Elia Restaurant Opens In Bal Harbour Shops

MEDITERRANEAN IN MIAMI
Elia restaurant opens in Bal Harbour Shops

Nestled in the posh Bal Harbour Shops, among such high-end stores as Neiman Marcus, Saks Fifth Avenue, Prada, and Tiffany & Co., Elia offers a comfortable, upscale environment with simple, yet elegant fare. Appealing to both health-minded diners seeking a light bite or those in the mood for a sumptuous Mediterranean feast, Elia serves reasonably-priced Mediterranean fare as well more sophisticated, contemporary creations by executive chef Dimitri Karagiannis. Seating 75 in the indoor dining room and 125 on the outside patio, Elia is the first US property for proprietor Athanasios Barlos, a seasoned Greek restaurateur who also owns/operates the renowned Athenian destination restaurant, Boschetto.

Handpicked by Barlos to serve as consulting chefs for Elia are Sergio Mei, executive chef of the Four Seasons in Milan, and Bernard Le Prince, the award-winning chef of Fouquets in France  both close associates of Barlos. Rounding out the amazing team is general manager Juan Rochaix, formerly of Yuca on Miami Beach and former owner of Las Puertas in Coral Gables, Florida.

A jet-setter, Barlos, 45, has traveled around the globe, living in such culinary Meccas as Paris, Milan, New York and his native Athens. These diverse influences, along with Barlos love of food and wine filtered into his concept for Elia. I love Miamis energy, says Barlos, who first visited the city in 1991 with wife, Erin. It has a vibrancy all its own and that, coupled with the beautiful weather year round, made it the perfect place to launch Elia.

At the helm of Elias kitchen is executive chef Dimitri Karagiannis, who also serves as executive chef of Barlos Athens restaurant, Boschetto. Splitting his time between Athens and Miami, Karagiannis has created for Elia a flavorful, robust menu, featuring innovative salads, incredible seafood, poultry and meat dishes as well as authentic Greek delights, including a mousaka based on a recipe handed down from Barlos mother. Prior to Boschetto, Karagiannis, a Culinary Institute of America graduate, externed with industry luminaries Charlie Trotter and Daniel Boloud and served as executive sous chef at two high-profile New Orleans restaurants, La Provence and La Riviera.

The menu begins with an array of soups ($6 - $9), including avgolemono, a classic Greek chicken soup that blends lemon juice, egg yolk and rice, as well as a chilled golden gazpacho with avocado and a stone crab timbale. From there, diners can sample diverse appetizers
($9 - $16), including a meant-to-be-shared meze platter with feta cheese, spinach pie, olives, roasted peppers, taramasalata, marinated anchovies and grilled octopus. Also available are steamed mussels, a napoleon made with eggplant, buffalo mozzarella, roasted peppers and bagna cauda and chargrilled octopus with a delicious white bean salad.

Elias eclectic menu also encompasses innovative salads ($7 - $9), homemade pastas and risottos ($14 - $19). Selections of note include a shaved, marinated artichoke and aged Parmigiano-Reggiano salad; grilled wild mushrooms on a bed of arugula and roasted shallots; spinach gnocchi with Gorgonzola and toasted walnuts; tagliatelle with procini mushrooms, truffle oil and fresh Parmigiano.

No Mediterranean menu would be complete without delectable seafood dishes and for Elia, Karagiannis has created recipes ($17 - $24) sure to win over diners. They include an Atlantic salmon, wrapped in grape leaves and served over Israeli couscous; pan seared tuna over ratatouille and crispy; and a grilled swordfish and vegetable kabob, drizzled with pesto and served with rice pilaf. The restaurant also offers a fabulous raw bar with fresh indigenous and imported offerings, including sea urchin.

The menu continues with fabulous entrees ($14 - $24) perfect for those seeking heartier dishes. Diners will be treated to ma