5 new restaurants to try in Bordeaux

If you're planning to visit Bordeaux this summer these are the hot restaurants according to local wine industry insider 'La Bordelaise'. But which are worth going to? Read on . . .

"Things are finally hotting up in Bordeaux. Like any of France’s major cities, it has its fair share of Michelin stars and you’ll never have to travel far for a magret or steak frites but I’ve always wanted more. Now, my wish has been granted – over the past six months, several new restaurants have appeared, owned and run by enthusiastic thirtysomethings ...

Belle Campagne, 15 rue des Bahutiers.

www.belle-campagne.fr. Tel : 05 56 81 16 51

Belle Campagne is “locavore”, which means that they only use food sourced from within a 250km radius of the restaurant. Take a quick look at a map – the catchment area includes some of the best natural produce in France, which makes you wonder why all restaurants in Bordeaux aren’t locavore too?

Belle Campagne is set in a small townhouse in the old town and has a definite boho feel. They also have an epicerie opposite.

The menu offers sharing plates (cheese or charcuterie), finger food, or traditional mains. My slow-cooked pulled lamb and purée was delicious, hearty and prettily presented. I was only there for a quick lunch, but would like to go back and try the finger food menu. They also do Sunday brunch and there are good vegetarian options.

Verdict: Belle Campagne is a good concept, but I can’t help feeling a little underwhelmed when compared to the level of cooking and value for money in the neighbouring restaurants.

Lowdown: Sharing plates: 15€. Finger food/starters: 1,10€ (per oyster) – 8€. Mains: 15, 17 (and 45€ for the Cote de Veau)

Open: Tuesday – Saturday: 18h00 – 01h00. Sunday: 10h00 – 15h00

Miles, 33 Rue du Cancera

www.restaurantmiles.com. Tel 05 56 81 18 24

Miles is the brainchild of four friends who met at chef’s school in Paris. The name refers to the international unit of length – a nod to their international roots (Japan, Israel, Vietnam, France and New Caledonia).

Miles is small (approx. 20/25 covers) but has a relaxed, surprisingly airy feel. You can either sit at the bar that snakes around the open kitchen, or at one of the 4 or 5 tables.

Miles offers a four-course fixed menu for lunch and a five-course equivalent for dinner. There is also a quick formula available at lunchtime, but it seems a shame to miss out when the set menu is so well-priced. The menu changes fortnightly.

At only 25€, we went for the 4 Miles and we weren’t disappointed. The food is innovative, well presented and has great depth and balance of internationally-inspired flavours. The asparagus soup with almond yoghurt was a revelation, as was the low-temperature cooked pork fillet with celeriac and vanilla purée.

A limited but interesting wine list is currently focused on the Loire (sparkling, white and red), which is a refreshing change in Bordeaux, and works particularly well with their food.

The service is sometimes a little vague, but you find yourself forgiving them.

Verdict: Excellent value for money and delicious. Highly recommended.

Lowdown: Petit Miles – main (fish or meat), dessert: 18€. 4 Miles – 4 course tasting menu: 25€. 5 Miles (dinner only) – 5 course tasting menu: 38€

Open: Tuesday – Friday: 12h00-14h30 / 19h30 – 22h00. Saturday: 19h30 – 22h00

Dan, 6 rue du Cancera

www.facebook.com/DanRestaurant.fr Tel 05 40 05 76 91

Just down the road is Dan, an Asian-inspired restaurant recently opened by a Franco-Chinese couple, after 8 years in Hong Kong. This 20-25 seater restaurant, housed in a narrow vaulted room, is decorated with pretty touches of chinoiserie. Dan, which means “light” in Cantonese, aims to combine the two cultures and cooking styles, which I think is possibly where it fell down for me.

Dan has received rave reviews ever since it opened in June 2013. The food is very well executed, but I can’t help feeling that this is Asian food tempered for a French palate. I wanted a little more spice and intensity of flavour. In fairness, the waiter did explain that we would probably prefer the evening menu.

There are three mains at lunch, whereas dinner offers more choice either à la carte, or with a tasting menu for the whole table.

The dim sum were utterly delicious and I could easily have wolfed down six, rather than the three served.

