YN

So, I’m a little far behind on writing my latest review. I went to YN last Tuesday at 227 Mott St in Nolita. It opened in the beginning of 2012, so it’s relatively new.

When I first walked up to the bar, the large windows in the front were open and the sounds of jazzy music were floating out to the sidewalk. I pushed on the metal door only to find that it wouldn’t open. Oops, maybe I was supposed to pull. I pulled and got the same result. Confused, I looked inside the bar to find it empty, but noticed that there was a sign outside declaring happy hour to be from 4 to 7pm. It was after 6. As I was just about to turn around and find another wine bar to review, the bartender jogged up and told me that he had locked the door while he was out for a smoke. At least I was getting in! I followed him into the narrow and dimly lit space and took a seat at the bar. I ended up being the only one there for a while, so the bartender chatted with me for a bit until more people started arriving around 7.

I appreciate the details in wine bars, so I really liked that the menu was made of cork. The wines were well selected and were all from Europe and California. Glasses of wine were $9 to $13 and all $9 glasses were $7 during happy hour. Bottles started at $36 and were no more than $120. Each of the wines had brief tasting notes as well, which is supposed to help you make a choice, but I couldn’t make up my mind because they all sounded so delicious. The bartender was really friendly and asked if he could make a suggestion. I asked him what his favorite wine on the menu was and he told me he would pour a wine for me to taste and see if I liked it. He poured a small taste of a ruby red wine that looked bright and tasty. I took a sip and was impressed, so I ordered a glass of it. He told me that it was the Merlot, which surprised me because it didn’t taste like a standard Merlot. It was the 2010 Clic Delle Venezie from Italy and it smelled like strawberry and cedar, with delicate notes of baking spices and dried berries on the palate. It was medium bodied and had a well-balanced acidity. A very enjoyable wine to drink.

The place had a European ambiance to it and I imagine it would be an intimate escape during cold winter evenings. As the evening progressed, the lights were turned down lower and lower, and soon enough candles were providing a nice ambient light for the bar. The music sounded like something out of a classic film and it made me want to do the Charleston or perhaps travel to an earlier era Midnight in Paris-style. There are very few tables since the space is small, so most of the seating is around the bar. The wooden chairs are pretty uncomfortable and feel like they might actually be from the jazz age, but the rest of the bar is clean-lined and it combines old and new elements, particulary with the bright modern art on the wall opposite the bar.

YN has a nicely selected wine list and a friendly and knowledgeable staff, at least in my experience there. It’s a very sweet and sophisticated neighborhood spot with a great old school feel to it. I will be back. I give it a rating of 4.4 out of 5 glasses.

my glass of Merlot

the cork menu

Jadis

I swung by Jadis on Friday, which is located at 42 Rivington St on the Lower East Side. It s one step below the sidewalk, so it feels a little bit like a basement. A very cute basement.

The atmosphere was quiet for a Friday evening, which I wasn t expecting. There was some soft, mellow music playing, which later evolved into French hip hop. All of the walls are brick, the floor is concrete, there is a heavy wooden door at the entrance, and the ceilings look like they just might be original. Apparently there is an outdoor seating area in the back, which I could only catch a glimpse of from my table. From what I could see, it looked cool and I heard several girls asking if they could sit out there when they walked in. The bar area was cutely decorated with some dried flower arrangements and all of the plates and glasses were stored on shelves behind the bar, so it looked like a homey kitchen.

Jadis has a French wine bar feel to it, but wines from all over the world were featured on their wine list. Wines are $7 to $12 by the glass with bottles starting at $25 and no more than $110. They also offer a carafe of wine, which is priced between $18 and $29. The bar has a very clean pricing strategy. They have great specials as well: happy hour is Tuesday - Saturday from 5-7pm, and on Mondays bottles of wine over $30 are 30% off.

I ordered the 2011 Domaine Chene Macon La Roche from the Burgundy region of France. It had a slight barley scent to it, almost like beer but a touch sweeter. It was a little toasty on the nose as well. It tasted very much like lychee with a thin sweetness to it and a nice bitter note. It was an interesting wine, but good. Shortly after I ordered my wine, I noticed that there was a $15 minimum on credit cards, which always annoys me. But I was happy to order a cheese plate to make up the difference.

The service was what made Jadis feel different for me. Although she was friendly each time she came to my table, the noticeable overtone of the waitress' attitude was that she thought I was awkward and weird. Which I totally am The distasteful look she gave me while I was holding my camera in front of my face was the first clue. Ok, so I was the only one in the bar for a while and I was taking pictures like a stalker. And sure, I devoured a cheese plate meant for three, but try not to make it so obvious that you think I m an oddball. I may not understand your Spanish, but I sure can read the body language of you and the bartender both looking over at me at the same time. Try to be more subtle in the future.

I don t know why I'm giving Jadis this rating because I felt like Quasimodo while I was there, but it has a cool, yet quaint and cozy atmosphere, as well as a good selection of wines at a great price point. If you behave overtly sane you might enjoy yourself here a little more than I did. I, begrudgingly, give it a rating of 3.6 out of 5 glasses.

I felt too awkward to take a good picture of the outside once I left. And that's saying a lot.

The cute bar area

Isn't it always?