The Basics
Cuisine: American + Tapas
Ambiance: Intimate Chic
Address: 14815 John J. Delaney Blvd, Charlotte, NC 28277
Neighborhood: Ballantyne
Phone: 704.369.5050
Web Site: http://www.dvinewinecafe.com/
Must Taste (Dinner):
- Small Plate: Lobster, Crab, and Corn Fritters – $11 – Sort of like crab cakes with lobster, served with warm apple chutney – this is a great tapas-style plate for sharing.
- Small Plate: Apple and Fig Toasted Bread + Melted Brie – $6 – This savory/sweet combo makes a great appetizer or tapas-style plate for a group. The flavor combination is simple but tasty and the melty brie is the best part.
- Drink: Wine Flight – prices vary – When in Rome…if you’re in a restaurant that has “wine” in its name, you should probably go with the wine. If you like to sample, go for a wine flight. Otherwise, make a selection from their extensive wine list. Owner Terry Miller is a wine collector and medal winning wine maker, so he really knows how to pick the cream of the crop.
- Dessert: Cheesecake – $6 – Three mini cheesecakes in Vanilla Bean, Black Berry, and Chocolate. I had a hard time picking a favorite flavor because they were all so good, but I had a good time trying.
Pricing Samples (Dinner):
- Small Plates: $6 – $11
- Main Course: $5-$19
Best For: Romantic Date, Group Outing (with friends or co-workers)
What to Wear: nice casual (not tennis shoes) to dressy
Fave Points: Huge wine selection, delicious eats, cozy chairs in the lounge area
My Fave Dish: Those yummy cheesecakes – they were relatively light for cheesecakes, which is always impressive, but the flavor combos really got my attention.
Menu pricing and availability subject to change.
My Dish
I met up with five of my girlfriends for a group outing to D’Vine Wine Cafe for a special birthday celebration over good eats and great wine.
Inside D’Vine there was wine everywhere proudly on display…what a selection!?
The tables were simply decorated and the ambiance was tastefully modern.
We all ordered wine to start our meal, with most of us ordering flights to get a good feel for some new wines.
I ordered the Interesting Whites Flight.
The wine flight carriers were unlike any I’ve seen before – so neat.
Though there were some interesting entrees on the menu, we decided to go for a tapas-style dinner by sharing a few different dishes. We started with the spinach salad. We got 2 orders and the restaurant kindly split the 2 orders among 5 bowls – 1 for each of us.
They even put the dressing on the side. The salads were really good and I enjoyed the dressing.
After the salad, we ordered a bunch of different plates.
A cheese plate (you get your choice of 3 from a list of 6 options from around the world)
Hummus – 3 flavors served with warm pita. I normally shy away from things I think I can make at home, but the flavors in the hummus were really intriguing – I’d definitely order this one again.
We got extra bread.
Apple and Fig – loved this savory/sweet combo with the melty brie cheese.
Lobster, Crab, and Corn Fritters – served with warm apple chutney. I’m a big fan of crab cakes and these were sort of like crab cakes with a slightly different flavor but same great concept. Go for this if you like crab cakes and lobster.
Seared Scallops – in a Thai coconut sauce. It’s hard to go wrong with scallops to begin with, but the sauce really made this dish extra yummy.
The sliders (kobe beef, turkey, and tuna) served with your choice of bean salad or chips. Again, I’m loving the flavor options and ability to try different flavors in one dish – beef to turkey to tuna…nice. Go for the bean salad if you want something more unique – the chips are pretty tried and true.
A birthday dinner wouldn’t be complete without dessert. We first ordered the Kilwin’s Chocolate Tasting, which contains an assortment of chocolates from the Ballantyne Village chocolatier, including fudge.
My personal favorite was the cheesecake trio – 3 cheese cakes in chocolate, black berry, and vanilla. All these flavor are different and delicious at the same time. I loved the presentation of the cheesecake mini-towers with fresh berries and chocolate pieces. The cheesecakes were the perfect end to our meal.
D’Vine Wine Cafe is more than a wine bar, this place has an incredible selection of eats in addition to their amazing collection of wines. Whether you’re looking for some small plates to snack on over wine or a full-on dinner, D’Vine has you covered with some truly delicious options, from crab cakes to cheesecakes.
If you’re looking for some interesting and unique flavor combinations, give D’Vine a try and maybe go for the Wild Boar Tenderloin or the Chocolate Dessert Sushi – you’re not easily going to find that elsewhere in Charlotte.
If you’re looking for a quiet evening, hit up D’Vine earlier in the week around Monday or Tuesday. Wednesday through the weekend is usually chock full of exciting events – from wine tastings to live bands. For more action, visit the restaurant closer to the weekends and check out D’Vine’s event calendar to learn more about their special events like the American Cancer Society Benefit this Thursday, 6/11/09, from 6:30 to 8:30 pm. Join the Connoissuer Club to be kept in the loop of D’Vine’s latest happenings.
From entertainment, to great wines, to awesome eats, D’Vine Wine Cafe has a lot to offer.