Master Mixologist: TANIA ZIKOS of Taboon in Hells Kitchen

Tania Zikos, the bar manager at Taboon, the highly successful Middleterranean (Middle Eastern and Mediterranean) restaurant in Hell's Kitchen, has been tending the bar there on-and-off almost since it opened 11 years ago. Or much of the time the New Hope, PA native of Irish and Greek heritage has been earning a livelihood in New York City and Los Angeles, while pursuing and acting career. She was originally hired as a server, but one evening someone couldn't make their shift at the bar and management was aware Tania had some bartending experience. So she was commandeered. It's a story that mirrors the first time she mixed a drink in a restaurant, which you'll read about in our Q & A with the talented Tania.

However, her interest in cocktails and the making of them predates that story, going back to summers spent in Mykonos, where her jewelry designer father had a store, in addition to one in New Hope. Tania recalls spending a lot of time in beach bars, "because that's what you do on a Greek island and I became fascinated with cocktails, their ingredients and all the different possibilities."

Now a self taught journeyman bartender and mixologist she maintains, "I can't cook, but I can make great drinks! Even if my acting took off, I would still want to be involved with cocktails, probably by owning a lounge."

While her acting career may not yet have taken flight, Tania has done a lot of off-Broadway and is currently involved in Web series, crime re-enactments and commercials, when not performing her duties at Taboon three or four nights a week. Duties which include creating the restaurant's seasonal specialty drinks, often in concert with the restaurant's general manager, Kate Walsh.

On her own time, Tania takes full advantage of the city's myriad cultural opportunities and makes it a point of exploring other mixology bars, where she might come across inspiration for some of her own concoctions.

Broadwayworld.com interviewed Tania Zikos about her career and Taboon Restaurant in Hell's Kitchen.

When did you first become interested in the cocktail culture?

I'd have to say it was way before I was actually trained to bartend. I was working as a new server at a restaurant in Pennsylvania and my first lunch table ordered a Manhattan. There was no bartender there yet so I had to get behind the bar and attempt to make one using the book they had there. I put it in the wrong glass ( a snifter) and brought it to the gentleman. He looked at it suspiciously but once he tasted it he was like "oh actually that's rather good, next time put it in a martini glass". I've never been much of a cook but ever since then I've loved playing around with different flavors in drinks.

What innovations in mixology and bartending do you find fascinating?

I'm a big fan of using seasonal ingredients in drinks, not only because it's fun but it's a great way to keep our cocktail list interesting for our guests. Right now, I'm a bit obsessed with different types of infused liqueurs (which we do in-house) and bitters. There are so many flavors of bitters out there, it's just a fun addition to the bar ingredients.

How do restaurant and bar guests encourage your creativity?

There are always a few customers who come in and want you to pick their drink for them or create them something. I always find this to be a fun challenge and once I've gathered what flavor profile and type of alcohol they like, I get to throw something together and see if it works. I've stumbled onto a few of my favorite drinks this way.

What are your preferred "classic cocktails" and why?

Well because it's the drink that got me into bartending in the first place I have a fondness for the Manhattan. But I'm also a bit fan of a good classic Side Car and the French 75. A lot of the classics are a great base to use when trying out new ideas. Some flavors just work perfectly together.

What are some of your favorite infusions and how you like to use them in drinks.

I love infusing tequila with rosemary. We ran a drink in the winter called the "Alecrim" with was with rosemary infused agave tequila , lime juice, simple syrup and grapefruit juice topped with club soda. It was simple yet very refreshing and winter themed. Plus rosemary is so good for you from a health stand point. I also like to do infused simple syrups. At any given time we have three-to-five different types of simple syrups in our fridge.

Tell us about a few of your signature cocktails and why they are distinctive.

I'd have to say what really makes our drinks at Taboon distinctive is our use of fresh unique ingredients. One of our best sellers is the Khiyar. It is muddled Israeli cumbers, fresh lime juice , St Germain and Hendricks Gin served up and topped with prosecco. If you make this drink with regular cucumbers it's still tasty but the small, sweet Israeli cucumbers we have makes a distinctive difference in the taste.

Our other current favorite is the Gutter Star. It's a fun take on a Old Fashioned with orange bitters and star Anise as a garnish. This drink was born of a collaboration between our extremely talented GM Kate Nash and myself. Kate is a fantastic mixologist as well and often comes up with terrific new cocktail ideas for us to do. I consider myself incredibly fortunate to have Kate as our GM, not only because she has a great care and understanding of the bar, as well as the food / service side of the show, but also because she is so supportive and encouraging for me to come up with new ideas.

Give us your perfect pairing for a cocktail and a culinary selection.

I'd pair our homemade merguez sausage with our 1826. The 1826 is a tequila and cognac drink with mango; it's tart ,yet sweet smoke flavor would balance well with the spices in the savory lamb sauage appetizer.

Tell us a little about restaurant.

Taboon is the most unique restaurant I have had the luck to work at. Not only is it a Mediterranean Middle Eastern fusion, but it has such an amazing group of people behind it and running it that working there is less like being at work sometimes and more like being with family. Even a good number of our regular customers have become part of our "family" and know us by name. It really is a rare gem to find a place like this especially in this large city.

Taboon is located at 773 10th Avenue (at 52nd Street), New York, NY 10019-5027. Call (212) 713-0271 or visit their web site at http://www.taboononline.com/.

And read Broadwayworld.com's review of Taboon: /bwwfood-wine/article/BWW-Reviews-TABOON-in-Hells-Kitchen-for-Outstanding-Dining-20150518.

Photo: Courtesy of Tania Zikos