1.5 Stars for Vinoteque Where "The Wines Outshine The Food"

And here it is, just as predicted, a taste of Vinoteque. Today's (do note it's Thursday, not Wednesday) review is all about the wine and SIV cuts right to the chase saying, "to be blunt, the wines outshine the food, which is perfectly fine but not particularly exciting." On the bright side, "You can almost always find a table, which is a relief. The menu is, for the most part, casual and impromptu...Vinoteque is a multiple-use restaurant. You can use it as a wine bar...Or you can settle in for a long evening of nibbling through small plates and sampling wines by the glass." SIV seems to much prefer the smaller plates because "With the exception of the rustic roasted chicken...and the skirt steak with fries, [the larger plates] tend to resemble something an aspiring cook with a subscription to Bon Appetit would whip up."

However, she does bestow one and a half stars for both small and larger portions, saying "For a relatively new wine bar and restaurant, Vinoteque is bringing a fresh focus on wine to the avenue in a relaxed Mediterranean-themed setting. And for that we should all be grateful." [LAT]

The Elsewhere: The Find eats Mexican at Antojitos Carmen, Gastronomy dines at Dwit Gol Mok, Exile Kiss is unimpressed with 818 Shao Kao, LA & OC Foodventures hits up Kabuki, Octopus Grigori tries Pete's Blue Chip, When Tara Met Blog is quite pleased with Frosted Cupcakes, and Refined Palate lunches at Drago in Santa Monica.