It was a gorgeous day, so while visiting the Kitchen Next Door some Al Fresco dining was a must. To eat, I ordered their daily special- a meatball hoagie and decided to pair it with one of their six wine selections, a Povero Barbera d’Asti. The initial presentation of the wine was a bit disappointing, as it was served in a water goblet. A Riedel water goblet, but a water goblet all the same. I couldn’t help but notice that the patrons ordering beer actually had appropriate glassware. Hmmm.
The wine itself was ok, but pretty watery and lacking in character. But for $7.5 it was acceptable.
After eating my meatball sandwich (delicious, but far from the best in town, see Caffe), I decided to prolong my experience with a glass of the Charles del Charles Syrah rosé also priced at $7.5/glass. I was pleasantly surprised by this wine- a nice nose of honey and rich red fruit, but dry on the palette. It reminded me of Provencal rosé, which is always a good thing.
Thus, I left Next Door reasonably satisfied. They offered a variety of options (Chardonnay/Riesling, Tocai Fruiliano, Grenache/Syrah) at price points under $8. Next Door is aimed at a casual lunch, so their offerings are well-aligned with their mission statement.
Out of the numerous times I have visited the Kitchen Next Door, I have never found the wines to have much depth. Instead, they are quintessential crowd pleasers. Their whiskey milkshakes are still the way to go!
