As loud as a campaign fundraiser and always dimly lit, this wine bar and restaurant will make you lean in close to whomever you’re nibbling on a cheese plate with. The grazing-friendly menu offers a smart selection of charcuterie (duck salami, silky chicken pâté), locally sourced cheddars and chèvres, and pizzas with such toppings as Ligurian olives and house-made boar sausage. Bigger plates aren’t always exciting—the burger on brioche and the linguine all’Amatriciana are both safe bets—but chances are that something on the wine list will be. It’s 119 labels strong, with 45 available by the glass or three-ounce taste.
-March, 2008