Kanella Grill Awards

Kanella Grill Restaurant Review:

Chef Konstantinos Pitsillides has elevated Cypriot cuisine at his restaurant Kanella, and this second installment makes it even more accessible. Kanella Grill occupies the small corner storefront on Spruce Street where the original Kanella was located. Azure blue and white stucco immediately evoke the Mediterranean sky and water, while the checked tablecloths signal a more casual dining experience than its predecessor. In place of the full service menu is a smaller, curated list of grilled meats. Yet precision cooking, now under the supervision of Dominic Santora, is still in full effect, with cross-hatched blocks of grill-scorched haloumi cheese, shaved pork and beef gyro, and beautifully spiced lamb shawarma. Tucked into a pita or presented as a platter with turmeric-tinged pickles, thick fries and a spicy tomato salad, there’s a fresh simplicity to this food that makes it appealing all day long. Or visit at dinner and opt for a three-course mezze feast for $30 a person. Intriguing beverages include soumada, a sweet ground almond drink, thyme lemonade or a mint and cinnamon-spiked cucumber juice. For dessert, try the rich baklava or the semolina custard-stuffed galaktoboureko. Cash only, and BYO.