Wine bars continue to pop up around town - with even more coming down the pike in 2010 - and we're fans of the trend. But recent visits to Ardesia, a new addition to the scene, and the year old Ten Bells illustrate that for a seemingly simple concept, it's not always easy to pull off.
Ten Bells (247 Broome Street) has a lot going for it - the winelist is full of interesting options, if you are a vin naturel fan, and by the glass prices are very reasonable, mostly $8 - 10. The wrap-around bar is nice, but for the best attention sit on the side that does not have the "kitchen" area. Get there early or you'll find that side populated by friends of the bartenders, industry insiders and regulars. Like the wines, the place is quirky and full of character, which we like, except when the quirkiness is highly impractical such as the puzzling refusal to print a winelist. It's on the website so why not print it on paper? Customers are forced to read the entire list written in chalk on boards lining the walls, which is not only not very consumer friendly but also hard in the dim light. Also, be warned - no credit cards are taken at all. In this day and age, that's an odd choice but it's their right. Just don't expect us to carry around a couple of hundred bucks in cash to drop on a bottle or magnum - and the list of magnums is indeed worth exploring. And no, we're not using that sketchy ATM across the street. Ten Bells is worth a visit, not least of all for its interesting wines at great prices - just bring a pocketful of cash. (And maybe a flashlight.)
Ardesia (510 W. 52nd Street) is pretty much the opposite of Ten Bells. The room, in a brand new residential building closer to New Jersey than Times Square, lacks the intimacy of downtown spots or the nearby Casellula. The design is reminiscent of Le Bernardin (an owner works at the Ripert 4-starrer) in that it skews corporate nice-but-cold, polished but lacking personality - not the type of place we'd want to hang out in. To our taste, it's a bit style-over-substance, focused on pricey wines - a glass of good Rioja will run you $18 - in pretty glassware that are not always ready to drink (we tasted a bunch). A more interesting - and affordable - choice was Muskateller ($11) but there should have been more options like this. In a wine bar, we look for interesting wines at affordable prices and these prices are decidedly restaurant-level. Maybe that's why so many people were drinking beer.
Ten Bells (247 Broome Street) has a lot going for it - the winelist is full of interesting options, if you are a vin naturel fan, and by the glass prices are very reasonable, mostly $8 - 10. The wrap-around bar is nice, but for the best attention sit on the side that does not have the "kitchen" area. Get there early or you'll find that side populated by friends of the bartenders, industry insiders and regulars. Like the wines, the place is quirky and full of character, which we like, except when the quirkiness is highly impractical such as the puzzling refusal to print a winelist. It's on the website so why not print it on paper? Customers are forced to read the entire list written in chalk on boards lining the walls, which is not only not very consumer friendly but also hard in the dim light. Also, be warned - no credit cards are taken at all. In this day and age, that's an odd choice but it's their right. Just don't expect us to carry around a couple of hundred bucks in cash to drop on a bottle or magnum - and the list of magnums is indeed worth exploring. And no, we're not using that sketchy ATM across the street. Ten Bells is worth a visit, not least of all for its interesting wines at great prices - just bring a pocketful of cash. (And maybe a flashlight.)
Ardesia (510 W. 52nd Street) is pretty much the opposite of Ten Bells. The room, in a brand new residential building closer to New Jersey than Times Square, lacks the intimacy of downtown spots or the nearby Casellula. The design is reminiscent of Le Bernardin (an owner works at the Ripert 4-starrer) in that it skews corporate nice-but-cold, polished but lacking personality - not the type of place we'd want to hang out in. To our taste, it's a bit style-over-substance, focused on pricey wines - a glass of good Rioja will run you $18 - in pretty glassware that are not always ready to drink (we tasted a bunch). A more interesting - and affordable - choice was Muskateller ($11) but there should have been more options like this. In a wine bar, we look for interesting wines at affordable prices and these prices are decidedly restaurant-level. Maybe that's why so many people were drinking beer.
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/13/dining/reviews/13brief.html?ref=dining