The Owner of The Vine, Domenic DiFante opened this Wine and Tapas Restaurant in June, 2009 bringing an upscale experience to North Tampa.
As soon as you step into The Vine, you are whisked away to a wine lover’s paradise. The Vine brings to Tampa, FL a wining and dining experience similar to what you would have to travel thousands of miles to find otherwise. The Vine makes every effort to deliver on their commitment of providing their patrons with the highest quality entrees & most enjoyable dining experience. Our Tastecasting experience at The Vine not only met this commitment but exceeded our expectations.
Exquisitely framed in a decor that every oenophile would love, The Vine offers a special room for large groups such as ours. Perfect for special occasions, this private room is large enough to accommodate up to 24 people very comfortably. There is only one other room at The Vine in which a wine lover would want to spend some time: the wine cellar. This well crafted shelter provides perfectly regulated temperature and conditions the wide selection of over 2000 different bottles wine which proudly fill the exhaustive wine list. There’s no doubt that The Vine has a bottle of wine to satisfy the palate of every guest.
On our tour of the wine cellar, we got the chance to meet The Vine’s Liquid Manager, Michael. He showed us into the fabulous wine room and revealed how the wine list is in its third revision. With a low markup on many bottles, Michael and the owners of The Vine have designed a wine list which caters to enjoyment. Among the astounding list of wines ready to be enjoyed is Michael’s favorite red: a fabulous Burgundy style California Pinot Noir from Sequana. The tastecasters enjoyed a bottle of this feminine, light, easy drinking juice and unanimously agree with Michael’s opinion: two thumbs up!
The General Manager, Ivan and Executive Chef, Daniel Nguyen were recruited by the owner from California to balance the already incredible atmosphere with an experienced staff and Pacific Rim elegant cuisine.
The TasteCasters were served a Seafood soufflé made with mushrooms, fresh seafood, soy, garlic and yogurt; baked and served with fresh avocado. The creamy texture and taste balance with chunks of seafood simply teased your palate, asking for more.
The beef tenderloin tips with asparagus had a light taste of lemongrass and light brown sauce with a pineapple glaze. The beef was tender and cooked perfectly while the flavors danced off one’s tongue .
Miso crepes, Duck Confit made with caramelized onions, tamarind butter and miso paste with white wine was delectable.
As a special suprise not on our list we were treated with an Ahi Napoleon that is indescribably exquisite to the taste.
Tempura Shrimp w/Thai Basil Aioli and a special blend of light tempura coating, gently fried to perfection. Garnished with a golden fried plantain and served in a martini glass with a generous portion of wasabi paste under the glass.
For dessert we had Banana Cream Pie w/ oreo cookie crust…
Hazelnut Bread Pudding w/Jack Daniels sauce and vanilla bean ice cream …
Orange Creme Brulee w/ a perfectly glazed sugar topping… and Molten Chocolate Cake with hot chocolate oozing from the center!
It was a special treat to hear the melodic sounds of Jazz Vocalist, Belinda Womack and her band, Triple Ventae playing out in the main dining room.
Her voice coupled with the harmonious key strokes and guitar sounds made it a night to remember. If you are interested in enjoying a night out for great food, wine and service just head to Lutz, Fl and enjoy the Vine. http://TheVineBar.net
Some Photos courtsey of http://CsEPhoto.com see their full Photo Album Here
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The TasteCasting Team Members are not professional food critics. TasteCasting combines socially networked people and the social media platforms and applications they use to help establishments build awareness, announce grand openings, introduce new menu items, distribute special offers and encourage people to visit the establishment.
Sounds like quite a place. I must check it next time I am in Tampa.
Thats a great entry, thanks for posting it. I’ve bookmarked your website and will be eager to reading more!