Plump diver sea scallops are wrapped in kataifi (shredded phyllo dough often used by Greek pastry chefs), generously doused with sheep’s milk beurre blanc, drizzled with kalamata balsamic vinegar reduction and plated with diced tomatoes, scallions, capers, grilled zucchini and chive strands. This succulent appetizer (right) is a signature dish on Executive Chef Raphael Abrahante’s menu at Thalassa, a Greek seafood restaurant with an emphasis on fresh fagri, lithrini and other exotic species flown in daily from the Mediterranean and various far-flung ports of call. Many of the fish are displayed on ice in the spacious dining room and simply grilled with olive oil and lemon to enhance their natural sweetness. Designed by French architect Jean-Pierre Heim to evoke images of traveling across the Ionian Sea, the stunning venue, bathed in blue light, flows over three levels in a former warehouse in TriBeCa. Sails are dramatically hung from the ceiling and a long, curving bar is made of marble from the island of Thásos.

» Thalassa, 179 Franklin St., 1-212-941-7661

Fresh from his home in Naples, Italy, Chef Donato Matassino is updating the authentic Milanese cuisine his mama used to make at San Rocco (left), a bright, modern trattoria that recently opened in the Flatiron District. Among the appetizers on a menu that mixes traditional with innovative is riso al salto, a large, golden-brown saffron risotto pancake, crunchy on the outside and chewy on the inside, that’s the perfect implement with which to scoop out an overflowing marrow bone and sop up a puddle of thick, beefy jus. Handmade gnocchi come with smoked prosciutto in a leek sauce; sea bream is encrusted with Sicilian sea salt. For dessert, panna cotta is infused with fresh lychees and Chef Matassino creates specials such as a trio of fruit purees served in shot glasses.

» San Rocco, The Wyndham Garden Hotel, 39 W. 24th St., 1-212-255-4655