I am digressing right from the start: it is just outrageous that Argo, the wonderful addition to Duane Park, still does not have a liquor license. I’ve tried the SLA; we will see if they respond. It turns out the lawyer they hired never put through the paperwork — the SLA told me they have no application on file! Owner Nick Ntatidis is talking to a new lawyer this week; the restaurant was approved by CB1 in March, and may be paying for the crimes of the former restaurant owner in that space, which ran the failed Gato Nero and Serenata.

But the Argo folks are hanging in there (NB: they just added brunch) — owners Nikolas Ntatidis and Roudolf Kalaitchevled and chef Konstantinos Kvasilava — and making the best of it by cooking up some lovely meals. They didn’t even seem perturbed — I would be livid!

We sat in the window and watched the world go by — an excellent, private table if you can get it. The space (which is long and narrow) has been renovated with a clean, warm aesthetic — exposed brick, subtle textured wallpaper, wide-plank floors. It’s cozy and welcoming (though I have always found the entrance a bit hard to find, since just the one window is narrow at the front). The outdoor set up is lovely — they used rocks held in wire cages, which evokes seaside riprap to me — and my guess is it has the added benefit of being inhospitable to you-know-who.

The menu is Mediterranean with a focus on veg, so the vegetarians among us will love it here. I went all fish and my pal went all veg, and we were both happy. The tuna and salmon carpaccio is sliced paper-thin, with a light touch on the gingery sauce. I loved the sea bass with gnocchi, which were layered under roasted cherry tomatoes. The sauce was pooled on the side, which works for me.

That’s the Argo Boat below — sweet potatoes and cauliflower — and the cauliflower steak, which was crisp and served with vegan mayo made from chickpeas. I would order both again, but I am going back for the Greek bouyiourdi, the baked feta dish.

But the most notable thing about the food is it was so carefully prepared — with skill and precision — and plated beautifully. These meals took work! And some creativity in the kitchen as well.

Don’t skip the Greek rice pudding — kataifi rizogalo. Such a treat.

Nick is anxious to get their license — not just because restaurants need it to survive, but because wine is his thing. He was a partner in Kilo wine bar in Hell’s kitchen a few years back, before architecture school and before his most recent gig working for a developer. His hope is to have wine pairings set for dinners, wine tastings, etc.

“We will stock wines that you can’t buy in stores — small producers who only produce a few hundred cases a year, but still the wine is not expensive,” Nick said.

He’s known Konstantinos, the chef, for years — they went to high school together in Greece. Konstantinos left to go to culinary school and pursued a career in European five-star hotels until last year, when the opportunity came along to join Nick. “I love food, but I can’t cook,” Nick said. “I wouldn’t have opened a restaurant without him.”

Argo Tribeca
181 Duane | Greenwich & Hudson
646-649-4149
Dinner Tuesday to Sunday, 5 to 11p
Brunch Tuesday to Sunday, 11a to 4p