Thursday Sips & Nibbles

I'm back again with a new edition of Sips & Nibbles, my regular column where I highlight some interesting, upcoming food and drink events. I hope everyone dines out safely, tips well and are nice to their servers.
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1) In April, Kane’s Donuts is bringing the flavors of spring to New England with fresh, local ingredients like orange fruit and shredded coconut. The April flavors of the month include Orange Burst, Zebra Donut, Funfetti Donut, Gluten Free Chocolate Covered Strawberry, and Vegan Coconut Cream.

Orange Burst is a yeast style donut topped with frosting that is bursting with orange fruit. The Zebra Donut is a yeast style donut frosted with creamy vanilla and dark chocolate stripes. The Funfetti Donut is a cake style donut with rainbow sprinkles folded into the dough and drenched in Kane’s Signature Honey Glaze. The Gluten Free Chocolate Covered Strawberry Donut is a strawberry donut covered in a chocolate ganache then drizzled with delectable strawberry frosting. Finally, the Vegan Coconut Cream is a cake style donut with a light, fluffy frosting topped with shredded coconut. Kane’s will also offer special Easter Donuts the week of Easter.

2) Angelos & Stavros Petropulos announce the “official” opening of Kosmos, their Greek restaurant located in Walpole. The restaurant actually opened about six months ago, but a formal announcement was delayed until the owners felt the restaurant was meeting their high standards. As an old Greek proverb says, “To kaló prágma aryí na gíni" ("A good thing takes time to happen"). 

Their menu includes many family recipes, some dating back generations. The menu features starters like Spanakopita (spinach pie), Oktapodi (grilled octopus with Santorini split pea puree), pan-seared Saganaki cheese, and Keftedes (lamb meatballs). Entrees include Kotopoulo (chicken chops), Lamb Chops with grilled tomato salsa, Burdeto striped bass, and Makaronia Me Kima (a Greek version of Bolognese). Kosmos also offers three large platters serving two people— a selection of grilled meats, seafood stew, and whole, grilled snapper. Desserts are Lemonopita phyllo cake, Saragali baklava rolls, and Bougatsa custard pie with Nutella. 

They also serve Sunday Brunch, with dishes such as Spanakopita Benedict, Greek Yogurt Pancakes, Shakshouka, Lamb Meatballs (for two), and Xoriatiki Omeleta (omelet topped with a traditional Greek village salad). Plus, the restaurant has a full bar, a large cellar of Greek wines, Greek spirits and three Greek beers (as well as some local beer selections). 

Stavros Petropulos, who attended business school in Switzerland and managed restaurants in Athens, Rhodes, and Santorini, supervises the front of the house, Angelos and (Sonora born) Executive Chef Luis Figueroa oversee the kitchen. The two friends worked together at Committee and share a hands-on work ethic Angelos credits to his mentor/former boss—Gordon Hamersley of Hamersley’s Bistro. “Being raised in Greece and going through the Greek debt crisis of 2007-2008 (the longest recession so far of any modern county) made me understand that nothing is given to you and hard work pays off,” Angelos says. “Chef Hamersley used to expedite each and every plate. His passion and attention to detail is always an inspiration.”