IPSWICH – The Ithaki restaurant in Ipswich is transferring to Peabody subsequent month, however a brand new restaurant is already set to fill its present house.
Ithaki has been serving trendy Mediterranean delicacies on Hammett Road in Ipswich for 25 years. The enterprise will promote its final entree there on Aug. 14, then reopen in late September at 1A Newbury St. in Peabody, the previous website of Carrabba’s Italian Grill (subsequent to the Vacation Inn).
“For me, it was time to discover, and I feel Route 1 in Peabody is a extremely good location for Ithaki,” stated proprietor Petros Markopoulos, who began the enterprise six years after immigrating to the US. “It is good to see what else you are able to do whenever you love what you are doing.”
The restaurant is a well-liked spot in Ipswich, however enterprise usually dies there through the winter, Markopoulos stated. He hopes to draw new and outdated prospects to the Peabody website with the identical menu Ithaki has all the time identified.
Markopoulos is grateful for all town has accomplished for him and his enterprise.
“My soul will all the time be in Ipswich,” he stated. “I must say an enormous thanks to Ipswich and the individuals round it, as a result of they gave me a life for 25 years. I’ll all the time do not forget that I made good associates right here.”
Jake DiSilva has been in control of the Ithaki kitchen since November. Alongside along with his spouse Jenni, DiSilva will open a brand new restaurant known as BirchWood Ipswich within the outdated Ithaki house this fall.
“I feel they’ll do properly,” Markopoulos stated. “Ipswich is all the time a very good sport, I spent 25 years there, raised my youngsters there, and I feel it has the identical spirit as me now.”
Each cooks hope BirchWood will attraction to a youthful crowd by means of its “informal chef-driven” menu, as DiSilva known as it.
“While you hear ‘chef-driven,’ you consider lots of pretense and phrases you may’t pronounce on the menu,” he stated. “However all of this will probably be all the pieces that everybody understands, however with inventive surprises sprinkled on the menu.”
The dishes will probably be a set of DiSilva’s biggest hits from his time in North Shore kitchens.
“I’ve a lot love and keenness for each one of many (dishes),” DiSilva stated. “I have been on the North Shore for thus lengthy that I’ve a very good finger on the heart beat of the consuming habits of individuals on this space, and I am fairly certain we’ll hit the mark. ”
DiSilva’s spouse will probably be operating the restaurant whereas he handles the kitchen. It is a partnership he is grateful for after spending years within the enterprise, he stated.
BirchWood will probably be a turnaround for Hammatt Road, identical to Route 1 will probably be a turnaround for Ithaki. However each cooks are excited to convey their dishes to extra individuals on the North Shore.
“This trade is getting a bit boring by way of the burning ardour that folks have for his or her meals. It is extra of a job for lots of people,” DiSilva stated. “However he nonetheless has that zeal, and I nonetheless have that zeal, and he is been actually good.”
Contact Caroline Enos at CEnos@northofboston.com and observe her on Twitter @CarolineEnos.
