Wined Up - Tapas Cuisine

Rating:




Name: Wined Up
Location: 913 Broadway - 2nd Floor (above Punch)
Price: $150 for three
Server: it's a mystery
Chef: Chef Corbett (is that a last name or a first name?)
Style: Tapas

What to say about Wined Up? First of all, we hate the name. Second, the business card sucks. It's got Punch Restaurant on the back in 90's raver orange, and the Wined Up side is black with circles and 1200 different font styles on it. Call us stupid but we like simple.

First impression of Wined Up is good. The decor is simple and elegant. High ceilings, big flower arrangements, floating wine display and simple table settings make for a lovely first impression. Then there are the frowning service staff. Oops. Namely the harried and stressed out manager who probably just needs a spa day and a date with the Rabbit (ladies you know which rabbit).

Their wine list is impressive and again, is a more modern list. It's arranged by style and characteristic rather than price or varietal. They have a lot of inexpensive and moderately priced wines, not too many expensive or boutique wines. European and domestic wines are featured, and you can find some really great deals here.

The menu's were well printed, and simple. We ordered a trio of cheeses, a trio of charcuterie's (meat yo), the duck confit, some kind of beet salad thingy, some toasted almonds, and french fries. We LOVED the duck and the meat yo, and the cheese wasn't bad either. The almonds tasted like someone's salty feet had been resting in them for days, and the french fries were crispy but not sinful enough. Healthy fries? Who needs that. Oh, and fries should be served hot, not tepid.

We ordered a french rhone wine whose name escapes us, as has our receipt. The wine was fantastic, and only $50, but they serve their wines in table wine glasses and we would have preferred to see some stem ware. Is it too much to ask for a wine bar?

The table next to us had to demand they bring up some stem ware, but as we are salty enough, we decided to deal with what the default glasses are.

Really, the reason this spot gets a 2 and not a 3 is because of the atmosphere. There wasn't any. It felt cold, aloof and impersonal in there, and wildly boring. You should take corporate people who you dislike to this place, because it fosters an environment where everyone is stiff and restless. The lighting could be taken down a notch, the music up 2 notches, the staff given some "love that joker" smiles, and then maybe you would have a 3 salt shaker place.