Wine Gallery (CDM)

Danielle:

Candice and I have been here a few times before so we thought we’d check it out for blogging purposes on a Friday night. We got there at 5:30ish so we had our pick of the place in terms of seats so of course we chose 2 barstools in prime real estate at the bar. This somewhat small location filled up quickly with young couples and locals, all of which we interacted with were very friendly and chatty.

The service was awesome--perfect. We have snacked there before on the flatbread (yummy) so I was anxious to try new dishes. We ordered one of the specials--mac n cheese with chorizo. DELICIOUS. We also got the short rib tacos. ALSO DELICIOUS. I could have eaten another round of both! Another perk for me? The server pronounced “bruschetta” correctly!

The S-factor? Well, not much of one. At any rate, you can settle for good food, wine + company. I have been here a few times before and noticed 1 or 2 “good lookers” on those occasions.  Maybe make this a stop before or after Crow Bar for the better male:female ratio.

Food: ★★★★☆

Service: ★★★☆☆

Price: ★★☆☆☆

Ambience: ★★★☆☆

Overall: ★★★☆☆

S Factor: ★★☆☆☆

Candice:

There is something very appealing to me about this place, with the bar and high tables surrounded by hundreds of wine bottles, wooden crates, wooden wine racks, and minimal thematic décor—it always feels simply cozy.  The room is well lit by natural light during the early hours of the evening and by nightfall, the mood lighting exudes warmth and relaxation.  Danielle and I have been to the Wine Gallery on a couple of occasions and our overall experience has been consistently above average.  We ordered the mac-n-cheese with chorizo and pulled pork tacos, both of which were satisfyingly appetizing.  (Admittedly, I have had more exceptional plates of mac-n-cheese, however the chorizo luckily added a nice burst of flavor to the dish).  I typically prefer sweet wine varietals but also often enjoy sipping light bodied white wines, but unfortunately I did not turn out to be a fan of even the first selection of my white wine flight that evening.  Fortunately, the host was kind enough to substitute the remaining two glasses of my flight with my original choice of wine that I ordered prior to the flight.  Throughout our stay, we were often checked up upon and enjoyed the company of our surroundings.  The customers always seem to be a very friendly and relaxed group and generally a balanced ratio of men and women and between the ages of 30-50.  Since Danielle had to depart mid evening, I remained at the bar by myself waiting to meet another of my friends.  In the meantime, the patrons around me were friendly and conversational and offered to keep me company until my friends’ arrival.  Once she arrived (thanks Kerrie Ann for traveling the distance to join me!), we continued the merriment and ordered additional snack plates including an assorted cheese plate and bruschetta.  Although the bruschetta was heavily drenched in garlic for my palate (and the effects unfortunately lasted well through the remainder of the evening), the food was nevertheless flavorsome.  Overall, the ambience, quality of food, and service of this establishment seems to remain consistent, so if you like it the first time around, then chances are you will return again without  much convincing needed.  

Food: ★★★☆☆

Service: ★★★☆☆

Price: ★★☆☆☆

Ambience: ★★★☆☆

Overall: ★★★☆☆

S Factor: ★★☆☆☆