By The Foodies

Neraki owner Alex Moschos displays the Yia Yia sandwich, one of many available on Neraki’s $9.95 lunch sandwich menu.

People are fond of saying that the fish is so fresh at Neraki that, if given the chance, they’ll talk back to you. There’s good reason for that.

Every morning, Neraki owner Alex Moschos makes the trek from Port Washington to the Bronx, where he shops at the Hunts Point markets. There, he buys his fish, produce and meats. He does all the buying himself, from small, local sources, to ensure that only the best fare ends up on his customers’ plates in Huntington.

“One of the things I want to teach people is that you run out of fresh ingredients,” he said. “One of the biggest things I face is that I have a very high standard of quality control, and as a result, when I go to market and I only see 10 good red snapper, I only buy 10 red snapper… so if I sell 10 red snapper on Saturday, I’m out for Sunday.”

That gives customers an opportunity to explore an array of fresh fish options, ranging from porgy to bass, expertly grilled octopus and much more. Let your palate be your guide here – you simply can’t go wrong.

The freshest seafood, like the whole bronzino pictured, are Neraki’s specialties. — The freshest seafood, like the whole bronzino pictured, are Neraki’s specialties.

Moschos was lured to Huntington four years ago by his next-door neighbor – a fellow by the name of Michael Schenkler, whose newspaper company owned Long Islander News at the time – and was ultimately convinced of Huntington’s merit as a dining destination. On May 23, it’ll be four years in business on Main Street in the village.

“We couldn’t be happier,” Moschos said. “We’re very proud to be part of the Huntington community – we love it here. It’s our second home.”

All the while, fresh fare, prepared simply in the Mediterranean style and focused on seafood, has been his specialty. Recipes are drawn from his family cookbook as well as from his wife, Olga.

“We let the ingredients speak for themselves,” he said.

A lunch menu also speaks highly in freshness and value alike. For $11.95, you can snap up a Greek or green salad paired with a main dish, such as remarkably juicy grilled chicken, salmon, shrimp, flounder, tuna or octopus, Spinach pie or traditional Greek meatballs (keftedes), to name a few. For $9.95, select from an array of pressed sandwiches on Greek pita bread, paired with soup or salad. The Yia Yia – a sandwich of feta, keftedes and sliced tomato – is a particular favorite of ours.