The Grape

I dug the grape, but it isn't cheap in the slightest. I stopped in here to wait for my friend after a long drive down from Chicago.

I got here around 4:30ish and it was pretty quiet, which was fine by me. I took a look at the wine list and ordered some OR pinot. What was nice was that the glass didn't have an oxidized taste to it which sometimes can happen at a wine bar. I would also eventually order a bourgogne as well, which was nice to see a burgundy on the list.

I had to get some food and went with the smoked salmon flatbread. This was very nice and on the lighter side as I wanted to save room for bigger eating later.

The service was very nice and easy to get a hold of. Granted, there weren't that many people around but I didn't feel rushed either.

The wine list was pretty diverse and had a solid by the glass selection. Mind you, it was costing about 75% of what I'm used to the wines at retail. I know this is fairly standard fare, but it adds up fast (and why I'm normally a fan of drinking my own wine). This ended up being my most expensive place over the 4-day weekend that I was around Louisiana.

I absolutely love this place! The atmosphere is perfect.  We dinned outside and enjoyed the view of the fountain and the nighttime sky.  The sever was nice and provided excellent service.  He was knowledgeable of the menu and when we asked about the huge selection of cheeses to pair with our wine, he recommended a few that we loved! It started to rain while we were outside but moving inside was quick and painless, not a problem.  The crowd was perfect for us, being post college mid 20 somethings... dress was everything form jeans to dresses.  Will definitely being going back soon!

Went to grab a quick bite there after a movie at Cinemark, across the way. The atmosphere is nice. We could have taken a seat outside and listened to so me live music in the courtyard, but chose to stay inside and enjoy the AC as it was quite humid! As a bonus, we sat by the windows near the courtyard and still got to hear a more subdued version of the music. Regarding the wine, lots of good choices and a generous pour. Offers half glass, full glass and by the bottle prices for all and is roughly what you would expect to pay these days for such things. Waitress was very good and attentive without being obtrusive. We only ordered one dish - and split it - so not a lot to report on there - but it was shrimp and grits and was good. There was a tasty sauce mixed in with the grits, shrimp and andouille sausage that was good - but there was too much of it and, as a result, the sauce completely overpowered the grits, and everything else -  and made the whole dish more salty than I like and almost made me feel like I had ordered a bowl of sauce. I think about half the amount they gave us would have completely changed the experience. Worth checking out, but if you order the shrimp and grits - you might think about asking if the sauce can be delivered on the side and add it to your own liking....