In the heat of the day, we stopped in Pylos to eat a light lunch. While waiting for our horiatiki salads, we enjoyed the ambiance of contemporary and traditional styles blending as one: the clean, crisp decor clashed nicely with the ceiling strung with clay pots and the house bar topped with gray marble. Our meal arrived. Salads dressed simply in olive oil and red wine vinegar, kalamata olives, capers and feta served with warm pita on the side hit the spot. On evenings when we have been by, the restaurant is filled with people engaged in conversation and savoring their dishes. On this particular day, it was as if we sat in a shady cafe on the shores of the Mediterranean, the hum of 7th outside, the open doors giving us that al fresco feeling. Jared, a member of the Manhattan Sideways team, first encountered Pylos by accident a few years ago when his family was in search of a good Greek meal. They knew they had found a winner when they saw the lively crowd spilling out of Pylos and walked inside; needless to say, they have been back many times since. For dinner, the menu consists of delicious traditional Greek recipes such as moussaka, braised lamb chops, and grilled whole fish in olive oil and herbs, and more contemporary dishes such as chickpea soup with roasted tomatoes and caramelized onions, or organic chicken farci with raisins, rosemary, thyme, and kasseri cheese over roasted zucchini and eggplant.
