Open in Albertson: Grillmark
Dimitri Londos, left, and Nick Marinos, are co-owners of Grillmark in Albertson, Aug. 20, 2014. Credit: Newsday / Erica Marcus
Billing itself as a “healthy eatery,” Grillmark has opened in the Waldbaums shopping center on Willis Avenue in Albertson. It occupies the spot that, briefly, was Prime Burgers and, before that, Deli on Rye.
The very attractive order-at-the-counter restaurant is decorated in an up-to-the-moment industrial-farmhouse style, with reclaimed wood, old-timey light bulbs and white subway tile. Also spotted: two slowly spinning gyros that partner Dimitri Londos said were homemade, one from chicken, one from pork.
In addition to gyros, Grillmark serves skewered “sticks” of chicken (white meat or a mixture of white and dark), pork, beef, shrimp, salmon or swordfish. Wraps hover around $7 to $8, platters, served with pita, salad and a side, range from $10.50 to $14.50. Sides include spinach rice, quinoa and zucchini fritters and, like the sauces and dressings, are all homemade. Among the nine salads are Caesar, Greek, Cobb, arugula, Thai shrimp (with fennel, pineapple, tomatoes, grilled shrimp and peanuts) and Asian tuna (grilled sesame tuna with tomatoes, grapefruit, avocado and ginger dressing). Prices range from $7.95 to $14.95.
Also on offer: fresh, cold-pressed juices. I’m not a juice enthusiast, but I tried the “green machine” (kale, spinach, green apple, ginger and lemon, $6.75) and surprised myself by how much I liked it.
Londos, who also owns The Burger Spot in Garden City, co-owns Grillmark with Nick Marinos, an old friend whose restaurant resume includes Uncle Nick’s Greek Restaurant in Manhattan.
Grillmark, 1008 Willis Ave., Albertson, 516-621-9300, grillmarkmediterranean.com.
