LÝRA - Chicago
LÝRA offers authentic Greek dishes with locally sourced ingredients, and it's the newest restaurant in a wave of contemporary Greek restaurants opening in Chicago. Helmed by the award-winning, internationally-acclaimed chefs Athinagoras Kostakos and Alexis Zopas, the restaurant promises "simple dishes with bold flavors that rely on the quality of their ingredients rather than overly complicated sauces."
So what kind of authentic dishes with locally sourced ingredients can you expect at LÝRA ?
A good starter is hummus, but this is hummus with charred beets, 60 second pita, pomegranate, and toasted pine nuts -- there's a lot of flavor going on in this traditional dip, and it's a step or two above the usually pleasing if somewhat one-dimensional versions of this very popular Greek and Middle Eastern app.
Taking full advantage of the blazing hearth that's the heart of the restaurant, chefs Kostakos and Zopas serve up a Grilled Octopus like you've never seen before, spiced up with charred cipollini onion and fresno chili, perked with kalamata olive relish and greek balsamic vinegar, it will set the bar for all octopi you ever order ever again.
Pastitsio is one of the favorites of the Greek dining pantheon, and at LÝRA, what's served is Deconstructed Pastitsio, a beautiful composition of short rib ragu and black truffle bechamel. You decide whether it's more wonderful than the standard (we've already made up our minds).
Pork is big in Greece, in fact gyros as served on the islands are made of pork, not lamb (as is commonly believed). Here, the Myconian Anice-Cursted Pork Chops are cooked at 600 degrees, sprinkled with Himalayan sea salt, dressed with gremolata, and sided by Florina pepper romesco.
If you prefer meat for your main, you're going to want the 22-ounce dry-aged Prime Ribeye, which is Linz heritage Angus, festooned with garlic confit and herb butter, perhaps the most spectacular steak you will ever enjoy in a Greek restaurant.
About the overall vibe of the place, Eater Chicago tells us, "There are trellises, bougainvillea, and, in one of the private dining rooms, shutters that appear to be illuminated by the sun setting behind them."
