Vinology: A Review

For a long time, Ann Arbor has needed a place where on a Saturday afternoon you could step inside out of the hot sun or the blustery wind and order a glass of a crisp Pinot Grigio to refresh your spirits or a mysterious Pinot Noir to fuel more smoldering encounters. Depending on your mood and your appetite, you could choose from a variety of savory nibbles—sharp, tangy cheeses, smoked meats, fresh fruit, crusty breads, maybe even miniature cheddar biscuits spiked with fresh sage—to accompany your wine, or order a complete dinner if the day’s exertions require heartier fare.

The atmosphere would be lively enough to encourage flirtatious conversation, a great place for a second or third date, but not so rambunctious as to prevent more serious discussion. There would be music, of course. Perhaps Stefan Grapelli or Django Reinhardt in the early evening, Thelonious Monk in the moody hours of the afternoon or late evening. The atmosphere would be warm and intimate, the lighting would be soft and flattering; there would be plenty of booths, comfortable chairs, glorious flowers.

Vinology, the new wine bar/restaurant which just opened May 1st in the old Mayer-Schairer building on Main Street, might become this place.

We’ve eaten there twice recently: once on a Saturday evening, and once for Sunday brunch. With its brick walls, dark booths contrasting with crisp white linen tablecloths, and back wall lined with bottles of wine, Vinology already feels like an archetypal wine bar, not edgy, but comfortable. The music is lively, but muted enough that you can hear your companion’s conversation. On Saturday night, they even played some Monk.

Downstairs, where we sat Saturday night, the room is brightened with indirect diffuse spotlights and wall sconces, the light playing against glass ornaments that decorate the ceiling. Wrought iron grapevines frame a mirror at the back of the room. There are no booths down here, but sheer white curtains provide soft privacy between tables.

It is a lovely place, thoughtfully designed. The wines are fantastic, the selection is enormous, and where else could you find more than 40 different wines offered by the glass or carafe every day? The menu is lovely, too: imaginative and ambitious, and actually quite reasonably priced, I think. And the execution is so very, very close to perfect, and it has been far too long since anything remotely this interesting--I admit to being tired of Main Street Ventures concepts--has opened around here that I hate to complain.

There were just a few teeny little distractions. Easy things to correct, I’m sure. For one, the basement was a little cool: even with a sweater, and even after a couple of glasses of wine and more than a few nibbles of gnocchi and steamed mussels, I was still a little too cool. The lighting may also be a little too indirect, a little too diffuse. I had a hard time reading my menu, and my dinner companion kept referring, disparagingly, to my little penlight as a “flashlight,” as though I were brandishing a spotlight around the restaurant, and insisted I put it away. The result is that I never really got a chance to familiarize myself with the menu, or its prices.

I can tell you what we ordered, though. Two half carafes of wine, for starters: one lush and mysterious pinot noir, and one more structured valpolicello—both extraordinary, both unexpected finds on a “by the glass” menu. For our meal, we started with an assortment of small plates: plump potato gnocchi served with sautéed morel mushrooms, asparagus, and parmesan cheese; grilled gulf shrimp with a spicy chili sauce; steamed mussels in a garlicky broth, served with french fries and aioli made with tarragon and lemon.

Later, in the interests of research only, and even though we weren’t hungry at all, we ordered the snackboard, a small plate featuring prosciutto, some kind of salami, smoked salmon, dried fruits, and a single slice of a fabulous artisinal cheddar. Inspired by that one piece of cheese, we also ordered a cheese board, which came with three of our picks from their selection of artisan cheeses. Although tempted by some chocolate pots de crème, we neglected to leave room for dessert. Our total bill, including a 20% gratuity (for excellent service) came to barely $140, not bad for a special occasion meal where we ordered exceptional wine and prodigious quantities of food.

The combinations of ingredients were harmonious, carefully considered, and the portions were incredibly generous, but, as with the atmosphere, although I appreciated the effort I saw in the food, some things seemed not quite there yet. The potato gnocchi, for example, seemed underseasoned and needed a little cream to bring all the ingredients together. The shrimp should have been brined to enhance their sweetness, and the chili sauce wanted something to spark its flavor (salt? lemon?). The horseradish crème that came with the snackboard was overpoweringly pungent. The mussels were tasty, but could have used more garlic and again, more salt.

The accompanying french fries, though, were out of this world, thin: crispy, perfectly golden, perfectly salted, and served with an amazing tarragon-lemon mayonnaise. I could have made a glorious meal on those fries, mayonnaise, and a salad, and next time, maybe I will.

The brunch on Sunday was fabulous. I had perfectly poached eggs served on slightly sweet, slightly crunchy parmesan corn muffins, topped with a delicate, creamy truffled mornay sauce, and served with arugula & fried potatos; it all worked together beautifully. Coffee comes in a press pot, and it's richly flavored, quite wonderful. I can also vouch for the mimosas. M’s grilled hanger steak was amazing, and he's lucky I liked my entree so well--it meant he got to eat most of his. He wasn't quite so thrilled with the scrambled eggs and chives that accompanied his steak--some cream cheese & salt (they don't even have salt or pepper shakers on the table!) and probably a bit more attention to the eggs before they toughened on the grill would have added some interest One member of our party ordered some decadent french toast concoction stuffed with strawberries and conserves that looked amazing, and she refused to share even a little bite of it. Brunch entrees ranged between $10-$15, and there are kid’s meals available for $6/each.

Vinology feels like a labor of love: it is original and thoughtfully designed, and there is clearly plenty of talent and good taste here. It is a welcome and refreshing addition to the dining options in downtown Ann Arbor. All it wants is a bit of light, a bit more warmth, and a little salt to realize its promise.

(Note--8/8/06: I first ate at Vinology shortly after it opened, where I had a festive experience and a wonderful waiter. Since then, however, I have not been able to return to see how things have unfolded, and the reports I'm getting from others who have been there more recently are a little disquieting: grumblings about poor service and subpar food. For another perspective, see this review at A Later Date.)