The kitchen is always open at Stamna Taverna, a recently opened Greek restaurant in Lincroft. They serve breakfast, lunch, and dinner, and even provide takeout and catering as well. The extensive menu lists all the familiar, traditional Greek specialties, which is precisely why I did not want to wait to satisfy my cravings for my favorite dishes. This is the third Stamna location; the other two, in Bloomfield and Little Falls, are well-established.
The room is done in white with cobalt blue accents, lending an Aegean Island feel to the unpretentious surroundings; the warm and friendly service from our waiter, and the communal nature of many dishes, made my guests and me feel like we were sharing our meal in the home of a Greek family.
-B. Sacks
A selection of dips with warm pita bread is a must while perusing the rest of the menu, so we chose an excellent smooth and creamy Hummus ($8); gently crunchy, tangy Fava – yellow split pea ($8); and a nicely garlicky Melitzanosalata – roasted eggplant) ($7). Tzatziki Dip ($7), yogurt, cucumber and garlic, was cool and zesty. It was challenging to select just four, but we wanted to leave room for hot appetizers and entrees. An assortment of five dips is also available for $16.
Stamna is BYO; we started with white wine: 2015 Sigalas Assyrtiko. This grape, native to the island of Santorini, exhibits a creamy, mineral, citrus flavor profile that is not unlike a crisp Chablis or Sancerre. Sigalas is a good Assyrtiko producer, but I also like Gai’a, Hatzidakis and Argyros as well.
Two large, but very tender, tentacles of Ktapodi – Charcoal Grilled Octopus ($20) were plated simply with olive oil and seasonings, and proved to be one of the best dishes of the night. Excellent.
Fried Kalamari ($16), tender rings lightly dusted with breading, were a nice change of pace from the usual Italian style that often highlights the breading instead of the squid. The tomato based sauce was flavorful, but would have been better had it been served warm, not cold.
Grilled squid, shrimp and octopus were buried in a small mountain of arugula, cucumbers, tomatoes, and diced onions on a large plate, creating the Seafood Salad ($19). The smoky, grilled seafood was delicious, and the salad well dressed with good olive oil, but for the price, I expected fewer greens, and more seafood.
Just for fun, I brought and opened a 2013 Cape May Winery Albarino, purchased at the winery; a light, crisp, white with just a hint of sweetness, it was a great match for the seafood. This lesser-known Spanish grape seems to do well here in New Jersey; I hope this bottling becomes more widely available in the future.
We enjoyed the Chicken Kebabs ($16), skewered with peppers and onions, and charcoal grilled until seared outside, but still juicy within, with a side of white rice. A classic dish done correctly.
Nothing is more traditional than Spanakopita – Spinach Pie ($11), and Stamna does an excellent job with their rendition. A large wedge of flaky phyllo dough crust holding moist spinach and feta cheese, seasoned with garlic, was perfectly cooked; the spinach not the least bit bitter.
From the charcoal grilled section of the menu we also selected Half Chicken Marinated Greek Style ($16), which came with choice of side – string beans in a light tomato sauce, which were tasty, but would have been far better were they not mushy from overcooking. The chicken had been cut into chunks before grilling, the marinade tasting of Kalamata olives, herbs and spices.
First choice for dessert had to be Baklava ($5.50). Layers of phyllo dough, almonds, walnuts, and a generous infusion of honey syrup, was large enough for two, and as good as any we have had.
Considering that Stamna has only been open a month or so, the kitchen is already putting out some very good food. The service needs polishing to decrease the wait time between dishes, but that can be remedied easily.
If you want to feel like a guest in an authentic Greek home, and taste a wide variety of classic Greek dishes, then Stamna is a good choice for dinner. Of course, they offer breakfast and lunch as well, but those will have to wait for another time.
STAMNA GREEK TAVERNA
650 Newman Springs Road
Lincroft
732-945-6380
Bob Sacks, longtime food and wine buff, reviews restaurants in this bimonthly column. Read his reviews here.
