Molyvos Restaurant   

No need to jet off to the Mediterranean in order to ingest authentic Greek eats. In fact, you don't even need to leave the isle of Manhattan to find this venerable, comfortable Midtown mainstay. Named after a beautiful medieval town on the north shore of Lesvos, the spacious and comfortable upscale taverna manages to draw hipsters, trendsetters and the wealthy while still maintaining its relaxed, earth-toned, everyone-in-the-booth feel. Start with the bustling bar upfront, which is roomy and artifact-adorned, and boasts an archipelago of Mediterranean wines and vintage photos. Move right along to the main dishes, where Jim Botsacos' progressive Mediterranean menu serves up seafood Cretan bread salad, lamb yuvetsi and rabbit stifado. If you have to ask how good the baklava and meze plates are, you obviously didn't get enough ouzo to drink. Lively, warm and always filling, Molyvos is only missing one element: a ferry back to Athens. -- Yon Motskin