Vin de Syrah: Down the rabbit hole...

Vin de Syrah is considered a modern day speakeasy, which means that it is A) very trendy, and B) very hard to find. Even though the address is listed as 901 5th Ave. in downtown, it took us three times to find the front door.

After consulting with two valets at a nearby hotel, who assured us that we were in the right location ("But whatever you do, don't turn right at the bottom of the stairs," he cautioned ominously). So, did we ever find our way in? Find out after the jump:


I don't want to give away the whole secret to finding this wine bar, but we did eventually get in, and it was a pretty big thrill when we got in. Suffice it say that if you find an abandoned underground subway entrance that is reminiscent of the live action Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles movie set, you are on the right track.

Once you are inside, the first thing you may want to look for is the TV, perched inconspicuously in the corner, that shows the poor lost souls who haven't been there before trying to find the door. Touche, Vin de Syrah. Happy to entertain you.

After getting over the fact that other people in Vin had likely watched our epic fail at finding the entrance, we settled in at the bar. The floors are concrete and the ceiling is painted black, with a network of exposed pipes, so the backdrop has an industrial feel. However, the rest of the decor is decidedly quirky, and it instantly reminded me of the eccentric world of Alice in Wonderland. There are patches of astroturf above the bar, faux moss lining some of the walls, oddly shapes mirrors placed at angles throughout, a mural of an orchard, bright green accents and a mixture of light fixtures: umbrellas, converted wine glasses, wire, half barrels. There are also grapevine roots attached to the ceiling (from 50-year-old vines, our bartender informed us), which gives you the impression that you are literally in an underground lair.

Along one wall is a row of booths made to look like oversized striped wingback chairs straight out of Mad Hatterville. Between the bar and the booths, there is a private tasting area demarcated from the rest of the room by a series of columns created from terra cotta pots. This looked like an awesome place to do a group tasting, although half of the group in attendance that night was drinking Bud Light, leading me to believe they might have been there against their will.

As for the wine selection, I was impressed. There are a wide variety of international options by the glass, which I love because it helps me economically expand my palate, and the full bottle selection boasts choices from Italy, Germany, France, Spain, Argentina, Australia and, of course, California. I tried a Malbec that was delicious. Vin has a full bar, so if, heaven help you, wine isn't your thing, you can grab a cocktail (or Bud Light - see above). There are also small plates and appetizers you can pair and share.

Vin starts each night as a wine bar but turns into a bumping night club at some point on weekend nights, so get there early to savor your vino and the happy hour specials and stay late to get your dance on. Menu and wine list are available on their website at http://www.syrahwineparlor.com/.