The roasted duck roasted with Chinese spices, combined a perfectly cooked duck breast with a delicious slow-cooked leg and served with red cabbage, black lemon and tiny home-pickled aubergines and onions. Clever. However, while the poached hake with corn sauce was perfectly cooked, it was a little bland.

The chocolate dessert was a big disappointment - two blobs of unset chocolate mousse, crumbled biscuit and some cherries, which I suppose was a nod to deconstruction but left me perplexed.

Four wines are selected each month to go with the food and offer original and food-friendly alternatives to the ubiquitous Bordeaux selection – Savennières from the Loire, Viognier from the Rhone, a Mondeuse – as well as a Haut Médoc – were this month’s favourites There is also a tea menu.

Verdict: Everything I have seen and read makes me believe that Dan can be as good as I expected it to be so I'll give it another go, but will book for dinner next time.

Lowdown: Lunch : Starter & dish of the day : 14€, or 19€ with a glass of wine (or ¼ water) and coffee. Main : 15€. Tasting menu of 4 dishes : 28€ Dinner: Starter, main & pudding) : 28€. Tasting menu : 38€. Carte Blanche (tasting menu for the table) : 55€

Open: Lunch : Thursday – Saturday 12h00 – 14h30. Dinner : Tuesday – Saturday 19h30 – 23h00

Le Chien de Pavlov, 45/47 rue de la Devise

www.lechiendepavlov.com. Tel 05 56 48 26 71

Just around the corner is the brilliant Chien de Pavlov. Great name, great place, great vibe, great food. We put Le Chien de Pavlov to the test – three adults, three hungry teenagers and a baby. They took everything in their stride with a smile and a 'can do' attitude.

Le Chien de Pavlov calls itself a “jeune bistro”, so I expected classics, perhaps served with a twist, but I wasn’t quite expecting food like this. Lunch offers three starters, three mains and three puddings – everything is prepared on site. The dinner menu is more extensive.

The spring risotto was light, tasty, well seasoned and perfectly cooked. The crab and combawa (kaffir lime) ravioli was delightful. The winner was the egg – poached at low temperature to perfection, served with fresh anchovies, croutons and chorizo – the stuff the Sunday brunch dreams are made of.

The kids had a chicken burger with Caesar sauce and fabulous pommes grenailles. The rack of pork with artichokes was also good, but the main course winner was the John Dory with fregola pasta, cooked like a risotto with fresh vegetables. Yum.

There’s a delicious edge to Le Chien de Pavlov, but unlike so many “trendy” restaurants, this one has true substance. The decoration is basic, with an odd touch of eccentric charm, but money has been spent on the important things, like the food, the glass and tableware.

Verdict: Le Chien de Pavlov definitely has its priorities right - great food, good wine list and excellent value for money. Make sure you check this one out.

They also offer cooking lessons, which I imagine would be both informative and great fun.

Lowdown: A la carte menu that changes regularly. Lunch - Starters : 6€. Mains : 13€. Puddings : 6€. Dinner - Starters : 5 – 10€. Mains : 14 – 19€. Puddings : 6€

Open: Lunch : Wednesday – Saturday. Dinner : Tuesday – Saturday. Brunch : Sunday

Garopapilles, 62 rue de l’Abbé de l’Epée.

www.garopapilles.com. Tel 09 72 45 55 36.

Garopapilles has had people chattering ever since it opened in April 2014. This is grown up food, but without the pomp and pretension that one usually has to endure when eating at this level. I don’t remember ever eating this kind of food in Bordeaux, even in the top restaurants, and Garopapilles could easily stand its own in Paris.

Located just off Place Gambetta (easy parking), the simple elegance of Garopapilles embodies Tanguy Laviale’s cooking style – classic, clean, luxuriant, modern and attentive to the smallest details, such as the second-hand oak floor that they brought to Bordeaux from Champagne.

Tanguy has worked with some of France’s top chefs. His classic training shines through, but his food also has an exciting originality and refreshing sensitivity, elegance and intensity of taste. This is impressive stuff, even more impressive as he does all of this alone, from an open kitchen.

