Wine & Spirits - February 2020 - 19

extensive selection of unusual
wines by the glass, and tradi-
tionalists in half bottle, to meet
demand in the bar room. The
140-page list is packed with
legends from Bordeaux and
Burgundy, cult wines from Cali-
fornia and some rarities from
Australia, including 1996s from
Wendouree, Mount Mary and
Yarra Yering-holdovers from
former sommelier Michael
Engelmann, MS, who arrived via
Rockpool in Sydney. -J.G.
9 W. 53rd St.; themodernnyc.com

the soufflé, the rabbit (grilled
loin and slow-roasted thigh),
or the duck (seared breast and
braised thigh), dishes that will
give you a new appreciation for
the classics. Then ask Vaughn
what to drink: She knows each
dish and bottle intimately,
and has a knack for creating
revelatory pairings. -J.G.
151 E. 82nd St.;
thesimonenyc.com
38

Txikito

39

Alex Raij and her husband,
Eder Montero, have created a
small Basque oasis at Txikito, a
rustic, wood-panelled space in
Chelsea. You can see it in the
number of Spanish expats who
regularly gravitate here; you can
taste it in the food-the crisp,
greaseless salt-cod croquetas and
the pulpo, sliced thin and spiced
with piment d'espelette. And you
can drink it, in fizzy Txakolis and
funky Basque ciders, fine Cavas
and crisp Spanish reds that
reaches full volume at Txikifest,
their annual springtime
celebration of Basque culture
and drinks. -T.Q.T.
240 9th Ave.; txikitonyc.com

THE RIDDLER BY JORDAN WISE; VINI E FRITTI BY PETER GARRITANO

The Riddler
With soaring windows looking
out on a quiet, tree-lined street
of the West Village and an exten-
sive list of Champagne, The
Riddler may be one of NYC's
nicest places to pass an evening.
A branch of the San Francisco
bar, the small space specializes
in bubbles and the food to go
with them, like keluga caviar
served with crème fraiche and
chips, or frisée bathed in warm-
bacon vinaigrette. Servers can
help guide you through the list,
which is full of tiny producers,
like Pierre Baillette and Flavien
Nowack, and coach you on the
finer points of pinot noir versus
meunier. But when it comes to
the juicy burger, head straight
for the Strohmeier Schilcher
Frizzante, an earthy, sharp-
edged sparkling Austrian rosé.
-T.Q.T.
51 Bank St.; theriddlerbar.com

42
Vini e Fritti
Sparkling wine and fried food:
What more do you need? The
Champagnes are gently priced
and the fritto misto is impec-
cably crunchy; there's Lambr-
usco, too, to go with tempura
wild mushrooms and fried pizza
dough topped with prosciutto.
The small bar is part of Danny
Meyer's restaurant group, with
beverage director Evan Abrams
and chef Lena Ciardullo serving
both it and Marta, Meyer's pizza
palace on the other side of the
Redbury Hotel. -T.Q.T.
30 E. 30th St.; vinifritti.com

39

40
The Simone
If you appreciate artisanal work
taken to the highest levels of
refinement, book one of the
few tables at The Simone. Tina
Vaughn will greet you with her
handwritten menu, detailing
the day's offerings from chef
Chip Smith, her husband, who
has been up early baking the
rolls and desserts, as well as the
terrines. Order the savory tart,

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42

WINE & SPIRITS

FEBRUARY 2020

19
http://www.thesimonenyc.com http://www.themodernnyc.com http://www.txikitonyc.com http://www.theriddlerbar.com http://www.vinifritti.com
Wine & Spirits - February 2020

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