Wednesday, Sep. 23, 2009 Fort Worth Star Telegram
Wine Down in Burleson - a nice spot to chill at the end of the day
By JUNE NAYLOR
If your travels into town bring you up Interstate 35, chances are very good that you’re pleased Burleson became "wet" recently. The boom in new restaurants there is a boon to anyone who’d like a cool adult beverage after tangling with traffic in the afternoon.
And whereas the sushi restaurants springing up continue to bring in droves of diners, a less fussy development in the refurbished old downtown area recently delivered a place where you can actually unwind. Cleverly, it’s called Wine Down.
It’s the creation of Alvarado native Andrea Blair, a 22-year-old culinary arts graduate of Johnson & Wales University in North Carolina, who opened the wine-and-cuisine oasis in the spring.
Among the discoveries patrons seem to like most are those from Charles Wiffen, a New Zealand winery making particularly good pinot noir and sauvignon blanc. Blair’s wine list also includes varietals from Lone Star wineries like Becker, Llano Estacado and Sister Creek.
A friend and I made an evening stop for a glass with noshing on the side. Two menus were presented, with an explanation that lunch items are available at night.
We stuck with the evening menu, a simple selection of six appetizer plates. The antipasto plate ($14.99 for two, $20.99 for four people) won us over quickly, not just with its beauty but its smart content: There was a lovely brie, along with an unsmoked gouda and a soft, sublime manchego for the trio of cheeses, as well as ample slices of Genoa salami and tender folds of capicola ham, kalamata olives, water and wheat crackers, and chunks of baguette.
Our warm plate, garlicky shrimp ($14.99), offered six giant crustaceans under a buttery crumb layer, sitting atop a garlic-lemon-butter pool that filled the bottom of the hot baking dish.
Caprese salad ($12.99) is another offering, a plate of mozzarella layered with tomato slices and basil shreds, with a drizzle of olive oil and aged balsamic vinegar on top. Smoked salmon ($14.99) and cheese plates ($12.99-$18.99) are other options.
My quibble with Wine Down pertains to the setting itself: The cottage has been nicely renovated, but there’s a void where style should be. Decor seems to be a mix of hand-me-downs and World Market, with little theme linking them. Overhead lighting that’s harsh when the sun goes down could be replaced by small lamps and candles. Music on the stereo — which plays in some rooms and not in others — doesn’t fit the wine-bar mood.
We’d like to see the servers get a bit more training, too. Food and wine this good should be sold with expertise instead of the friendly-but-uninformed approach.
Nevertheless, Wine Down offers excellent value. Wines are priced from $12 by the bottle and $6 by the glass.
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Wine Down
124 S. Scott St.
Burleson
817-447-9122
wine-down-bistro.com
Hours: 11 a.m.-9 p.m. Wednesday-Saturday
Cuisine: Wine bistro
Entrees: About $7-$13
Signature dishes: Antipasto plate; roasted chicken sandwich; baked shrimp
Essentials: Wine and beer; smoke-free; major credit cards; wheelchair-accessible
Recommended for: Sippers seeking interesting wines at a good price alongside exceptional nibbles that pair perfectly.
Good to know: Lunch menu served all day; good for girlfriend groups; not a place for kids.
