The impeccable hospitality at Tinos Greek Kitchen began before we got through the front door. We wandered around a bit, trying to find the entrance (it’s obvious, really. It was just “us”) and ran into someone outside who looked like they worked at one of John Tinios' restaurants - The Galley Hatch or his new, adjacent and upstairs Tinos. We asked how to get into the restaurant and he immediately dropped everything he was doing (something with boxes) to escort us to the front door. Seems like a small thing any restaurant employee should or would do, but well, I think we know it can be rare. Later, that man, Adam St. Jean, would make me my Argonaut, a warm and lively cocktail with Batavia Arack, Allspice Dram, lime juice and a pineapple leaf garnish.
That impeccable hospitality is something John Tinios is well-known for, and now, he has a setting for not just the welcoming and warmth behind his own restaurant ethic, but behind that of Greek culture. Just watching the way he moves through the elegant, but still homey dining room, chatting about his trips to the island of Tinos, backed up by a soundtrack of danceworthy Greek music, is a joy.
A feeling of liveliness, camaraderie and family comes from all aspects of this new restaurant, including, of course, the delicious food and drink. Tinios drew just the right team for this new venture and I’ve known most of them for well over a decade. Beverage Director Michael Gehron (also Assistant GM) showed us his progressive cocktail talents at 43 Degrees North and the One Hundred Club among other spots, and chef Mark Segal, now Executive Chef for all of the Galley Hatch group restaurants heads up the kitchen at Tinos hands-on. We know him from Pesce Blue, the One Hundred Club and Demeters. Tinos is the perfect place for him, because he gets to start with an ancient and beloved cuisine and reinvent it in surprising, delightful and delicious dishes. Chef Mary Reilly, former chef/owner of Enzo’s in Newburyport, was called in to consult. Not only is she a talented chef, but she’s Greek as well (Papadopoulos), and Segal says she was a big part of the development of the menu and her expertise shows in this reinvented Greek cuisine.
