GetWize

Thursday, June 28, 2007

Hidden Places - Hidden Vine Wine Bar

Welcome to hidden places... A column dedicated to giving you the inside scoop to places you probably didn't know about, but will be glad you did.

Hidden Vine Wine Bar

½ Cosmo Place at Taylor Street

(415) 674-3567


Their website says that this place is a “secret wine bar,” which is more or less true, since it’s down in a (non-sketchy) alley, and kind of in the basement of a hotel. It’s cozy (only chairs and couches) and so not a scene.

I don’t know a lot about wine – except if I like the particular kind I’m drinking or not. So I’m a little leery of wine bars, since they sometimes have a reputation for being snooty, and then I feel forced to pretend like I know what I’m talking about. This is not the case at Hidden Vine. The husband and wife team that own the place are wonderful – so helpful and down-to-earth. None of this wine-snobbery stuff.

The wine menu is constantly changing to features areas, vintages and tastes. I love to get the tasting flights, which allow you to sample three or four different wines from the current menu. This place got me hooked on Reisling last year when they were doing their German tasting menu.

Of course, I would be lying if I didn’t say a big draw for me is their fabulous cheese plates. These change, too, to better pair with the wine, and I can never remember exactly what I’ve had after I’ve ordered and eaten it, but the plates are a fabulous combination of cheeses, breads, chutney and fruit. That’s a meal for me.

Another big bonus – although it’s located in the Union Square area, it’s not a tourist trap, since ya haveta be in the know to get to this spot!



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