Dropped by for "Drop-In Thursdays" weekly wine tasting and to try a few menu items. Sauvignon blanc was light and sweet, with very pronounced grapefruit notes. I liked Abundance Vineyards Abundantly Rich Red (Zinfandel and Carignane varietals)- fruity, not too sweet; This bottle sells retail at $14;, Fine's at $12.66- Thursday's special was $10... I should've bought two! I didn't like the cabernet much. (Honestly, I kept tasting paint thinner... not good eats, er, drinks.) Alright, I was now ready to order some food!
My companion and I decided we'd try the Sweet potato fries, Housemade duck confit bratwurst, Escargot, and Fine's wine burger (please see photos above). While I didn't think much of the fries and the accompanying sauces (balsamic is slightly tangy; tomato is salty; and vanilla bean is just... sweet) at the beginning of the meal, I grew to enjoy them at the end- it was fun to experiment with the sauces to find good combinations! I'm sure the wine tastings and the $5 glass of Calina Reserva Carménère had something to do with this! The bratwurst was a winner, but at $11 for such a small portion (about a 2.5" link), I'll wait till 1/2 off Mondays to enjoy this one again. (I'll have to ask the chef to swap something for the slaw, w/c had good-looking bacon or pancetta mixed in, along with allergens I don't want.) I was hesitant to try the escargot, esp. after trying Tapino's a few days ago, but I'm glad my friend ordered it, anyway. It was perfection on a plate! Buttery, but not greasy, and I adored the chunky bits of garlic there! I had thought of asking for more bread, but sometimes it's better to be left wanting for more than to have too much. Merrill, our bartender, said that many people have opined that Fine's wine burger was the best burger they've ever had. Perhaps! It certainly vies with the goodness of Quiessence's Farm burger. It was beautiful to look at (cooked to medium rare), and equally tasty, with the caramelized onions the scene-stealer in this dish! My friend was tickled by the battered pickles! Indubitably, they begged to be tasted, but I stood my ground.
Can't wait for Mondays to roll around... Fine's Cellar undeniably deserves an early beg-off from work!