Turks & Frogs

I have to say, I was a little intimidated to review Turks & Frogs because it is such a well known bar. It’s located at 323 W 11^th St in the adorable West Village. I did some research on the bar after my visit and it has such a large following that people from all over the world even make a pilgrimage of sorts to this place. Very cool!

Even though it was a Friday evening, I was the first to arrive again! I’m actually getting used to this. Early bird gets the best service…or something like that, right? Right? Not quite. When I walked in and the staff realized I was alone, they asked if I wanted to sit at the bar, but I told them that I had some work to do and requested the cozy looking back area, mainly so that I could take my notes for the review in secret. Plus it’s less awkward than staring at the bartender the whole time seeing as I was the only customer. Although I did tell them that I was going to do a little work, it didn’t necessarily mean that I didn’t want any wine. Several staff members walked by my table and didn’t even acknowledge me, let alone ask me if I wanted anything to drink. Eventually, the bartender did take my order and everything was great from there on!

Turks & Frogs was eclectic with a 1930s/40s vibe. I half expected Sinatra to come strolling in at any given moment. The back area of the bar had mismatched antique-looking furniture and ornate rugs adorned the wooden floor. The entire bar is lit only by candlelight and soft lamps placed near some of the tables, which are tucked away in corners allowing privacy for intimate conversation over tall glasses of wine. Bubbly jazz and 1930s music, such as tunes by Ella Fitzgerald, were playing. It is a very sultry atmosphere and absolutely a perfect date spot. I’m coming here again with the hubster :)

There was a pretty good wine selection, with many of the wines being from Italy, California, Turkey, and Australia. Glasses were priced well and most were $9 and $10, with a couple priced at $14. Wine bottle prices were very reasonable. They were not more than $100, but they did have a reserve wine list with wines that were more expensive, yet still affordable enough if you want to spoil that someone special without breaking the bank.

The wine menu is divided by Red and White and arranged by body and flavors, which I think is a really great way to showcase the wines available. Rather than relying on your own knowledge of wine, it takes some of the guesswork out of whether or not you will enjoy the wine. Reds were listed under the categories of Light to Medium Bodied, smooth texture, supple; Medium to Full Bodied, richer texture and structure; and Full Bodied mouth-filling, jammy, oaky. Whites were categorized by Light Bodied, medium-sweet, flowery; Crisp, dry, refreshing; and Medium to Full Bodied, aromatic, oaky. This helped me choose my glass of 2009 Rosenblum Zinfandel (California) because Zinfandel is one of the few wines that can have very different styles and characteristics. I prefer mine to be full bodied and rich, so I was easily able to determine from the menu that I would like this Zin. Pretty genius menu organization if you ask me.

I was getting a clove flavor with the Zinfandel. You know how certain tastes and smells bring back distinct memories? This wine immediately reminded me of the Christmas season when my husband and I make lots and lots of wassil, which is mulled with cloves. The wine reminded me of the acidity and spices of wassil. Suddenly I wanted a roast beast, cranberry sauce, and a big pile of mashed potatoes. This inspired me to take a look at the food menu and saw that they serve hummus as one of their appetizers. I automatically like any place that serves my most favorite of snacks :)

I obviously can’t say much about the typical customer of Turks & Frogs, since I was all by me onesies. Aside from mid 20s girl (i.e. ME), I would venture to guess that since it is a very popular bar it would draw all sorts of people from all age groups and walks of life. I may have to update this part when I visit it again, because I will certainly be back.

Turks & Frogs is going to be one of my favorite wine bars for an intimate setting and if I want to feel like a vixen of the 1930s. I rate this bar 4.5 out of 5 glasses.

My glass of nostalgic Zinfandel

Hello old school coziness

Candles along the wall by my table



Wine:30

Honesty, I wasn’t expecting to be blown away by a wine bar in Midtown Manhattan since the area isn’t exactly known for superb restaurants and bars. Instead the area’s businesses tend to thrive on the convenience of their location. However, Wine:30 is a gem! It’s located at 41 E 30^th St.

It’s a cute little place and not pretentious at all. The staff was very friendly, helpful and professional, yet laid back enough to be approachable. I often overheard them making wine suggestions to other customers and they definitely knew what they were talking about. The bartenders even remembered the names of the people who were apparently regulars…or maybe they were mind readers? I’m guessing it was the first scenario though. It must be a local favorite and I see why! In addition to the bartenders and waitresses knowing their wines, the other customers did as well. I heard bits of conversation about French wine history from a nearby table. I felt like I had stumbled upon the wine culture in one bar. My fellow winos! The bar really seems to be completely centered around wine, as it should be.

The atmosphere was very relaxing and it had an industrial, yet cozy feel to it. There were wooden beams on the ceiling, an exposed brick wall, industrial lights, and plenty of comfortable bar and table seating. They also have an outdoor seating area, which I would love to check out when there isn’t a chance of rain like there was tonight.

The bar had a great selection of wines! Rather than focusing on wine from a particular region, they had wines from all the main viticultural areas; California, Italy, France, Spain, Chile, etc. and also some from New York. There were many options for wines by the glass and they even had a list of by the glass wines condensed on the back of the food menu for convenience. I think a very anal retentive person organized these menus. I like it! Speaking of food, they had a very yummy looking cheese selection, including a pecorino that was infused with veins of wine. I was very tempted to order it, but I didn’t want to spoil my dinner :)

Average bottle prices were in the mid $40 range and, save the few exceptions, no more than $100. Glasses were between $9 and $16. The 2005 Monte Degli Angeli Barolo Nebbiolo was $16 and you know how much I love Nebbiolo, so I ordered this wine. It was great! It was a very dry, robust wine that had a strong berry aroma and a slightly spicy finish. One of my friends joined me at the bar later in the evening, so I ordered a second glass. I couldn’t resist ordering the next wine because of its name: Cat’s Pee Sauvignon Blanc. I know. One of the aromas for some white wines, particularly Sauvignon Blanc, is occasionally described as “cat pee”, so I thought it was cleverly named and decided to give it a try. I never thought I would say this about something that had the words “cat” and “pee” in it, but it was delicious! Although it did smell mildly like my cat’s litter box, I was able to put it to my lips and take a sip. It had a very juicy pear flavor with a good balance of fruit and acidity. I have to say, I enjoyed it.

Wine:30 was very busy, especially for a Wednesday night. It was filled with the after work crowd, mainly in their late 20’s and mid 30’s, but a pretty wide variety of people were there. The only downside of this place is that it’s a little on the small side and really noisy later in the evening. But hey, that’s New York! I don’t hold it against them for having a small location. The place is a little close quartered, so I wouldn’t recommend it for a first date, but I would come back here to relax after a hard day’s work. It was very quaint and relaxing.

I really, really liked Wine:30 and if I didn’t have more than 100 other wine bars to meet, I might consider settling down with this place. Go there. You won’t be disappointed. I give it a rating of 4.6 out of 5 glasses. Love it!

Wine:30 exterior

Nebbiolo

Industrial and cozy!

Love this place :)