Zhen Ling Tan Taoist today, Kiki’s tomorrow.
What was once a Chinese supply store on 130 Division Street is now an oasis of absolute Grecian cool. A step away from your typical blue and white Greek island vibe, this rustic restaurant, the second baby of Forgetmenot owners Kiki Karamintzas, Nick Spanos, and Paul Sierros, pays homage to the real heartland of Greece: the northern mountains.
“[It’s] where my family is from,” says Karamintzas, “And honestly, my partners and I love Greek food — we love fresh fish. There aren’t as many places [for that] in the neighborhood.”
They’re not trying to reinvent the wheel. They’re not trying to fuse anything with anything. They’re doing the straightforward dishes one’s Greek grandmother might make with love.
What to expect? The menu, carefully crafted by Spanos, boasts traditional plates that are both veggie-orientated and meat heavy. “There are lamb chops and bifteki, which is this traditional, for lack of a better word, Greek burger,” says Karamintzas. “That, and nearly everything is served with a lemon wedge because you don’t really need much in terms of adding [condiments].”
Keep your eyes peeled for the pastichio and moussaka, more or less the Greek version of shepherd’s pie and lasagna.
Kiki’s will open late next week for dinners starting at 5 p.m. to midnight. Regular operating hours of noon to midnight will begin the last week of April.
