Wine bars have the reputation of being stylish and cosmopolitan, the imbibing equivalent of a cool jazz band. But at Bin Wine Café the brick walls and hard surfaces can make for quite a din when the place fills up, as it often does on weekends, luring groups of attractive young females hunting a decent Merlot. And given the fact that attractive females are the best way to draw men into a place, you know what happens next. The final result is a bustling, noisy atmosphere that can hardly be characterized as cool and laid back.
Adding to the hubub is a staff that often appears to be on edge, running around frantically, trying to juggle a half dozen things. To this reviewer it appears that Bin Wine Cafe is frequently understaffed. Since they are just trying to do their jobs, you don't like to get in their way. However, since there is no place to lounge and relax at Bin, you must take refuge at the bar which is inconveniently located in the middle of the room where you spend most of your time trying to get out of other peoples' way while finding a decent place to stand.
Once you get to your table you may be surprised by what's on the menu - and what's not. Here are the pizza and burgers you’d expect from a noisy beer bar. But where’s the beer? Oh, yeah. This is a wine bar, so there are only five beers available, although they are carefully chosen. On the other hand, there are 36 different wines, and many are offered in flights of four for $14-$18. That's good. Particularly as they can be paired with cheese flights culled from a selection of 22 quality cheeses.
The wine flight arrives with a call out sheet, explaining the qualities of each vintage. Nice touch. The Cheese flight also includes a written explanation. Tomme de Yenne from Yenne, France: A lovely “little loaf” from the Rhone-Alps region, semi-soft and full of mountain herbs and pastures. This is good and it helps you to savor and appreciate the distinctions, particularly as the flavors harmonize and offset the wine.
The cultivation of taste is the soul of a good wine bar. But the hectic, noisy atmosphere is more the stuff of a good brasserie. You may find yourself shouting your conversation.
Unlike most brasseries, however, the food is top notch. The beet salad is quite good. The appetizer of meat balls is better than average. The mussels are fine. Chef John Caputo is very good at what he does.
Still...
One of the drawbacks to dining in Wicker Park is that restaurateurs often feel compelled to conform to what they see as the hip, edgy character of the neighborhood by promoting a high energy room. Too bad. Bin Wine Café has most of the ingredients of a superior wine bar. We only wish we could enjoy them in a more stylish and refined environment.
Bin Wine Café
1559 N. Milwaukee
773-486-2233 / Reservations Not Accepted
Hours: Dinner Su-Th 5pm-10pm / F-Sa 5-11:30pm / Su Brunch 10am-2pm
Features: Outdoor Dining, Brunch
Avg. Price of a Meal for two including drinks and tax $80
Chef: John Caputo
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