Tinto, an intimate restaurant and bar, is the second venture from renowned chef Jose Garces, an acknowledged leader in contemporary interpretations of Hispanic and Latin cuisines. As the follow up to his highly successful Amada, the Spanish tapas bar and restaurant that opened to rave reviews in Fall 2005, Garces again looks to Spain for inspiration, but for Tinto, he focuses on the tastes of the Basque country, the coastal and mountainous regions that obscures the Spanish and French border.
The restaurant, which features a warm atmosphere reminiscent of a rustic wine cellar, offers a tempting selection of pintxos (pronounced: “Peen-choes”), the Basque region’s equivalent of tapas, and a wine list showcasing the exceptional varietals and rare yields from premier vineyards in Northern Spain and Southwestern France. The menu also features a varied selection of charcuterie, cheeses, mariscos (shellfish), brochettes and bocadillos (sandwiches).
To create Tinto, Garces retained accomplished New York-based designer Jun Aizaki, whose firm Creme designed and built Amada’s welcoming interior. Hand crafted wooden grids, housing thousands of wine bottles, completely surround the room. A 22-foot bar constructed with reclaimed orange-stained lumber, and black and white Spanish tile, provides seating for up to 12 guests. Like the bars in the Basque region, chefs prepare and serve charcuterie, cheese plates and other small dish specialties at the bar. High-top tables also constructed with reclaimed lumber and black bent wooden chairs offer additional seating. Floor to ceiling bi-fold glass doors open up to the street, where guests can enjoy al fresco dining, weather permitting. Downstairs, Tinto offers a lounge atmosphere, with cozy dark brown and mustard colored vinyl upholstered sofas, and black laminate tables.
