A new Portuguese tapas and wine bar in the heart of Times Square is a great place to taste hard-to-find wines from Portugal. Tíntol, which is the Portuguese slang word for red wine, has a wine list of more than 150 reasonably priced Portuguese and Spanish wines, as well as 30 wines by the glass priced from $5 to $14, offered at lunch and dinner. For those not in the mood for wine, Tíntol also offers the traditional Portuguese cocktail served in Madeira, the Poncha, which is similar to the Brazilian Caipirinha but made with Aguardiente (a sugar cane brandy), honey and fruit flavors. There are also some excellent Portuguese beers including Super Bock, Sagres lager and Sagres Dark.
The owner, Jose Meireilles, is a native of Portugal and says much of Tíntol’s menu is reminiscent of dishes from his homeland. Tíntol recently introduced a lunch menu of larger, entrée-sized dishes to complement its extensive tapas menu. Executive Chef Richard Pelz’s creative entrée-sized lunch additions include 15 standouts from the main menu such as the Fransezinha (a warm sandwich of Portuguese ham, Chorizo and cheese topped with a spicy beer sauce), Braised Stuffed Calamari, Pork Tenderloin with Clams, Bacalhau (salted Cod), Tíntol Salad (greens, herbs and baby beets) Bitoque (Steak with fries) and Chanfana de Cabrito (braised goat in red wine). Tíntol also has a great selection of Portuguese and Spanish cheeses, which are served with Membrillo, a house-made quince paste.
Tíntol is located at 155 West 46th Street, just east of Broadway. More info and menus can be found at www.tintol.net. While Tíntol is a fresh face on the Great White Way, its owner Meireilles is not a novice in New York — he is also owner of Le Marais, a kosher steak house located across the street from Tíntol, and was a founding partner of Les Halles French steakhouses.