01/17/09

Good restaurant doomed by bad service

by djluening

This once was a favorite place for my friends to spend an enjoyable evening sampling good wine and tapas in a very relaxed atmosphere. Things have changed. We went on Thursday and ordered one 'first class flight' of reds to start off the evening. After about 15 minutes, we asked where it was and were told 'they're just working on it'. Eventually, the three glasses of wine arrived. Food arrived too - no complaints. No stand-outs but very enjoyable and right-sized for sharing. We then ordered a bottle of one of the 'flight' wines. Fifteen+ minutes later it still hadn't arrived. We downgraded to two glasses as time was running out. There were only about 5 tables of 2-5 in the place and a few people at the bar while we were there. The staff just seemed clueless, and by the end of the evening it seemed tmost of the remaining patrons were their friends. Too bad, this was a great place, but I give it 6 months unless the owner re-engages and improves the staff.

12/25/08

Best place in the Valley!

by mikegee1000

This is the best place in the Valley! No doubt! Excellent food and service, intimate lighting, great selection of wines, great live music! low volume music for those who want it as background! 2 sofas in front of the 2 wonderful guitar players that play there for those who want to listen to the music while dinning. Outside table to have a smoke! lots of parking! PERFECT!

• Pros: everything
• Cons: nothing

08/06/08

Try Vino at least once

by Citysearcher08

Vino was a delight! We stopped in randomly on a Friday night and got seated right away. It is pretty expensive for tapas, wine and dessert (two people ran about $60) but the food was delicious. We had Huevos Alicia (yummy), calamari (nothing special), crispy eggplant (with honey mmm!!) and Pasta with shrimp which was a little spicy but i liked it. The atmosphere is killer, small intimate and romantic. A great date place!

07/15/08

Why can't there be more places similar to this????

by rosannajaan

This is one of my favorite places to go to get some wine in the middle of the week. In the valley there aren't many hip hang out places. This place needs to be discovered. LOL It's kinda empty during the week, which is the only time I've gone, like there's 6 other ppl there or something. It seems family owned, a nice atmosphere, everything is dark red, dim lights, romantic, yet I've only gone with friends : ) So it's not only a couple place either.

The tapas invasion hits Encino with this casual, handsome spot.

by Andrew Rosenblum

In Short
Soft music gently bounces off the warm orange walls, brimming with landscape and wine bottle paintings, of this rectangular tapas bar that strikes a balance between European elegance and all-American comfort. Customers who choose to sit at the marble bar, which faces a long row of refrigerated bottles, can select from a list of about 100 wines, primarily from large California producers. The fairly substantial menu leans toward seafood, like panko-crusted jumbo sea scallop and fried calamari, although carnivores will find filet mignon and braised beef shanks to accompany hearty reds.

03/10/08

Great low-key, classy, hang-out

by stjulia

This place is a diamond in the rough. It's beautiful and cozy inside. Food off the menu, I've had once...it was above average. However, their cheese plates are wonderful! They always have new cheeses available and incorporate honey and fruit on the plate as well. Delicious! The wine selection is great. The staff is so friendly and relaxed. The atmosphere is very inviting.