Amanda H.
Yelp
True to my word, I gave Vino another spin last night. J and I were celebrating 6 months together, so I thought this would be the perfect opportunity to test other Yelpers' descriptions of Vino as a great romantic spot.
The verdict after round two? I'm afraid I'm going to have to sit at 4 stars.
Granted, our evening had a few 5-Star moments, but these were dragged down just a notch by a couple of others. For starters, when we walked in, the room was hopping, the bar packed, likely with happy hour hangers-on. We'd made a 7:00 reservation, but no one was there to greet us. This being our first time dining inside, I'm not sure how this is typically handled, but we ended up sitting at the last two seats at the bar and waiting for the bartender's attention to ask him about getting a table.
Call me old fashioned, but I feel like taking the time to make a reservation indicates that I want a special experience and the best seating available. I should've been more specific when I called. There's a lovely back room with low tables where the atmosphere is a little more intimate. I expected that's where we'd be seated; instead, the bartender took as right across from the bar to a high bar table, sandwiched between two occupied tables. If I'd been here with friends, that'd be one thing. This would've been a fine spot for seeing and being seen and people watching and letting loose.
So - lesson learned: Be specific about where you'd like to sit. Your experience will depend on largely on this.
While the backroom was softly lit, the bar area (this struck me the moment we walked in) was very bright. The overhead track lighting was turned up too high (like they hadn't lowered it from the day setting), and I actually had to give in and ask our waiter to turn them down. (To his credit, he happily and quickly obliged, despite the fact that I felt like a snob for asking).
Our server, in fact, was thoroughly attentive, especially considering we decided to try three flights with small plates interlaced. He also kept the water coming and made himself available without being overbearing.
Having read the other Yelp reviews before I left, I decided to test some of their comments. The mushrooms everyone raves about? I love mushrooms and I REALLY love some polenta, and the dish was tasty. However, it was also a little butter-heavy and the polenta was not the best caliber I've ever tried, so while I liked this appetizer, I'm not sure I'd rave about it or even order it on our next visit. On the whole, the food was good but not write-home-about-it fare.
As to the menu, the owners descriptions of both wines and food are clever, beautifully descriptive and frequently anecdotal. I loved this aspect of Vino's charm - keeps the place from feeling stuffy. I like a restaurant that doesn't take itself too seriously.
Vino offers an ever-rotating selection of wine flights, crafted by the owner. We decided to forgo the bottle service, and try out all three of these. Turns out the final flight, "Trying New Positions" (and the priciest, go figure) was our favorite - one cab, one cab franc and a shiraz, all uniquely flavored, interesting selections.
So - to recap: Do your best to indicate where you'd like to sit. Don't freak out when the mushrooms aren't "to die for." Try a flight (or two or three) to discover new wines you dig, and rest assured you will at the very least have great service.
(To top off a fine evening, our waiter ran after us to return the scarf I'd left on the back of my chair. The extra care was not lost on us).
~a