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| Kyma by Paul Frysh The Buckhead Life group has struck again. Pulling out all of the usual stops, they have taken over what was formerly Fusebox on Piedmont Road to open a Greek fish restaurant. The interior is done with typical polish and panache and the place has a nice open feel with different shades of Mediterranean blues wherever you look. No expense was spared, from the awesome marble columns at the entrance to the artisan plaster on the interior walls. The atmosphere has a nice casual balance, not as grand as Blue Point and not as formal as Pano’s. There is even a cool little patio that looks like a great place for a small private party. Under the capable direction of Pano Karatassos Jr, Kyma has carved out an interesting and distinctive personality for itself while staying true to the spirit of simple Greek cuisine. This is not a place of elaborate preparation and presentation -- at the heart of the restaurant are the ingredients. The most important of these, the fish, is beautifully displayed at the entrance. And not just for show – much of the fish is flown in daily from Greece in specialized containers. All of the fish is supremely fresh and sold by the pound. You can pick your own individual fish by hand or a larger one to roast for the whole table. Other unusual ingredients like wild Greek oregano, giant white “Kastorian” beans, and a wonderfully thick, tart, Greek style yogurt are indicative of the care with which the restaurant is selecting ingredients. A traditional country salad with lemon and olive oil was great in large part because of the perfect mid-summer ripe tomatoes. Where do they get them in the middle of winter? Certainly not at my neighborhood supermarket. Starters are a must at Kyma. If you skip them you will miss at least half of the fun. At the top of my list is the wood-grilled octopus. I won’t attempt the Greek spelling of this dish because, unless you are Greek, it would be too difficult to remember and absolutely impossible to pronounce! Surprisingly tender and flavorful, it has just the right bite of vinegar and wood from the grill. Also great are the fresh wood-grilled sardines and the marinated anchovies served with grilled bell peppers, a dish which bears no resemblance to the canned salt strips most people associate with anchovies. Don’t be scared away by the ingredients, these are simple earthy dishes that would be eaten by the locals in a Greek fishing village. They are prepared with care and they are delicious. Other, more common Greek appetizers like pureed eggplant, grape leaves and taramosalata are also excellent. Try the Greek yogurt mixed with cucumber, garlic and dill called Tzatziki. It goes well with many of the sides and starters and it’s good by itself too. And as for sides, the stewed giant white beans were my favorite side dish and the basic wilted greens with olive oil and lemon were also excellent. The fish we had was Lavraki, which translates as wild bass. Not to be confused with sea bass, which is completely different, this fish is almost trout-like in its light, sweet consistency. It was simply grilled and served to us whole in typical Mediterranean style with olive oil and capers. It was perfect. There were a variety of other mostly Greek fish on offer and a shellfish stew made with ouzo (an anise flavored liqueur) that looks very interesting. Although fish is the main attraction here, there are chicken, lamb and beef offerings on the menu, all cooked with the same simple elegance. Lamb dominates because of its history as a traditional Greek food. Accompanied by crisped potatoes and artichoke, our grilled lamb chops were tender and full of flavor. Dessert at Kyma brings on the traditional baklava and other nut and phyllo-dough sweets expertly prepared by the hot shot young pastry chef. For something more unusual, try the fantastic phyllo dessert filled with pastry cream. We also sampled a huge plateful of beignet-like fried dough balls drizzled with honey, perfectly accompanied by strong Turkish coffee for a pleasant change of pace. Top the whole thing off with a little ouzo and roll yourself back home with a smile. It’s worth every calorie. Kyma is located at 3085 Piedmont Road. Their phone number is (404) 262-0702. |
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| from top: Fresh fish; Various appetizers; Father and son, Pano Sr. & Jr. Karatassos; Mussels; Pear Dessert. |
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