December 15, 2008 |
Short Order
Did you feel the city tipping? Not an earthquake exactly but a slight off-balance as the entire population of the Upper West Side heads for the brand new Kefi on Columbus between 84th and 85th Streets. A leap from 65 seats to 200. Friday night the joint is jumping, a noisy inferno, tiny tables shoehorned together on all three levels - packed packed packed - servers racing, kitchen understandably slowish. Amiable veterans of the old Kefi, in its teeny cubbyhole at 222 West 79th make nice while runners in blue t-shirts stop at whatever table looks hungry, searching for a spot to drop a bundle of full plates. Asked to help choose something fruity from the wine list, partner Donatella scurries by, “I can’t help you. It’s all Greek to me.” And then the lights go out. Emergency lights switch on but the kitchen is black. A chef scurries to the cellar, disappears, fiddles with a panel. The lights finally come back. And then off again. Exhaust stilled, the kitchen fills with smoke. Lights on, appetizers arrive. Lights off. Emergency lights flash on again. “I’m calling Madaleine Mae to see if we can get a table,” says Ava. “I can’t promise anything,” the waiter says. “The exhaust is backed up into the kitchen.” I can smell it below. As Ava stands to slip into her coat, entrees arrive. We’re at Kefi, one of our favorite locals, and we’re eating.
Click here for short order archive.