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

Epistrophy Cafe

On Friday I went to Epistrophy Café, located in Nolita at 200 Mott St. The bar looks hip, as it should considering its location. It was a really nice day when I visited, so the windows in the front of the bar were all open and there were some little café tables outside.

It was already bustling inside the bar when I arrived and I was greeted shortly after entering. I was asked if I preferred a table or a seat at the bar. I requested a table and as I was following the hostess, one of the waiters said to me “You can have the table as long as you don’t stay here all night long because we have people with reservations later.” How welcoming!

Once I was settled at my very temporary table, I began to review the menu. Most of the wines were Italian, with a few here and there from France, Germany, and the US. While the menu does provide a brief description of each wine, it fails to list the vintages for their white wines. Glasses are between $6.50 for the house wine and up to $12 for the more expensive dessert wines. The average price of a glass is around $8 or $9, which is very affordable for this city! Bottles were between $30 and $54 and they also offer a carafe size for select wines. I should note that the bar is cash only, so do come prepared for that.

The setting of Epistrophy Café kind of makes it feel like you’re in someone’s huge cozy apartment. There is an open kitchen in the middle of the bar, a large bookcase along one of the original brick walls, a couple of lazily spinning fans on the ceiling, and there is a little corner in the back of the bar with cutesy décor – floral wallpaper, an antique cabinet, and some artwork.

Given the warm weather, I decided to order my first Riesling of the year and chose a glass of Noble House Riesling, vintage unknown. It smelled a bit like hay, actually. Unless the scent was mingled with that of the fresh bread being baked in the kitchen, which was beside my table. The wine had a light, tangy sweetness, almost like honey and lemon. It had a good acidity and was easy to drink, as is most Riesling. I actually drank it so quickly that the hubby still had half of his drink left, so I decided to order another glass. Know what I don’t get to try very often at a wine bar? A house wine. It’s not usually offered at wine bars, at least from what I've seen. I ordered the house white wine and it wasn’t bad, especially for $6.50. It was hard to get a read on the aroma again because of the tasty bread, but it did have a very vegetal flavor with a peppery finish and a high acidity. It was pretty unique.

By 6:45, the place was loud, packed, and there was even a line of people outside waiting for a table. The bar attracted all different types of people; there were a lot of hipsters, but I did notice some families with young children here too.

The interesting/awkward/rude encounter I had when I first arrived left a bad taste in my mouth and made it feel like they were just trying to quickly turn tables over instead of providing a pleasant experience for their customers. Even when a wine bar is busy, this should still be their priority. So, this place gets a downgrade for that. I’d like to see what Epistrophy is like when it’s not so hectic. It would be a great spot to hang out in the afternoon, actually. Based on the wines I had, I would say that the value is good - your cash goes pretty far here. I give Epistrophy Café a rating of 3 out of 5 glasses.

The exterior of Epistrophy Cafe

Getting busy...

The bookcase...and look! Part of my hubby

  The cutesy little corner in the back

My glass of Riesling

The check comes to your table as a teeny scroll! How cute :)