The much acclaimed Enoteca Vin is located in the old Pine State Creamery building in the now trendy Glenwood South District near downtown Raleigh. Fortunately my inaugural visit last week was with my Mother and Grandmother on Tuesday night.
Actually both "Mom" and "Granny" know the building for what it originally was, the old birthplace of the local favorite ice cream brand, Pine State. Raleigh may have changed a lot in recent years, but Mom and Granny are true natives.
Tuesday night turned out to be a good time to visit Enoteca Vin. The atmosphere is laid back like a rehearsal for the rest of the week. The crowd is low key, the staff accommodating and the performance fresh.
Enoteca Vin feels more like the genuine item than a copy. The mixture of city modern and down home tradition walks the line definitively. For example, chicken liver pate ($5) and deviled eggs ($5) reside comfortably alongside wild striped bass with mussels ($17) and steak frites with olive butter and red wine jus ($19). Chef and co-Owner Ashley Christensen succeeds at composing the menu with beauty, hedonics and passing notes of humor.
The wine list managed by co-Owner Chrish Peel is just enough out of the ordinary, and it's ever changing, affordable and flexible. For example, you can order wine in 1.5, 3, and 5 ounce glasses or by the bottle, and you can spend as little as $1.50 for a 1.5 ounce wine sample. This turned out to be perfect for my mother's needs.
As the driver for the evening, my wine tasting was limited to two very enjoyable wines, both from Bedford Road Estate in New Zealand: Sauvignon Blanc ($7.25/5oz.) and Pinot Noir ($6.20/3oz.).
The more adventurous (and non-drivers) might also select one of the delicious sounding cocktails such as the Pomegranate Punch or Lemon-Cucumber Gimlet made with Hendrick's gin.
Desserts and matching sweet libations rival the savory courses in their creativity, although we had to take a rain check on this trip.
Everything on the menu sounds like a winner, and you can view the current choices on Enoteca Vin's informative website.
The space itself is a visual treat, clean, comfortable, minimal yet warm and cozy. Service is crisp and professional.
The entire staff deserves a round of applause.
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