It’s been a long time since Piermont had a new waterfront restaurant and its latest, with a Mediterranean focus and a breezy, beachy decor, is making a splash.
Trata on the River, which opened Oct. 11, replaces what had, for close to a decade, been Pier 701. Annamaria Adinolfi, who owns Elia, an upscale Greek spot in East Rutherford, New Jersey, wanted to create an “islandly, brunchy, flowery” space similar to what you’d find in Greece. She and her partner Efthimios Salouros, who’s been in the restaurant business since he was 12 (and spent part of his childhood in Athens), had the place gutted for a complete redo and reimagining.
Walls were knocked down; mantels were opened up (there are two fireplaces); the bar was moved (for a better view of the water); bathrooms were redone; a new kitchen was added; portholes were embraced (they had been there but hidden); banquettes were added and so on. They also cleaned up the patio and beach area, infusing an island vibe with a tiled outdoor bar, lots of greenery and a retractable roof that can be personalized so one diner can sit in the shade while the other dines in the sun. The area will also be heated (they’re currently waiting on their heaters from Greece) and open as long as the weather cooperates.
The result, both in the 250-seat outdoor space and in the 350-seat indoor dining rooms, is a trendy beach clubby ambiance that’s light, bright, cheery and white with a vibrant blue front door and 10-foot windows that bring in that picturesque bridge and water view.
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A mostly gluten-free menu
Like its sister restaurant across the border, Trata, which translates to Greek fishing boat, is focused on fresh, high-quality ingredients with 99% of its menu made from scratch. Most items are gluten-free and can be easily modified to accommodate dietary restrictions (or preferences).
Chef José Luis Falcón, who worked at such renowned New York restaurants as Nobu, Café des Artistes, and Windows on the World (and who was born into a culinary family in Mexico), leads the kitchen and is dedicated to authentic flavors.
Fish is an emphasis.
There is, in fact, a fish display ‒ what looks like a colorful corner grocer ‒ on one side of the dining room where customers can walk over and select their meal.
The fish ‒ the restaurant’s point of pride ‒ is imported from around the world but mainly from Greece, New Zealand and East Africa. There are five varieties at the moment which should double in number come summer. Just be warned: it takes 45 minutes to cook as everything here is done to order.
Among the menu standouts: sushi-grade Tuna Tartare (with rice crackers, avocado, cucumber, jalapeño and soy tahini sauce); fire-grilled octopus (with fava puree, peas and beans, roasted peppers, onions and tomato oil); Chilean Seabass (with roasted sunchokes, asparagus, baby kale and parsnip mousseline); and Phyllo Feta Sticks, with pomegranate and blueberry chutney and honeycomb.
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Diners can also expect an impressive raw bar, a variety of salads, as well as a host of Greek hummus and other dips. Meats are also a highlight with items such as double smoked pork belly, Greek meatballs, lamb chops, organic chicken and filet mignon. There’s also a sizeable section devoted to vegetables as well as Greek cheeses.
“We’re all about offering peasant cooking with modern flair,” said Salouros.
That flair extends to the drinks menu with wine list that’s predominantly sourced from Greece and California, along with six different Greek beers and Greek-infused cocktails (try their Rose Water Sangria made with Greek white wine and rose water from the island of Chios). Another highlight: A mocktail list made with house-blended fresh fruits.
The backstory
Trata’s history goes back 23 years ago to the Upper East Side when Salouros had a Greek restaurant under the same name. Trata was in business on 70th Street and Second Avenue for 18 years; there was also a location in the Hamptons, which also lasted 18 years.
The brand also, at one time, was in Roslyn, Long Island (eight years).
It’s in Manhattan, however, where Salouros first met Luis Falcón who started as a line cook at the 70th Street spot and quickly moved up when the first chef quit. They’ve been working together ever since with Luis Falcón also in charge of the kitchen at Elia.
That backstory is why, when Adinolfi and Salouros heard there was the possibility of opening a restaurant on the water, the Rutherford residents jumped. “We wanted to expand the brand,” said Salouros.
“And, because a lot of our previous clientele knew us from the Hamptons, we decided this was the perfect opportunity to bring back the name.”
If you go
Address: 701 Piermont Ave., Piermont, 845-398-2000, trataontheriver.com.
Hours: 5 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. for reservations Sunday to Wednesday; to 10 p.m. Thursdays to Saturdays. Watch their social media for updates as hours should change shortly to include lunch and brunch.
Reservations recommended: The restaurant is still in its soft opening phase and while it accepts walk-ins, reservations are highly recommended.
Private dining? Yes. There are two rooms which accommodate 25 or more Sundays to Thursdays only.
Prices: Appetizers are in the $16 to $28 range with entrees $34 and up.
Music’s in the air: There’s a DJ Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights starting at 7:30 p.m.; in November, they’ll offer burlesque on Thursdays starting at 8:30 p.m. Brunch is also to come and will feature a DJ, violinist and drummer playing toubeleki, a traditional Greek instrument.
Good to know: No baseball caps allowed. Also good to know: The restaurant is handicap accessible.
Jeanne Muchnick covers food and dining. Click here for her most recent articles and follow her latest dining adventures on Instagram @jeannemuchnick or via the lohudfood newsletter.
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