Wine Bar in the city - Red and White

(The Red and White wine bar has a new look and has been renamed Sel et Vin. It is still serving a great variety of wines but with a new look.)


Mijo asked me what's the plan for tonight? That's his usual question on late Friday afternoons, either via text message, phone call or a face to face conversation. I heard myself answering "Nope, no plans for tonight".

We generally go out on Friday after office hours to celebrate the end of a stressful week. We start at home catching up on what happened at work over a glass of red with a light snack of cheese, olives, cured meats and crackers or whatever we have in the fridge or whatever I brought home from the market. And then we either go meet friends at a local hangout for a round of cocktail or a movie and eventually making it to a restaurant for a nice dinner.
"Really, no plans for a Friday night?", I said to myself afterward.
When I was younger, going out on a Friday night used to be a must because of a myth that cool people in the city go out especially on Friday nights. That is no longer the case now that I am older. Sometimes I just want to stay home and spend it with Mijo watching a movie or having a modest home made dinner.
"Come on, let's try something new", was Mijo's response. A few minutes later we were down the street in front of Red and White, our neighborhood wine bar. It opened over a year ago but we haven't been here.
I was relieved to find the wine bar is not at all pretentious. The place gives off an impression of a laid back ambience with a sophisticated feel. The couches placed around coffee tables looked so cozy they are perfect with a group of friends. Since it was just the two of us, we picked to seat by the bar so we can easily talk to the bartender if we have questions about the wine menu. The service was super friendly.
I noticed that they have wine tasting glasses which were very tempting. Because I was just getting over a terrible cold, I didn't want to drink more than a glass so I opted for their Chenin Blanc as an introduction to their California whites. Mijo ordered a glass of Malbec which was so predictable of him. We also ordered some herbed infused olives and some gougeres (pastry filled with gruyere cheese and thyme) which were great food pairings. We loved it here!
I liked that people were coming and going that evening. They most likely were just waiting for tables in nearby popular restaurants like Chenery Park, Le Petit or Gialina? Or maybe they are just like us who live in the neighborhood and wanted to have a glass or two?
Like a good food and wine pairings, Red and White complements the neighborhood of Glen Park. I hope they stay there for awhile. We will definitely be back and try their tasting glasses next time.
~rl
(The photo above was taken at Red and White in San Francisco's Glen Park neighborhood. A glass of Chenin Blanc and a plate of gougeres, olives, and dried fruits in the background.)