Vyne Wine Bar - Amsterdam

I'm infatuated with the idea of wine bars. Elegant, usually aesthetically interesting, bars with eclectic menus of starter-sized food and a diverse, comprehensive list of by-the-glass wines. What better place to read a book in the corner for a couple hours? Why is it then, that this is yet another one of my dreams unrealized?

My first and biggest issue is usually the wine. You would think that an establishment so self-described would take great pride and care in selecting the actual wine, for which they are named. Not so, I have found. I'm not saying they, in general, serve bad wines, and maybe, like everything in life, my disappointment is a function of my expectations, but the wines are rarely distinctive. Rarely special...

Next, I've found, in my limited experience, that the stereotype of the aloof, exclusive wine scene is more or less perpetuated by the typical wine bar. I'm generalizing here, but can I get someone that isn't trying really, really hard to smush as many wine buzzwords into a sentence as possible? "...I think you'll find our Alsatian selections have a wonderful nose, but may be overly fruit-forward for the oysters..." I made that up and have no idea whether it makes sense, but you get my point...

On the Prinsengracht canal, on the western edge of Amsterdam's city center, sits Vyne. A few doors down from their high-end, concept restaurant, Envy, is a narrow, long room with a few tables and a bar. The dimly lit interior (alas, no book in the corner) and austere fixtures melded to create a library-like stillness (if there are libraries where it's too dark to read), at least on a Monday night. Not uninviting, but not exactly welcoming. But with 85 wines by the glass, how could I go wrong?

Marques de Grinoa, Toledo (Spain) Syrah 2002
Tiefenbrunner Alto Adigo (Italy) Gerwurztraminer 2005
Serano ham and melon granita

It's not that I went wrong. Both wines were solid. Good. Nice. Just nothing I'd seek out again. And therein lies the problem. Isn't that the purpose of a wine bar? To screen out the ordinary and deliver the sublime? Yes, I know there are practical considerations. There are distributors and small production vineyards that don't want to be left with the not-quite-sublime bottles. There are different palates and tastes. I get all that. Yet I left Vyne like I've left most wine bars, unsatisfied...

Of course, maybe I'm frequenting the wrong wine bars...

Vyne
Prinsengracht 411
Amsterdam
020 344 64 08

Artisinal - New York City

...or the full name Artisinal Fromagerie Bistro & Wine Bar. Went with some friends, who had been there before and suggested it. In general, I have this aversion to overly commercial restaurants. You know, the celebrity chef (Terrance Brennan), the website with MBA-caliber merchandising (welcome to The Artisanal Online Cheese Shop). And after perusing the menu online, I was fairly certain that's what we was getting...

After a couple of drinks, we made it to Artisinal. Nice, very large room that, while noisy, I didn't find annoyingly so. There was a nice feeling to the room - they do the whole French Bistro thing well...

Chilled Asparagus Soup with Basil Oil
Burgundy Snails en Croute with Chervil-Garlic Butter
Rainbow Trout with Chanterelles
Orange Zest Creme Brulee

Given my penchant for allergic reactions (see the title overhead), I have effectively avoided escargot for my 35 years on the planet. I understand that shellfish are different that other things that happen to live in shells but are not fish, but let's be honest, I'm fragile. That said, after a couple of drinks and some prodding from my friends (and possibly because my wife thought I was taking a stupid, unnecessary risk), I placed the order. I thought they were okay, the actual snail at least, because let's be honest. It's all about the butter. In fact, enjoying (which I did) the escargot is the best testament I can think of to my new-found corollary that anything works with a ton of herb butter...
Overall, the meal was solid. I really enjoyed the soup, which had a fresh from the garden earthiness. The fish was good, not great, and the chanterelles didn't add as much to the dish as I was expecting. As far as dessert, while I may not have the requisite training, I am a self-proclaimed creme brulee aficionado and this one was very good. The orange was a little overpowering, but not too much so...

Sorry, forgot the wine we drank, which would make it, by definition, forgettable...

Rating: 6.5/10.0
Cost: $$$

Artisinal Fromagerie Bistro & Wine Bar
2 Park Avenue (@ 32nd Street)
NYC, NY 10016

Bin 26 Enoteca - Boston

On a recent trip to Boston, we coincidentally happened on Bin 26 Enoteca, a trendy Beacon Hill wine bar/restaurant I'd read about in Food & Wine ("Best New Wine Lists"). I remembered how they had ironically put Thunderbird on the wine menu, which I thought sounded clever (my unfounded fear was that it was a little too clever)...

Inside, it was a fairly typical setup. Small front-room, albeit with a nice, sizable wine bar, and smallish back room. I would ask for a table up front, by the street-facing window (but then I'm a people-watcher). The food was what I guess I'd describe as gourmet Italian with a seasonal menu (wouldn't it be refreshing for a restaurant to advertise their penchant for frozen fish and canned vegetables?) - interesting takes on traditional Italian fare (seemingly all regions, but I could be wrong). At the risk of getting all socio-political, it had the too-familiar homogenous ethnic makeup of Boston (that always amazes me), but, of course, that had no impact on my meal. My food:

Red & Yellow Pepper Bruschetta
Beef Carpaccio w/ Tarragon Citronette
Cocoa Tagliatellee with Porcini Ragout scented with Nepitella
Strawberry Millefeuille

As an aside, I had no idea what either Nepitella or a Millefeuille were. After some digging, Nepitella is a wild mint from Tuscany (not sure I could taste it) and a Millefeuille is a layered pastry...

Everything was very good. Nothing great, nothing bad. My friend's Hanger Steak, however, was perfect. The best I've ever tasted. My other friend's special pasta was also a better order than mine (what else is new). The dessert was outstanding. I can't recall, but it's possible I licked my plate...

The wine list was impressive. Broken down a couple different ways and comprehensive by the glass. We started with a bottle of Seghesio Zinfindel, which was great. For my dinner, I put myself in the hands of the helpful/attentive waiter who paired my pasta with a Pinot Noir from Northern Italy (Grosjean Freres, Valle D'Aosta). Tremendous Pinot Noir, quite different from what you normally drink from California. Of course, I can't pinpoint how. Trust me, it was a great glass of wine. I've found it online for $22/bottle, and I plan to order a few bottles ...

Definitely worth a visit...

Rating: 7.0 / 10.0
Cost: $$$

Bin 26 Enoteca
26 Charles Street
Beacon Hill, MA 02114
617.723.5939