The L Wine Lounge----cool food, cool wines, cool vibe

It was Second Saturday, and my friend Wayne Farquhar was having a book signing at the sleek and sexy L Wine Lounge. It was my first time at LWL, and I felt, well, schlumpy.  My outfit was all wrong, my shoes much too sensible, and the silver that was peaking through my golden highlights was anything but sterling.

The interior of L Wine Lounge  is sleek with a modern, European feel;  dark woodtones are complemented by lime-green upholstered banquettes downstairs, and a cozy dining area and outdoor patio upstairs.   Were we in midtown or Milan?   The young, vibrant staff with their white-strip smiles were friendly, attentive and kept on their toes by the hip, youthful crowd.

I quickly perused the by-the-glass offerings on the wine list, so I could get upstairs for the book signing.   If I'd been paying closer attention, I would've seen the delightful selection of flights offered, and could've passed on the ho-hum 'by the glass' selection that I ended up with.  It wasn't that it was a bad wine; it just wasn't anything special.  Oh, well, I'll be more attentive on our next visit.

In addition to a fun and eclectic wine list, L Wine Lounge offers several artisan beers, on tap and in bottles, as well as cocktails.  So, if  you have a friend who doesn't drink wine (although, why would you?), there are plenty of libatious options at LWL for them as well.

Apparently, Think Globally, Act Locally is a tome the folks at L Wine believe in.    A wine list that includes some unique international selections (a German varietal from Isreal??) along with some thoughtful Northern California choices, and a menu that utilizes fresh, local and sustainable products gives both diners and tasters a chance to try some fun and unusual pairings....

The food menu is titled Mix, Match and Share, with selections that run the culinary gamut, from a 1/4lb all-beef hot dog, to their popular pizettas, to a 3 course seasonal prix fixe menu ($35 food only, $50 with paired wines).  They also do Brunch with equally inventive choices:  chorizo and eggs gets an unexpected addition of creamy polenta and avocado;  oooh, and doesn't Creme Brulee French Toast sound wickedly decadent?  It all sounded too yummy, but my curiosity had me leaning towards a dinner reservation first.   I'm dying to see what pairing they recommend for that 1/4 Hot Dog ....

Dining space at the L Wine Lounge