FishTag, Michael Psilakis's Seafood Bar, Opens Tonight

222 West 79th Street, UWS
Phone: (212) 362-7470
Status: Now Open

FishTag, Michael Psilakis's new seafood-centric Mediterranean restaurant in the old Gus & Gabriel space on the UWS, opens to the public tonight at 5 PM. This will be the celeb chef's fourth concept in this space in the last eight years. The menu offers a mix of simply grilled and garnished fresh fish (roasted salmon with Greek salad, $22), exotic raw bar plates (sea urchin crudo in ocean water, $14) and several large dishes in the same vein as the rich, caloric fare offered at Kefi (sheep milk dumplings with crab and urchin fonduta, $19; lamb burger with “pickled French fries” $16). As previously noted, the menu is not broken down into courses, but plates, with most smaller portions in the mid teens, and no dish over $26. The old space has been completely redesigned to create a 30-seat bar area up front and a more formal dining room in the back. With the prices, the extensive wine and craft beer list, and the overall casual bar vibe, it almost sounds like Psilakis is following in the footsteps of another big re-do this year, The John Dory Oyster Bar.

For now, she'll just open for dinner, but expect brunch to roll out in the next couple of weeks. Oh, also: Ryan Skeen is the chef de cuisine. The protein-heavy, small plate and terrine-oriented menu seems firmly in his wheelhouse, and maybe— just maybe! — teaming up with a big-name like Psilakis will force him to keep his head down and cook. You never know with that guy. Do send all early reports our way.
Previous Coverage: Help wanted, 11/18; SkeenWire, 11/2; Reckless Rumormongering, 10/28; Plywood, 10/1
Further Reading: Diner's Journal, Diner's Journal

FISHTAG

GREEK “SPOON” SALAD 10
Tomato, cucumber, feta, onion, peppers, olives, croutons,
red wine vinaigrette

SEA URCHIN CRUDO IN OCEAN WATER 14
Lemon & EVO

SCALLOP CRUDO 15
Pickled beet & pistachio tartare, bone marrow, peppercress

SPICY COD “AVGOLEMONO” SOUP, 10
Orzo, pickled pearl onion, shishito, green onion, lemon

GRILLED STURGEON 25 §
Beets & horseradish

CHOPPED CHICORY, WILD ARUGULA & BULGHAR SALAD 10
Medjool dates, pomegranate, green olives, breakfast radish,
pistachio, peppers, grilled onions, smoked almonds

BACALA & SKORDALIA BRANDADE “MELT” 9
Kefaloteri, smoked eggplant, tomato confit, EVO

GRILLED SARDINES 13 §
Fennel confit, saffron pickled fennel, radish & dried capers

GRILLED STRIPE BASS 23 §
broccoli rape, lemon & extra virgin olive oil

GRILLED PRAWN, FETA & SPICY CHILIES BRUSCHETTA 10 §
Cumin, cracked peppercorn, garlic, warm pita

ROASTED SALMON 22 §
“Greek salad”

SHEEP MILK DUMPLINGS 19
Bay scallops, crab, aji amarillo peppers & sea urchin fonduta

TUNA CONFIT & BAKED RICOTTA BRUSCHETTA 10
Spicy peppers, pickled pearl onion, garlic confit, fried herbs

GRILLED BRANZINO STUFFED WITH HEAD CHEESE 26 §
Mushrooms confit

GRILLED SWORDFISH AND GREEK SAUSAGE 25 §
Grilled rapini, middle eastern spiced bulgur salad

JONAH CRAB AND SWEET & SOUR EGGPLANT BRUSCHETTA 10
Onion, peppers, pine nuts,
currants, smoked almonds, manouri cheese

SMOKED OCTOPUS 13 §
Chorizo, mushrooms & lemon

BOUCHOT MUSSELS & SPICY LAMB 22
Merguez, saffron pickled leeks, chick pea confit

PACCHERI 19
Braised sepia, smoked mozzarella, ricotta salata

LAMB BURGER 16
Pickled French fries

(§: May be simply grilled with rapini, potato & olives, extra virgin and fresh lemon juice)