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December 11, 2006
Wine and Tomato Bar
For about a year now, I have had this fantasy of opening an establishment around my two favorite substances: wine and tomatoes.
Like any good wine bar, it would offer carefully measured five ounce pours of wine, or flights of three three ounce pours if you'd prefer. Since this bar would be CR friendly, you could order your wine by amount and pay by the ounce. 3 ounces would be an "MR." Sorta like a Starbucks "Tall."
The food would be tomatoes. Fresh, ripe, delicious tomatoes, some served plain, some served in salads, with oil, even in soups. A standard order might be a five ounce glass of wine and a "pint," which at this bar would be a pint of grape tomatoes, straight up, no oil, no salt, not peeled, just fresh, pop-em-in-yer-mouth tomato majesty.
Let's say it's a hot summer day and you and your friends drop into the bar in the late afternoon. You order a pint to start, and while you're popping those fresh grape tomatoes into your mouth by the handfull, you sip a light, slightly tart glass of pinot grigio.
Then you decide to go for a little protein, so you order the tomato, basil and scallop salad, drizzled with fine Australian olive oil and served over arugula. With your salad, you enjoy a more meaty glass of cabernet.
Now it's time for dessert, so you order the plum tomatoes and strawberries marinated in cinnamon balsamic vinegar and served over nonfat vanilla yogurt drizzled with hazelnut oil. On the side you enjoy a German riesling.
Or it's a cold winter's night and you just want something to warm your body and soul. You start with a cup of the fire-roasted tomato soup and a glass of champagne. Then you follow it with the winter chili: green and red tomatoes slow cooked with chickpeas, bell peppers, turkey, carrots, celery, okra, and all the spices (chili powder, cumin, chipoltle pepper flakes, cayenne pepper, a little salt and black pepper.) You drink a glass of a hearty Spanish red. For dessert, it's super sweet cherry tomatoes halved and baked with pears, drizzled with caramel and port.
At lunch there's a tomato buffet: every kind of tomato, nude, with serveral varieties of oils to drizzle and fresh chopped herbs to top with. There's also a build your own meal option, where you pick your protein (chicken, turkey, tofu, Quorn, eggwhites, shrimp or crab) and then pick your tomato variety, plus five other veggies, and a sauce (Asian, Italian, Southwestern, or olive oil and garlic.) Your stir-fry is personalized for your lunchtime enjoyment.
The decor is simple, a bit modern. Soft lights, a bar with soft barstools to accomodate the skinny CR'd butt, low couches in the corner for those of us who need to cuddle over wine and tomatoes. A few tables big enough to seat the happy hour crowd. Pictures of vineyards and tomato plants grace the walls.
There's an English ale on the menu, but it's reserved only for Aubrey de Grey.
The cocktail waitresses all wear shades of red, gold and purple, same as the wine and tomatoes. For instance, I will wear a deep cabernet short dress with stockings the color of champagne and nails the color of a beefsteak tomato in Jersey in July. The bartender will wear a tie that celebrates tomatoes, and will make the best Bloody Mary in the world.
Do I have any investors? Okay, maybe I shouldn't quit my day job, but you have to admit, a wine and tomato bar could be extremely CR friendly and fun. I know I'd spend way too much money there. How better to worship these vehicles of the joy of man upon the earth?
Well, I'm off to finish my glass of pinot noir and a pint of grape tomatoes...
Posted by april at December 11, 2006 8:41 PM
Comments
OH MY GOD! I am falling off my chair, laughing with total glee! When are we opening this place, April? I'll negotiate the lease, help select the decor, chase down suppliers, paint walls, install tile, charm the guests and even help cook! Reading about all the incredibly delicious-sounding foods you're creating out of the magical ether of your imagination is causing my belly to rumble! Angel investors, where are you? Wow! JD :-)
Posted by: Judith at December 11, 2006 7:37 PM
Oh my!
That sound so lovely, I wish this place did exits,
What beautiful descriptions of food,
I love vine ripened beef-steak tomatoes the best,
sliced very thick...
Posted by: sheila at December 11, 2006 9:12 PM
You say:
"I will wear a deep cabernet short dress with stockings the color of champagne and nails the color of a beefsteak tomato in Jersey in July."
which suggests some kind of ultra-thin super-sexy mega-healthy CR-queen.
It's a nice antidote to the Britney-JLo-Madonna-etc. stuff we see on the covers of supermarket checkout stands.
You go girl!
Posted by: Morton Raster at December 12, 2006 4:40 AM
I would be your first and daily customer, but only for the tomatoes. Growing up on a farm, there was nothing more heavenly than sneaking out to the garden and biting into a sun heated tomatoe straight off the plant. My interest in CR is because of my farmer parents. Now in their 70's, they look and act and move much younger than their peers. I have often wondered if it's the clean air and fresh food. I'm trying my best to live the same way. Love your blog, glad you're well.
Posted by: sweetpea at December 12, 2006 7:51 AM
Oh I do love the idea. I do wish one had the option of paying by the ounce for wine, as I rarely make through the entire glass that is poured at most restaurants.
Posted by: Gina at December 12, 2006 9:05 AM
OMG, I'd totally be there! The 'by the ounce' is such a great idea with us cheap dates. :)
Sounds ultra fresh, tasty, and healthy.
Love it!
Posted by: Nenette at December 12, 2006 2:20 PM
Very cool! If I had the money, I'd totally invest in it.
Posted by: istanbulwitchy at December 14, 2006 11:37 AM