AFTERTASTE

Ari Fliakos's exceptional performance of haunted Kostya Duhovny is among the many pleasures of this immersive debut, a combination love story, Manhattan foodie romp, and otherworldly tale. Fliakos captures Kostya's complex reactions to his supernatural ability to bring back the dead through food. Fliakos is ably aided by Tessa Albertson, André Santana, and Kristen Sieh, who all do fine work. But it's Fliakos's tour-de-force narration that elevates this listening experience. In one extraordinary moment Fliakos does a breathless dramatic monologue that merges foods and flavors while ghosts hover and howl. It all revolves around a Russian émigré's son who is searching for meaning in kitchens and in the hereafter. A.D.M. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award © AudioFile 2025, Portland, Maine [Published: MARCH 2025]