The Barrel Room serves seasonal fl atbreads, such as this one with fi g, blue cheese, fresh basil and balsamic glaze (left). The Barrel Room features an unusual wine lineup.
fl exibility in pricing. Says Trubnick, "We try to do less than a restaurant markup."
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cocktail, based on the featured region and a diverse list of 12 beers from around the world. Featuring beer at a wine bar may be unusual, but according to Goddard, "Our customers want it. We wanted to feel like there was something for everyone. Sarah and I brew beer at home and didn't see any reason to exclude it." In addition to Japanese, German and Belgian beers, priced from $6 to $19 for a 750-ml. bottle, they also off er a couple of local beers including Almanac, which off ers seasonal brews using local fruit. Th e wine bar format allows for
OTHER OPTIONS Th e menu includes one wine-based
Glasses range from $6 for 2010 Quinta da Azevedo Vinho Verde to $15 for 2008 Blue Rock Baby Blue (a blend of cabernet sauvignon, cabernet franc, syrah and merlot from the Alexander Valley in Sonoma), but generally hover around the $12 mark. Likewise the bottles range from $27 for 2006 Mildiani Katsiteli from the Republic of Georgia to a high of $107 for 2001 Domaine Confuron-Cotetidot Premier Cru from Burgundy with around $40 being the sweet spot. Complementing the wine and beer is a
which change seasonally) and fl atbreads, priced $3 to $12. A local baker provides the fl atbreads and the toppings change to match the regional rotation such as chorizo, piquillo pepper and honey to go with the Iberian theme. Off ering food and beer in addition to their lengthy wine list encourages customers to linger longer, which is sure to please guests and owners alike.
food menu put together by local chutney producer Alison McQuade. It features charcuterie, cheeses each paired with diff erent tangy fruit chutneys (many of
writer, recipe developer and restaurant reviewer. She is the editor the award- winning food blog Cooking with Amy and is author of WinePassport: Portugal and William-Sonoma New Flavors for Appetizers.
Amy Sherman is a San Francisco-based APRIL 2012 | 21
PAIGE HERMRECK
