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While studying for my level-one wine certification, an interest in the old-vine wines of Italy was sparked. Their centuries-old, gnarled wood sent me down a rabbit hole: Not only did I want to try as many of these wines as possible, but I also damn near booked a trip to Italy. But, as it turns out, Costa Mesa’s Old Vine Kitchen & Bar is much closer.
I’d probably strolled by its old spot a dozen times, but after 10 years, the Old Vine’s roots were replanted next door. The larger location comes complete with a bright new bar and patio space, perfect for geeking out on wine, craft beer and classic cocktails. From the moment I walked through the door, it felt as if it pulled me in for a big warm hug.
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Some Italian-centric menus focus on hard-to-pronounce, imported ingredients or pasta-heavy dishes. While Old Vine has all that, its hand-made-daily ropes of pasta aren’t necessarily the focus. For dinner, there’s seafood styled with Indonesian coconut curry, grilled lamb chops finished with a blueberry demi-glace and even a rabbit molé. Guided by chef/proprietor Mark McDonald’s passport, the menu touches more than just Italy (though he offers guided tours via the Old Vine website).
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In addition to small bites and dinner plates, Old Vine offers five separate tasting menus: original, vegetarian, vegan, Italian and premium. Whichever adventure you choose can be paired with wines with the help of sommelier/co-proprietor Kate Perry.
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The vegan journey starts with a Mediterranean salad and Greek wine that plays off briny Kalamata olives and bamboo shoots, then dives right into an umami party with a plate of seared mushrooms. I’ve never seen liquids and solids paired so thoughtfully. On its own, the ultra-earthy Domaine La Manarine Le Carignan wine has notes of forest floor and is a ’shroomy trip on its own, but with such a umami dish, my palate was tripping balls the rest of the evening.
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As a carnivore, it’s hard to get excited about grains, but the third course’s Indonesian curry pressed into a quinoa cake won me over. Was it the mushrooms causing a flashback, or does the dish have notes from the previous two courses? And it’s all tied together perfectly with dessert: a house-made sorbet paired with a Ruby Porto. What a trip!
Old Vine Kitchen & Bar, 2937 Bristol St., Ste. A103, Costa Mesa, (714) 545-1411; oldvinekitchenbar.com.
Greg Nagel has been writing about beer since 2011, is an avid homebrewer of wine, cider, and beer, is a certified Cicerone Beer Server, level 1 WSET in Wine, a podcaster with the Four Brewers Show, and runs a yearly beer festival called Firkfest happening on June 29th in Anaheim!
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