Vines Wine Bar & Tapas $$
19501 E. Main St.
303-736-8463
Vineswinebar.com
Dinner
Open Daily at 4:00-Closed Mondays
B-
I finally had a chance to get to Vines. It's a very cozy place in downtown Parker. As we entered we were asked if we wanted a table or to sit at one of the couch areas.
The couch areas seemed kind of cool where you could eat and drink and visit with other neighbors. However, we opted for a table. The atmosphere and ambiance is right on target here. There was a two-piece band in the corner playing quietly, and the lighting was perfect.
Vines have over 300 different labels of wine, with 100 available by the glass. Our waitress said their total inventory is about 1,500 bottles. I asked what was the most expensive; she replied "$3000".
The menu is "Tapas" which is a Spanish term meaning-a variety of appetizers. "Small plates" are the newest trend. This is my favorite way to dine, lots of choices that you can share, you don't overeat, and its fun!
The wine list is vast enough to be intimidating at best. We looked for a familiar label that we could recognize, which was in our budget. Two Rivers- Chardonnay ($31), a Colorado Vintner, was selected. While tasting the wine, I perused the menu.
We started with the Stuffed Mushroom Caps ($5). The menu stated that they were stuffed with jack and parmesan cheese, onions and sausage. We received two with cheese and two with sausage. Either they changed the menu, or made a mistake.
They were OK, the mushrooms were dry and the stuffing needed more personality. Next, we enjoyed the Caprese Salad ($6.50) which had nice vine ripened tomatoes and fresh mozzarella with a zesty vinaigrette. I then ordered the soup of the day which was Chicken and Rice ($5).
Very good, but I felt it needed salt and pepper, which was not a staple on the table; we had to ask for it. It was served with focaccia bread that had been around for a while.
Finally, we ordered the Chicken Gonzales ($9). It was chicken breast stuffed with Pasilla peppers, which is a variety of the green Chile pepper. It had a wonderful white cheddar cheese sauce. This was the best dish of all that we tried. Put this place on your list! It's locally owned, reasonably priced, and fun.
"Now go get your grub on!"