Estia Brings A True Taste Of Greece To Philadelphia

ESTIA
TO BRING A TRUE TASTE OF GREECE
TO PHILADELPHIA

PHILADELPHIA, PA  Enterprising restaurateurs, Pete Pashalis, Nick Pashalis and John Lois are pleased to announce that they will open Estia, an upscale Greek restaurant, located at 1407 Locust Street, in October. The stunning restaurant, which will be the first of its kind in the city, will transport guests to the Greek Islands with an atmosphere reminiscent of an inviting Mediterranean home and a menu of authentic specialties, simply prepared, that represent the best of Greek cuisine.

"We were all born in Greece and our commitment is to bring a taste of our homeland to Philadelphia when you dine at Estia," says Nick Pashalis, who is also a partner in Manhattan's highly regarded Avra.

Estia, which translates as hearth, will bring the ingredients, flavors and preparations of authentic dishes from the Mediterranean to Philadelphia. The restaurant will specialize in whole grilled fish, served by the pound, which will be flown in from the Greek islands, the shores of Morocco, Tunisia and Portugal and procured from independent North American fishermen. The exceptional cuisine will be complimented by a first-rate wine list with more than 300 selections including a large variety from Greece, Europe and the up-and-coming countries of Israel and Lebanon.

To create Estia the owners selected notable architect Yianni Skordas of Skordas Design Studio. For Estia, Skordas has designed a warm restaurant using traditional materials often found in Greek houses including hand-chiseled Jerusalem limestone floors, hand woven rugs, vaulted ceilings, antiqued stucco walls and wood plank floors. The homelike ambience will be accentuated with decorative artifacts such as clay pots, urns, cooking utensils and wrought iron wall sconces. In warmer months, Estia's atmosphere will spill out to the sidewalk in a 20-seat outdoor cafi.

An indoor courtyard with whitewashed walls, a deep blue ceiling and a living olive tree that symbolizes the Greek goddess Athena's gift to the citizens of Athens, will be the restaurant's hub of activity. It will feature a staging area where staff members will prepare appetizers and small dishes for guests such as assorted Greek olives, traditional Greek salads and homemade breads.

Sharing that area will be large displays of fresh food with glimmering whole fresh fish and colorful vegetables. Guests may select their own fish, which will then be cooked to perfection over the charcoal grill. A sparkling open kitchen with stainless steel and Mediterranean tiles will give guests a glimpse of the highly skilled culinary staff at work.

Menu offerings will include classic Greek dishes such as a selection of spreads, Tzatziki, Tarama, Scordalia and Ktipiti; Charcoal-Broiled Mediterranean Octopus, served with revythada; Grilled Calamari, stuffed with feta cheese, spinach and fresh mint, with saffron and truffle caviar; and charcoal-broiled Fresh Greek Sardines with extra virgin olive oil, lemon and oregano. An array of authentic desserts and Greek coffee, which will be brewed all day in the traditional style over open fire, will finish off the meal.

Estia will feature a welcoming bar and lounge area designed like a living room. Skordas achieves this feel with sofas and chairs covered in rich burgundy, rust and green fabrics. Exposed wood ceiling beams draped with white sail material will create an airy atmosphere. Antique wood tables, comfortable bar stools covered in white cotton slips and a limestone bar outfitted with antique Greek hutches for storing glasses and bottles completes the effect.

A series of dining areas with arched entranceways will feature large rustic farm tables, dark wood chairs with white cushions and dining nooks with upholstered banquettes. Stone columns, wood trellises and flowing sheer white-laced fabric will separate the dining areas.