I really wanted to love this place. After all, wine and cheese is speaking my language. It was obvious on opening night that they have some initial hurdles to clear including use of the space, staff knowledge, menu, wine selection, and pricing. The bar is quite nice although not very large. The table seating was packed as a lot of anxious locals showed their support for a much needed business offering. The floor to ceiling red curtain separating the bar from the event space next door does nothing to make this a quiet, peaceful space where you can relax, enjoy some wine, and have great conversations with friends. The TV in the adjacent space could be heard distinctly in the bar as could the activities there. I can imagine that at times this could get very annoying.
I'll give them a pass on some of the service issues including how to run a credit card. First night is a tough one. The food menu had some interesting options and the cheese choices were diverse. The wine, however, was not what I had hoped for. The selection of wine was nothing distinctive and were things you could pull off the shelves at the state store. I would hope they expand that selection to more unique offerings. That seems to me an easy fix. Pricing is very high even given the no tip philosophy. $14 for a pour of a wine I buy for $12 a bottle is unsettling. Perhaps they will feel their way successfully through this area as well.
I applaud their leading effort to bring some class and culture to the blighted Garden Theater area of the Northside. I'm anxious to check back in the near future to see how they've progressed.