Not many cultures are as well versed in seafood as the Greeks. The key benefit of their proximity to the Mediterranean Sea is the presence of delicious, fresh seafood in almost every meal they serve.
Not sure how to pick out the best seafood for your summer meal? We went to straight to the experts, the owners of the Design District’s Greek restaurant Egg & Dart, Niko Theodorou and Costa Grillas, to ask them for their tips.
Theodorou, who was raised in the restaurant industry in Greece, notes that the most important thing to look at when choosing a whole fish are the eyes - the clearer the eye, the fresher the fish. If the eye is foggy, odds are it has been in the display for some time. Always make sure to smell the fish too, he notes. It should smell like salt water but not fishy.
The fish you see on the Egg & Dart menu is delivered several times a week from some of the top seafood purveyors in the Mediterranean. They use fish from this region because the salt levels are higher in the Mediterranean Sea making for a tastier fish. As for shellfish and other seafood items, they are big fans of the local product from Florida.
The Greek eat fish all kinds of ways – grilled, fried, broiled – the most popular way to serve the fresh catch at Egg & Dart is simply grilled with some olive oil and lemon to let the seafood shine.
Curious what Theodorou’s favorite dish is? He thinks they are all great; the octopus that is boiled and then grilled to order has a special place in his heart. The restaurant, which is celebrating its second anniversary on August 1, serves seafood that will please any palate along with array of other classic Greek dishes. Make sure to try them out during Miami Spice or at its ever-popular weekend brunch and have a taste for yourself!
Egg & Dart is located 4029 North Miami Avenue. Summer hours are Tuesday through Friday 4 p.m. – 11:30 p.m., Saturday and Sunday 11 a.m. – 11:30 p.m. Closed Mondays.
