hanging above clay vats where an assortment of yogurt varieties produced in Greece and Cyprus are strained in-house using an ages-old drip method. Another look showcases a retail selection of Milos’ proprietary Greek packaged goods such as extra virgin olive oil, Kythiran sea salt and honey.
Up a winding marble staircase is the curved dining hall where minimalist Mediterranean design with a dramatic cement banquette bellies up to the outdoor terrace. An exciting element to the dining experience is The Fish Eye, a glass-enclosed room where guests can witness the fishmonger process from the selection of fish through its cleaning, filleting and preparation right in front of them. Chef Spiliadis added this element because he believes in the context of food where the dining experience includes a symbiotic relationship between the back and front of house working together harmoniously as one entity. At any time, expect to see no less than 30 varieties of bulging-eyed seafood including traditional Greek Fagri, Lathrini, Barbouni and the elusive Lavraki amongst others.
The global chain started humbly by Chef Spiliadis with one location in Montreal in 1979 where the young chef would drive six hours each way, twice a week to New York City’s Fulton Fish Market to ensure the best and most fresh of seafood for his diners. Today, with that same determination, Milos has locations in Midtown Manhattan (1997), Athens (2004), Las Vegas (2010), Miami Beach (2012) and London (2016) with plans for two more outposts in Los Cabos and Dubai slated for later this year.
The success of Milos lies in Chef Spiliadis’ exacting methods over his food. He doesn’t follow trends; he relies on meticulous sourcing, handling and preparation of his cuisine. Over his almost four decades of research and experience, Chef Spiliadis has built lasting relationships with small-scale fisheries in Greece, Cyprus, Morocco, Tunisia and Portugal that allows him to daily fly in the freshest seafood found in these luscious coastlines. Tomatoes, in New York, are seasonally sourced from farms in New Jersey, the Carolinas and Florida and are never refrigerated, but instead stacked in pyramids to encourage perfect ripening. The fish is cooked delicately, yet deliberately to complement the flavors and texture of each variety served. An example of this is the Lavraki baked in Kythiran sea salt which enhances the already sweet, buttery, flaky meat; it is a dish that must be tasted at least once in a lifetime.
The chef’s signature dishes, which are meant to be shared, include the Milos Crudo Tasting, a raw bar selection of whole Dorade Royal sashimi, smoked salmon, sashimi, tartare and Bottarga, a Mediterranean delicacy of salted, cured roe. The lobster, sourced from Canada’s Bay of Fundy, with a lemony Ladolemono sauce is perfectly complemented by Athenian pasta served in a captivating presentation. The Milos Special is a crispy, gracefully battered tower of zucchini and eggplant served with Kefalograviera cheese and a tangy tzatziki. Another transportative dish is the sashimi quality, grilled Mediterranean octopus presented with a traditional Santorini yellow split pea fava. For dessert, try the classical Karydopita walnut cake topped with a modern honey lavender ice cream that ends the meal with delight.
Be aware that Milos Estiatorio does not publish its prices online nor on the printed display outside the restaurant. But then if you have to ask…
Milos Wine Bar and Estiatorio Milos at Hudson Yards are open daily from 11:30am to 5pm for lunch and 5pm to 11:30pm (midnight on weekends) for dinner. Reservations are recommended at Estiatorio Milos, but not always necessary at Milos Wine Bar. Private dining rooms are available.
Estiatorio Milos at Hudson Yards
20 Hudson Yards, Levels 5 and 6
New York City