I was in New York City the other day for a meeting with a client. I had enough time for lunch in the area. My colleague and I spotted the nearest restaurant to our appointment and decided to go for it.

Acclaimed chef Costas Spiliadis founded Estiatirio Milos, a recognized Mediterranean seafood restaurant with locations in NYC, Montréal, Athens, Las Vegas, Miami and London. There’s also the “Milos at Sea” option, which looks like a chartered dining experience in the Mediterranean.

Being a huge fan of Mediterranean food, I was happy we stumbled upon its NYC location. Its lunch menu was simple, with a fixed price option or à la carte. The fixed-price option had my favorite, grilled octopus, so I leaned toward that. My entrée choice was the lamb sandwich — fresh roast leg of lamb served with Greek fried potatoes.

After we ordered, fresh-baked crusty bread was served, with a handful of oregano hand-cut with scissors into the olive oil on the table. Simple but delicious. The octopus came out quickly after we finished soaking up the oil into the last piece of the bread, and the presentation was amazing. Small slices placed over Santoríni fava – yellow split pea fava from Santoríni — all shaped in a cup and plated. Loved it. Next was the lamb sandwich, super tender, and the side of potatoes filled me up properly.

Overall, it is great restaurant with fast, friendly service. The octopus was the highlight, but the lamb was nothing to complain about. Milos is definitely a place to repeat for lunch soon!

— William Papa, Director of Sales