Review: Tino And Gita At The Deep
[Written by Dale Butler]
It was a homecoming for me to return to Café Lido after retiring five years ago from MEF Limited. I spent 20 years there as a director and received an exemplary education on the real qualities needed to offer excellent cuisine, food, and service. It was a joy to be back for a night of outstanding entertainment and delectable food in one of the few remaining entertainment centres: The Deep, located at 60 South Shore Road, Paget.
With Hurricane Philippe threatening Bermuda, Lido experienced a few wind gusts and spitting rain on Thursday, October 5th, but patrons were unfazed and attended, eager to hear Gita Blakeney with the Tino Martinez Quartette, who wasted no time delighting us with a wide selection of songs. Lido already has a solid Friday night foundation with entertainers like DJ Felix, Ben Payne, Jessie Seymour, and Kassie Caines, making it the place to be.
My evening started with dinner. The regular menu is available, but I gravitated towards the Chef’s Tasting Menu; $65 plus service charge. One can add wine pairing for an additional $50. Management know their wines and have an extensive selection, so this is a real bargain. With three appetizers offered, I broke from my normal pattern and tried the Autumn Bowl; organic beetroot, baby spinach, green beans, orange segments, almonds, cumin seeds and tahini. I was not disappointed.
Wine options included:
- Etna Bianco ‘Santo Spirito’ Terre Nere, Sicily
- Sauvignon Blanc “Bel Echo, Clos Henri, Organic, NZ.
There were four entrées, also with wine pairing:
- Risotto Alla Pescatora
- Lamb Roast which I selected and enjoyed with absolutely delicious Braised Lentils, Charred Broccolini and Rosemary Aioli
- Beef Short Ribs
- Asparagus Ravioli
I enjoyed the bread basket and the chef’s special butter.
This time around, when it came to dessert, I avoided the carrot cake which I have always craved and, instead, went with the apple pie and rum and raisin ice cream. No regrets! Dining in such a beautiful restaurant overlooking the stunning South Shore, with superb service, great plating and delicious food, the mood was set for entertainment.
In the adjoining Deep entertainment centre, The Tino Martinez Quartette wasted no time with an excellent selection of songs that demonstrated their broad repertoire from an earlier review I wrote on June 26, 2021. With two regular members not available, Stefan Furbert in the supreme realm of Bermudians Clarence “Tootsie” Bean, Syke Laws, Ronnie Lopes, the Leader family and more, did an excellent job as drummer.
Climbing the mountains to solo with resounding applause were:
- Award winning Tino Martinez [Best in Bermuda 2022] as I stated “a master of his craft” on tenor sax
- Torey Tacklyn – bass
- Raymond George – keyboards
These musicians are professionals ready for any festival worldwide with songs like:
- Midnight Voyage
- Straight No Chaser
- Mo’ Better Blues
- Lil Darlin’
- St. Thomas, to name but a few.
From the very first song, the band branded the night with a torrent of excellence, building high expectations for the absolutely phenomenal and ageless Gita Blakeney, who paid homage to her parents, Davina Blakeney and the late St. Clair Blakeney, and ignored mentioning her three Best of Bermuda Awards and a VIP Excellence Award as she used her stage presence to lure us into songs like:
- One Note Samba
- Nearness of You
- L-O-V-E
- Our Love is Here to Stay
- Smooth Operator
- Can’t Take My Eyes Off You
Usually an 8pm to 11pm concert is enough, but the audience was hungry and appreciative for this complete night of delicious food, great service and music and in an atmosphere currently being rebuilt around the island. Lido has it all making it “A Love Supreme” [John Coltrane, 1964].
Bermuda is blessed to have so many talented performers. I will be going back. Gita Blakeney and The Tino Martinez Band will be performing at The Deep at Lido on Thursdays during the month of October [8 p.m. to 11 p.m. and general admission is $35 with VIP admission $55], Silvery City on Fridays and a weekend brunch Saturdays and Sundays along with pizzas and happy hour specials are offered.
It is recommended that you purchase your performance tickets via website Gpass and make reservations for lunch/dinner by calling 236-9884.
- Dale Butler is the Professor of Bermuda Music. He writes a variety of reviews for Bernews and can be contacted at 595-9841 or daledbutler@gmail.com
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Category: All, Entertainment, Music
They are at Lido October and November.
Was at Oct 12 show. SUPER polished band and vocalist. It was a SURPRISE & a SHAME that there weren’t more people there. I got there early specifically because I expected the place to be slammed. Empty seats for a show of THAT caliber in Bermuda is sad. Equal to evenings at Smalls or Blue Note in NYC or Europe clubs. Do NOT complain there is no live music here and then NOT go out and support it.