VinVino: Upping the Ante for Beijing’s Wine Bars

Robynne Tindall, Contributing Editor | Dec 13, 2016 5:30 pm | Add a comment | 1884 reads

Secreted down a nameless alley in Maizidian, down-to-earth izakaya Vin Vie is without a doubt one of our favorite Japanese restaurants, such that we’re often reluctant to recommend it lest the small space is overcome by new diners. So it was with much delight that we heard about their new project VinVino, a Japanese-style wine bar located just down the street. While the concept and menu are not exactly the same as the original location, we’re happy to see more from this talented team, not to mention finally having a place to get through the inevitable wait for a table at Vin Vie if you turn up without a booking.

This being, after all, a wine bar, the focus of their offering is on wines by the glass and bottle, with whites starting from RMB 240 a bottle and reds from RMB 270, alongside a short menu of tapas. There is also a short menu of wine-related cocktails (RMB 60-70), including a series of spritzes and a gin and tonic featuring Nordés gin, which is based on a spirit distilled from Albariño grapes. This kind of attention to detail is present throughout, from the warm brick and wood of the decor to the friendly staff.

Much like its elder sibling Vin Vie, the food at VinVino draws on influences from both western and Japanese cuisines. This means the pesto on the crostini (RMB 28) is made with shiso instead of basil and the pork and beef meatballs (RMB 48) are texturally more akin to crunchy tsukune (chicken meatballs, a popular yakitori option) than they are to smoother Italian versions. The dishes are competitively priced at RMB 30-60 and portions are large for what is marketed as tapas; two people could probably fill up on just three to four dishes.

With delicious food and affordable wine, VinVino is upping the ante for Beijing’s current crop of wine bars. Just don’t tell anyone we told you.

Note: We visited VinVino during their ongoing soft opening period, so expect some minor changes to the menu.

VinVino
Tue-Sun 6pm-1am. G/F, Binduyuan, 15 Zaoying Beili, Nongzhanguan Beilu, Chaoyang District (186 1196 8069)
朝阳区农展馆北路枣营北里15号楼宾度苑一番街

This article first appeared in our November/December magazine. To read the entire issue online, please click here.