L Wine Lounge & Zocalo

Last night found the Mrs. and me sampling the new L Wine Lounge and Urban Kitchen. We had been invited to an opening event for the joint and thought it an interesting destination for a Sunday night. We arrived at the location (18th and L St. in midtown) around 7pm and gave the place a once over; decorations were sparse but tasteful, very modern and angular (and almost 100% purchased from this catalog ). We were plied with wine immediately and given the broad choice of “white or red.” We went for the red which was an unpresumptuous shiraz/cab blend that followed a little gravelly and finished with a Jeff Gordon-like flare that one usually associates with only the finest clamatoes. (Honestly, the wine was fine, not particularly memorable, but pleasant enough to drink.)

Here’s the thing though; when a “wine bar” only offers two wines for the whole evening, you quickly get the hint that this is not going to be an event where you’re going to get the full scope of what the place has to offer. And so it went, several glasses of wine later, we had still seen nothing from the “Urban Kitchen.” By the time the small appetizers came out, the wine had done some damage and we were thrilled for some food to nosh. Tiny bacon and fish crustinis (very tasty), asparagus and mint crustinis (unique and interesting) and lavender croquettes (mildly inedible, think tater-tots that had been sitting in your grandmother’s underwear drawer) were passed around sparingly, neither satiating our appetites nor explaining what the hell an “urban kitchen” is. (Really, honestly, come on, did you have to go with “Urban Kitchen”? And how do you define that exactly? Is your food cooked on asphalt griddles or sewer like grills? Do you only buy from inner-city suppliers? Does the chef wear her checkered pants especially low and her chef’s hat backwards? Actually, one peek at the spring menu and you get the idea that “urban” may be another word for “leaning towards French.”) I kid, of course. I was very much taken in by the atmosphere created at L. The interior is casually sophisticated and the service attentive. I was actually looking forward to sampling some of the more substantial kitchen offerings which is why the small appetizer pass was a little disappointing. I have heard very good things about chef Ame Harrington (formerly of the Kitchen and Co-Op) and especially like the touch she put on her menu which at the bottom reads “Trust your chef-Ame Harrington.” The event was pleasant without being too involved, basically teasing us enough so that we’ll want to return to L and give a full evening to their wine, their food and their non-symmetrical couches. Color me hooked. I’ll definitely return to sample the fare at a later date and look forward to coming closer to the true meaning of urban dining.

The highlight of the evening, though, was running into my online friends Garrett, from www.vanillagarlic.blogspot.com, Kristy from www.cakegrrl.com, and Jennifer and Ann from www.sacatomato.com. We had a great time together, going over the new place, pointing out what we liked and chatting about fun things like frosting and puppies. We all agreed, by 8:30 that we were all pretty hungry, so we tromped over to Zocalo for a full dinner (thank you Jennifer and Daren) and as a tribute to their food, the whole table of food bloggers and guests enjoyed their meals almost as much as the company.

So here’s the Zocalo part of the article: Each time I eat at Zocalo (which I’m still not 100% sure how to pronounce; accent on the “Zo”? the “ca”? definitely not on the “lo”) the food/service/experience is better than the last. Ernesto Jimenez’s second culinary child is truly a great spot, with rich entrees, colorful and complex salads, saucy drinks and top notch service. Since my first review on Zocalo two years ago, every facet of the place has gotten a little brighter. Don’t get me wrong, I’m still not going to fight the party crowd on a Friday or Saturday to eat there, but, call me any other day of the week and I’ll meet you there for eats, drinks, RPS or whatever suits your fancy.

Zocalo- 18th & Capitol, Sacramento

Food ***1/2 Atmosphere**** Service****