By Dr. Ink
What do you get when mixing farmhouse memorabilia and rustic fare with tons of vino and the high energy of Hillcrest? It’s the successful recipe for 100 Wines Kitchen, located on one of the busiest blocks of University Avenue.
Its happy hour, ironically, focuses more on cocktails than it does wine. For $7, drinks such as Svedka-infused “herbal smashes” and tequila-grapefruit “Paloma negras” (also made with spicy blackberry puree) are in the offing, along with a few equally tempting wine-distracting libations.
From a large inventory of wine that rotates through the regular menu, happy hour highlights one red, one white and a house champagne, any of which are priced at $5 per glass.
Intent on staining our lips purple (it was Halloween weekend), a friend and I said “absolutely yes” to the day’s selected red, 7 Deadly Zins. This cult-turned-mainstream favorite by Michael David Winery in Lodi consistently smacks of deep fruit and hints of saddle leather.
On a warmer day, the available white wine would have sufficed, an Italian Pinot Grigio, as would the pink bubbly also in the offing.
Because we arrived before the dinner rush, our “brew bread” from the $7 food list came out in lightning speed. Served as a square loaf on a board, the autumn-y cornbread tasted noticeably hoppy from the Manzanita Rustic Brown Ale in the recipe. Rosemary and smoked paprika added further dimension while the generous honey glaze connected seamlessly to the sweetness of our wine. The overall pairing turned particularly supreme after spreading soft butter onto the bread.
Owned by the Cohn Restaurant Group, 100 Wines is essentially a restaurant that happens to have an extensive wine list, although the front room greets patrons with an actual bar, should you want to talk grapes with the occasional oenophile that drops in.
We sat on the back patio, a prime piece of real estate within the restaurant that features a custom-made fireplace as well as a continuation of vintage barn-house elements that exemplify the establishment’s Old World focus.
In addition to happy hour, bargain hunters can enjoy various weekday specials that include a bottle of wine and an entrée during “cheap date night for 2” on Tuesdays; half-price flat breads on Wednesdays; wine flights for under $20 on Fridays, and more.
