In the middle of a mini heat-wave, Peter Barron discovers a delightful corner of Greece in Stockton town centre

IT was a happy coincidence that the sun beating down on Teesside was hot enough to rival anything Corfu had to offer as we headed to a little Greek taverna called Kaminaki. It was easy to imagine the Mediterranean glistening outside the door, instead of the tarmac of Church Road, Stockton-on-Tees.

Kaminaki, a short walk from the Splash swimming pool, has gained its reputation entirely through word of mouth: “You’ve got to give it a try,” advised Stockton Borough Council’s chief executive Neil Schneider.

So my wife and I did – and we weren’t disappointed.

Kaminaki is a delight. A warm welcome at the door from former English teacher Dinah Kapouasm, an intimate atmosphere, and a traditional Greek setting immediately made us feel relaxed.

Dinah, with the demeanour of a kindly aunt, welcomes many of the customers by their first names, an encouraging sign that Kaminaki has plenty of regulars.

“This is your first time here, isn’t it?” she said to us, knowingly, before patiently explaining what we could expect.

Kaminaki’s menu already offers the widest variety I can recall, but our host listed a string of tempting specials…Come Dinah With Me.

After complimentary pickles and bread, my wife started with papoutsakia, aubergines stuffed with onions, garlic, tomatoes and herbs, while I chose spanakopittakia, filo patries filled with spinach and feta cheese.

We were still halfway through our starters when, rather strangely, the main dishes were eagerly delivered, then hastily removed when we told the waiter that we weren’t ready.

Once the starters were cleared, there was then a mysterious delay, prompting Dinah to thank us, disarmingly, for our patience.

When it arrived, my main course of kotopoulo elliniko – cubes of chicken breast, pan-fried in butter, mushrooms, parsley, white wine and Metaxa brandy, finished in a cream sauce – was piping hot and enjoyable.

My wife had opted for the Pakillia, a selection of Greek vegetarian treats, and, in truth, it was a little lukewarm.

But Kaminaki is the kind of place where you forgive the odd hiccough because it’s so friendly and engaging.

“We’ve just never had anyone in who hasn’t been nice,” said Dinah, who opened Kaminaki nine years ago with husband Antonios (Tony).

She does all the shopping and front-of-house duties, and he does the rest in the background. They met in London in 1970. Tony was working at the Grosvenor House Hotel at the time and Dinah was eating in a Greek restaurant with her mum.

Tony happened to be there and he started dancing round her table before lifting it up and carrying it across the room.

“It was all very strange but I was beguiled. He asked me out and, on our first date, he told me he’d marry me one day,” she recalls.

THEY married eight years later and have gone on to run hotels and restaurants in Corfu, Newcastle and, now, Stockton.

The place they had in Corfu was called Kaminia – translated as “big oven” – which is also the name of the area they lived in. “Aki” means small so the two words came together for the name of the little Greek taverna they opened in Church Road.

With a carafe of rose wine, a selection of ice cream, and a glass of Mavrodaphne sweet wine to finish, our bill came to a very reasonable £53.65, and my wife is already making arrangements to go back with a group of friends.

If you’re looking for somewhere a little different – or if you feel the need to pretend you’re on holiday – Kaminaki is well worth a try.

FOOD FACTS

Kaminaki, Church Road, Stockton-on-Tees, TS18 1TW.
Tel. 01642 607949
Website: kaminaki.co.uk
Food: 4/5
Ambience: 5/5
Service: 4/5
Value For Money: 4/5