"wine bar" news and stories

A vintner, or perhaps a devoted wine connoisseur, would recognize "Asprinio" as a type of white Italian grape that is primarily used in sparkling wines, although it is a fairly obscure type of grape. It you're not a member of this category, you probably recognize it as the last name of Stephen Asprinio, one of the members of the cast of the first season of Top Chef. He was one of the more colorful participants in the show, not only because of his standout designer suits, but because of his confidence and charm. Stephen was, even when he first entered the public eye, a man with a plan. He didn't win the show, but that didn't stop him from going forward with his plan to change the face of dining in America by becoming a restaurateur.

I had a chance to sit down with Stephen this week to find out exactly what he has been up to since the show ended and what he is planning for the future. Currently, he has two projects approaching completion, one on each coast. The first is called Tastevin and it is a concept wine boutique aimed at 20-somethings who are increasingly developing a taste for wines, but are put off from seeking out high-quality ones by the old fashioned, pretentious way wine is usually presented. Corks, dusty bottles and wooden crates are not selling points to the under-30 crowd. Stephen is doing away with all the stuffy formality of wine buying and keeping his venture sexy and ultra-modern, with Philippe Starck furniture and beautiful displays of the bottles, appealing to his age group by improving the presentation and accessibility of one of his favorite things: wine.

Back in the day, when I didn't want to drive from the Westside all the way to Hollywood to go clubbing, I'd settle for a small club called Sugar in Santa Monica. It wasn't really "settling," as the small warehouse-y space was cozy but cool, the people were beautiful, and the bass was deep.

But I've grown up now, and clubbing isn't something I do all that often. Luckily, the space where Sugar used to be has grown up, too. It is now the second location of Bodega Wine Bar, a chic, sleek little wine bar whose older sister in Pasadena has a loyal following. They serve wine (obviously), as well as beer, sake, soju, and a bit of food so you can pace yourself. 

Bodega Wine Bar's westside location is at 814 Broadway, Santa Monica, CA 90401 (310)  394-3504.

AOC is a restaurant that had been on my "To-Dine" list from the moment opened in LA. However, it took me this long to finally get over there. The restaurant has a nice setup with bar-seating at either the wine bar or the cheese bar, and regular seating in a fairly small dining room. I enjoyed the meal, I enjoyed the cheese, and I enjoyed the wine. But the thing that made my head spin faster than the Rock Steady Crew was the tiny silver saucer of bacon-wrapped dates stuffed with parmesan cheese. Now that I'm comfortbale with bacon-wrapping, I want to make these at home.