Following a Mediterranean diet is a lot easier at home than in restaurants.
Lots of “Mediterranean” menus include tons of red meat and pasta — exactly what you’re not supposed to have, says the latest study. Eating as recommended often doesn’t come cheap.
But in the spirit of the new findings, here are some restaurants and dishes that make it easier to keep your heart pumping.
AVRA, 141 E. 48th St.; MILOS, 125 W. 55th St.; THALASSA, 179 Franklin St.
For staying within Mediterranean guidelines, it’s hard to beat these and similar Greek places where fish is served by the pound. The various cuts of bass (lavraki) and snapper (fagri and lithrini, for example) are simply grilled with olive oil and lemon.
Cheaper alternative: ELIAS CORNER, 24-02 31st St., Astoria, Queens (no credit cards).
BOULUD SUD, 20 W. 64th St. There are lots of choices rich in olive oil, vegetables and fruit at Daniel Boulud’s Mediterranean spot near Lincoln Center — among them, crispy Sicilian olives, sweet Maine shrimp with garlic and Spanish chili, and bulgur tabbouleh with tomato, onion, mint and parsley.
ABC KITCHEN, 35 E. 18th St. Many dishes at Jean-Georges Vongerichten’s aggressively “farm-to-table” American place inside the ABC Carpet store qualify as “Mediterranean,” thanks to a huge number built around fresh vegetables, beans, mushrooms and fruits. Just steer clear of pasta and suckling pig.
ALDEA, 31 W. 17th St. Portuguese-tinted “modern Mediterranean” jewel box can keep you on track as long as you skip the “land” section of the menu. Go with wonderful “petiscos” (snacks), such as Marcona olives and almonds, and larger dishes, such as chickpea bacalao with pickled shallots and oranges.
IDEAL DISH ANYWHERE: Olive-oil-poached halibut. As delicious as it is heart-protective to a fault. It pops up on menus everywhere, but unpredictably — so call first.