La Vineria. (Living in Mexico).

Fernando Montes de Oca #52-A Cross-street Amatlan

Mexico City 

Tues. to Sat. 1:30 p.m. to 2 a.m. Sun. 1:30 p.m. to 6 p.m., closed Mon.

Tel.: [phone]

I admit I was at a loss as to what restaurant to review this month. No tips were called in by readers, no friends told me about some great place, and I hadn't heard or read any buzz about some fabulous new restaurant. So, our party decided to pound the pavement in the Condesa. Strangely, the omnipresence of eateries in this neighborhood doesn't mean that many of them are all that special.

Our mission was to find a Condesa restaurant we had never been to before--a place without bored, too-cool waiters, without shopworn cuisine ideas, a place that would somehow be different. We knew we had to get off the beaten track to find something special, and that, my readers, made all the difference. We were lucky enough to stumble upon a small little "Vino Bar" called La Vineria. We chose it mainly because the waiter was so friendly and the rustic, wine bottle-inspired decor and cozy warmth of its interior were inviting, as was its small, intimate size.

We were not disappointed once the food came. There is actually a disclaimer on the menu that asks for people's patience, as all the dishes are prepared from scratch with fresh ingredients. Although I did read that before taking my first bite, I'm pretty sure my reaction was not psychosomatic--the food actually does taste like it was just bought at a farmer's market. "Fresh" is a word batted around a lot by restaurants, but LaVineria takes it seriously--it doesn't even have a freezer. The highlight of the evening was the hearty portobello mushroom, eggplant and goat cheese sandwich. The portobello and eggplant were earthy and meaty, and the sharp goat cheese balanced out the flavors splendidly. The other two dishes we tried, the salmon in mango curry and glazed duck, were also delicious. We accompanied our meal with a silky smooth merlot from Chile called "CousinoMacul." Being a wine bar, the list is of course extensive, with options from most wine-producing regions in the world.

The reasonable prices, coupled with the short, bistro-style menu and stellar food should be enough to draw anyone away from restaurant row. Head chef and co-owner Patricio Ramos sure thinks so:

"We wanted to break with everything to do with the Condesa," he told us. "I've been served at restaurants (in this neighborhood) by young kids in t-shirts smoking cigarettes...we want to give a more professional service."

Right down the street at Fernando Montes de Oca #81-C is La Vineria gourmet store, which sells sandwiches, wines and gift baskets.