Vyne bucks more than one trend. In a country that prefers red wine to white, Vyne’s wine list comprises 65% white wine. In a country that overwhelmingly prefers New World wines to Old, Vyne’s wine list offers more than 40 European bottles country by country, then groups 7 in a section called simply “New World.” And in a neighborhood (the NYU Village) where all-night party joints prevail, Vyne is a design-y, sophisticated refuge for exciting food and drink. Luckily, this is Manhattan, where Vyne just might get away with it.
And the food and wine menus are exciting. Monika Caha, a wine importer and food consultant, is the consulting chef for Vyne, and the menu reflects her Austrian origins in dishes like kaasknöpfle (spätzle with cheeses, topped with fried onions); chicken schnitzel; and Viennese eiskaffee, a dessert of vanilla gelato, espresso, and whipped cream. The menu offers plenty of low-priced options, focusing on appetizer-size dishes rather than full meals, and includes charcuterie and cheese selections. Non-Austrian options touch on Spain (patatas bravas) and Italy (pasta) as well as gourmet pizzas and a few safe wine bar offerings.
The wine list is given equal attention, and each section offers high-quality examples from the region, plus a few selections for the adventurous. Even the “New World” section is fascinating, with a semillon and a roussanne from California and Dr. Konstantin Frank’s Finger Lakes rkatsiteli among the seven bottles. Each bottle on the list is accompanied by a “vyne fact” about that wine, and a well written “vyne description,” making for satisfying menu reading while waiting for friends.
Having settled in the space above the late, lamented Baggot Inn, Vyne is taking the block in a new direction, thank you. Designed by Jan Roelfs, the Dutch production designer for Gattica and other well known films, the space is dark and sleek. A gas fireplace, painted brick wall, and tufted leather sofas in the center beneath an old tin ceiling nod to the history of the area, but are centered between modern-feeling sections including café tables at the front, and a minimal bar and single, high party table at the back. One side of the space is walled by a lace of cut-out steel that screens the wine bins.
Comfortable and edgy, exciting and safe, Vyne plays with our expectations and offers something a few steps beyond the usual wine bar experience.
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