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| The Hidden Vine in San Francisco, California |
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| The Hidden Vine's Fireplace |
The Hidden Vine is just like it sounds, a wine bar tucked away on a barely traveled side street in the Financial District of San Francisco. The atmosphere is dark with barely enough candlelight to read the menu, but the fireplace, warm wood and brick interior and comfy furnishings make customers feel relaxed once they've finally found the place. It is a perfect spot for an after work Happy Hour, and most of the patrons appear to be locals.
The Hidden Vine in San Francisco, California
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| The Hidden Vine Wine Bar |
My friend has brought me because she's printed out a voucher from the online discounter, Living Social, and we simply had to come before the coupon expires. I have learned to appreciate Kate's bargain hunting forays as I get to share the spoils, and tonight is no different.
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| Wines From Portugal |
We select the wine flight of the month, two whites and a red from Portugal. The first is a sparkling wine called Luis Pato Bruto, which tastes like pears and sets us up for the full-bodied and buttery Quinta de Amead Louerio. The lone red is called Singularis Trindadiro Aragonez Alcante Bousehet, which goes down smoothly despite its tough name. We also try a 2008 red from the Central Valley of California called Turley Cinsault, which tastes distinctly like cherries with a black pepper finish.
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| Crab Sliders |
The food offered is a list of appetizers and after much discussion, we choose a Charcuterie Plate with three meats for $21, Crab Sliders for $13 and the Honey Crisp Apple and Asian Pear Salad for $11. The dishes pack a variety of ingredients and we relish each one. The crab is accompanied with a tiny container of house pickled veggies and the salad is small but presented like a work of art. The Charcuterie contains a smear of Dijon mustard, duck prosciutto, wild boar and sopressata, a glorified version of salami. The boar is rich and gamey, and the duck is fabulous.
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| Charcuterie Plate |
We move on to dessert but discover the menu has only two choices. Unfortunately, tonight only one is available, a four-ounce glass jar of chocolate truffles for $9. The candy comes in four varieties, raspberry, red wine, French bread and Kahlua, so we go ahead and order. The truffles are a delight, made of high quality cocoa that is smooth and rich.
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| Private Room for Small Parties |
The service at
The Hidden Vine is friendly, the decor appealing and the cuisine small-portioned but excellent in flavor. The menu is good for light eaters or those who plan to head elsewhere for dinner. It is limited and pricey, so arriving with a coupon voucher from
Living Social has made it more palatable. The wine bar is located at 408 Merchant Street, between Battery and Sansome Streets, and definitely worth a visit.
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| The Hidden Vine Wine Bar |
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