A Greek Newcomer With a City Touch

ON Long Island, a Greek restaurant is still usually an inexpensive storefront specializing in gyros and huge salads. However, the upscale places selling fish by the pound that have become popular in Manhattan are slowly starting to make their mark on the Island. Trata East arrived in Water Mill last year, and now Ethos, which opened in early November, is turning heads in Great Neck.

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Ethos, which took over the space best remembered as Millie’s, is the younger sibling of two other Ethos restaurants, one on Third Avenue in Manhattan, the other in Astoria, Queens. Peter Spyropoulos, who has cooked at Bouley and Estiatorio Milos, among other places in Manhattan, is the executive chef of all three Ethos restaurants.

The first thing patrons at the Great Neck spot see is a dazzling display of whole fish on ice, boxes and bowls of fruits and vegetables and imposing arrangements of exotic flowers. A second look reveals a lovely candlelit restaurant decorated in earth tones with brick accents and wall sculptures executed in bas-relief.

There is a lot to like at Ethos. One plus is the service staff. Our waiter was attentive, knowledgeable and willing to check ingredients for a diner with food allergies. Others on the staff whisked plates away as soon as we finished eating and kept our water glasses full.

The bread basket was not among the things we liked. One night it held slices of ordinary white and dark bread and wheat and white pita triangles, all cold. Another time it had only the sliced bread, but at least it was warm.

Diners looking for warm wedges of pita, complete with grill marks, will find them served with the platter of five assorted spreads (pikilia spread). This assortment () was enough for four to share. The salty, creamy taramosalata (fish-roe dip) was our favorite. The other four — a rich, thick tsatziki (cucumber-yogurt dip), smoky roasted eggplant, appropriately garlicky skordalia (mashed potato and garlic) and a cheese spread (tyrokafteri) whipped with roasted jalapeños — also made the grade.

The artichoke salad, though, disappointed. The menu indicated that the marinated hearts were fresh, but they tasted canned or frozen.

We gave high marks to the flavorful ground lamb meatballs and to the grilled jumbo shrimp served on a lush sauce of lemon, herbs and olive oil. The best opener, though, was the basket of paper-thin rounds of pan-fried eggplant and zucchini.

There are eight salads on the menu. We liked the Elliniki, which is closest to what Americans call Greek salad: romaine lettuce, olives, cucumber, onions, beautifully ripe tomatoes and a small slab of feta on top.

Main courses were less successful than appetizers. Fish were all over the place, from an excellent, lightly grilled pompano to a hard, overcooked Dover sole. Slightly dry grilled swordfish was somewhere in between. The menu encourages patrons to select their fish from the iced display at the restaurant’s entrance. One night I was the only person looking at the fish, and no wonder: They were not labeled, making it difficult, if not impossible, to choose.

Meats were also uneven. Best was the moist, tender, braised baby lamb in a mild tomato sauce, cooked in a clay pot. Grilled baby lamb chops were succulent, if a bit fatty. The filet mignon souvlaki had meat that was tasty from its marinade but dry and chalky.

Each entree comes with one side dish. We gave thumbs up to the sautéed spinach, both by itself and in a flavor-packed mixture with rice, the oven-roasted lemon potatoes and the horta. The last is defined on the menu as steamed dandelions but is in fact a more substantial green, similar in texture to escarole. Skip the limp fried potato rounds.

Dessert is complimentary and ends the meal on an up note. The galaktaboureko (phyllo pastry and custard) was exceptionally good, as was the creamy rice pudding. Fresh fruit also made a welcome appearance.

Ethos

25 Middle Neck Road

Great Neck

(516) 305-4958

www.ethosrestaurants.com

GOOD

THE SPACE Long, lovely, candlelit Greek restaurant. There are a few steps at the entrance; restrooms are accessible.

THE CROWD A very social scene with lots of table-hopping. Few children.

THE BAR A liquor license is pending.

THE BILL Lunch entrees, to . Dinner entrees, to . Fish by the pound can run higher. American Express, MasterCard and Visa accepted.

WHAT WE LIKE Pikilia spread, ground lamb meatballs, grilled shrimp, pan-fried eggplant and zucchini, Elliniki salad, pompano, braised baby lamb, lamb chops, spinach and rice, horta, sautéed spinach, oven-roasted lemon potatoes, galaktaboureko, rice pudding.

IF YOU GO Open seven days a week. Lunch: noon to 3 p.m. Dinner: 3 to 11 p.m. Reservations are recommended.

Reviewed Dec. 23, 2007

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