Last night I attended the opening party of The Wine Bar which is adjacent to Provence Marinaside in Yaletown.
The Wine Bar at Provence is a place where you can drop by for a glass of wine, have a light snack and meet up with friends. The self-contained separate facility features the wine bar (serving 50 wines by the glass), casual seating for 30 plus its own separate menu. It is open from 3 p.m. to late every day and the wine program is meant to be approachable while offering guests a range of products and prices to suit every taste and budget. By-the-glass offerings start at $7 and bottles start at $30.
Guests tasted samples of all of their dishes throughout the evening, I loved the Onion Anchovy bites as well as the Risotto balls.
In addition to the wine taps for The Wine Bar, Provence has invested in a 12-slot by-the-glass wine preservation system. A couple of slots in this system are kept open so that guests have the option of being able to choose anything off the reserve list and order it by the glass at one fifth (20 percent) of the bottle price. Once the bottle is open, the selection will be available for everyone in quantities as small as an ounce taster and listed on the daily features menu. This allows wine-loving guests to try some of the best wines in the world without having to invest in a pricey bottle.
The primary focus of the wine list is French, with a selection of other Mediterranean countries and an array of prominent styles from around the world – particularly those inspired by the French classics. Also, drawing from the classic French bistro concept of using what is locally produced, the list features a broad selection of wines from British Columbia along with a wide range of sparkling wines.
Wine is meant to be enjoyed with food and at The Wine Bar guests will find a wide-selection of tempting dishes – from tasty morsels to full meals. Bites come in two sizes – Small Bites created to accompany a glass of wine value-priced at $5, and for more substantial appetites, Big Bites that can be shared for $18.
TWB – The Wine Bar is located next door to Provence Marinaside at 1167 Marinaside Crescent (at the foot of Davie St in Yaletown) in Vancouver. You can reach them by phone at 604-681-4144 or follow them on twitter @twb_TheWineBar
By: Richard Wolak