Monday, August 9, 2010

This Spot Is "Divine"

One of my favorite Cleveland spots downtown is D'Vine Wine Bar on St. Clair in between West 6th and West 9th. The wine flights, small plates, curb-side patio, and excellent people-watching help rank this place towards the top of my list. A good cheese plate doesn't hurt either!

The second half of our anniversary celebration on the 31st was an after-dinner stop at D'Vine for a bottle of wine (we splurged on a bottle of Conundrum- our favorite dry white blend) and a cheese plate for dessert. None of Bruell's dessert options at Table 45 sounded quite as good as the D'Vine cheese plate. Plus we knew that we weren't ready to end the night quite yet, so this was a great post-dinner option.

While the cheese selections included have changed since the last time we had this, the presentation and accompaniments haven't- and for that I am grateful. The fresh fruit, Ohio honey, course-ground mustard spread, and the roasted garlic cloves (Ooooooh, the roasted garlic cloves) are what make this cheese plate stand out in my mind. Of course, excellent cheese selections are the core of the dish, but it's the added treats that make this plate special.



Cheese Plate- a selection of four cheeses with mustardo, Ohio honey, and roasted garlic bulb ($15):
D'Auvergne (Cow, France) pasteurized, spicy, pungent, moist, meaty, "King of Blues"
Cantalet (Cow, France) raw, buttery, nutty, one of the oldest cheeses from France
Fleur Verte (Goat, France) pasteurized, soft, creamy, fresh herbs, slight sweetness
Farmstead Gouda (Cow, Ohio) raw, semi-firm, Dutch style, biodynamic, made from company owned cows

So we happily sipped away, argued over the roasted garlic cloves, remarked on the odd outfits (and characters) walking by, and ended our evening on a good note.

D'Vine Wine Bar
836 W. Saint Clair Avenue
Cleveland, OH 44113
(216) 241-8463


D'Vine Wine Bar on Urbanspoon

2 comments:

Heather said...

I keep wanting to go here - I don't know why we haven't yet. Oh, right, don't think my kid would really enjoy the atmosphere! :)
Guess it will have to be for a special night out.

Happy anniversary!!

Bite Buff said...

Thanks Heather! Or it could be a "girls night out". :)