His menu du marché changes daily and is explained by enthusiastic and appreciative staff who wish you “bon voyage” at the start of your meal, as they lay down a small plate of delicious amuses-bouche that grab your attention and set the tone of what is to come.

The lunch menu offers a starter, main course and dessert with the option of two glasses of wine selected by Gael, the chef de cave, from the 200 bins available in their wine shop.

Which leads us to the other fabulous thing about Garopapilles – its wine selection. A range of wines (and beers) from all over France, and elsewhere, sold at cracking prices both in the shop and in the restaurant. They even have chilled Champagne to go, although I’m not sure why anyone would want to go elsewhere.

As one friend said, the food is “sensational”. Smoked tuna and foie gras. St Pierre with the lightest of breadcrumbs. Stunning lamb with sauces so intense that you just know they took hours of prep. Cherries quickly warmed in salted butter, with brioche and white chocolate mousse. Tanguy manages to combine lightness and intensity with every element. Even the bread is homemade.

Verdict: There are only 20 covers, so if you’re planning a trip to Bordeaux book now. When you do get there, sit back, enjoy a chilled glass of wine in their walled herb garden, peruse their wine list and let Tanguy take you on a journey. This is truly great stuff.

Lowdown: Menu du marché. Lunchtime (starter, main, dessert): 32€. Dinner (five course tasting menu): 59€

Open: Restaurant Lunch : Tuesday – Friday. Dinner : Thursday & Friday. Wine Shop Tuesday – Saturday: 10h00 – 19h30

A week’s eating in Paris

Spending a whole week in Paris is any foodie’s idea of heaven but how do you choose from the vast amount of restaurants on offer without breaking the bank? If you’ve read about how we planned our recent Paris trip I thought you might like to know where we ended up eating . . .

As I said in my previous post we try to balance things out and combine old favourites with new discoveries and lighter meals with more substantial ones. We were lucky enough to be there for a week so could afford to take it relatively easy though reading this through I can see that most people would regard it as a massive pig-out.

We were staying in the Marais on the border of the 3rd and 4th arrondissements so there’s a weighting of restaurants from that neighbourhood. Your choices might well be different if you’re staying in a different part of Paris. Or if you have a sweeter tooth. You'll spot that patisseries are notably absent from our schedule.

The tricky days are Sunday and Monday when many restaurants are shut though it’s less of a problem than it used to be.

More restaurants than previously accept walk-ins but for most you do need to book a few days ahead

Day 1

First dinner in Paris. Always a tricky one. Do you go for something quintessentially Parisian or something new and exciting? Last year we went to Le Gaigne a really lovely small neighbourhood restaurant which has since closed but has apparently found a new site. This year it was the cutting edge Le Mary Celeste, a wine bar with delicious Asian-inspired small plates just a 10 minute walk from the flat. Note you can only book up to 7.30pm and it gets rammed. It is open on Sunday though. Review here

Day 2

Lunch at Bistrot Paul Bert - a great Parisian bistrot and one of our all-time favourites. Fantastic value: 19€ for a brilliant 3 course lunch. (See review) Couldn’t eat for the rest of the day. Except for a few ‘gariguette’ strawberries.

Day 3

Our heaviest day’s eating: A glass of wine and a couple of croquettes at L’Avant Comptoir, the tiny stand-up wine bar next to Yves Cambdeborde’s more famous Le Comptoir - and much easier to get into - then lunch with our friend cookery writer Trish Deseine at Semilla, a chic little restaurant on the left bank.

It has a great lunchtime ‘formule’ - three small starters and a main for 24€. Liked the frugality of it: the starters were clever riffs on two ingredients - carrots and sweet potato - a crisp beignet of carrot with coriander dressing, a salad of carrots and sweet potatoes and a rich sweet potato soup with turmeric oil. The mains light on fish and meat. I was so busy chatting I didn’t manage to focus on what the others were eating (veal and something squiddy I seem to remember but loved my main of blond lentils with artichokes and a gorgeous mushroom froth (above) - and I’m not a great one for foam. Nice wine list. Smart, good for vegetarians.

Dinner at Les Enfants Rouges back in the Marais. A Japanese chef - very on-trend in Paris. Cooking is slightly uneven. Some very good dishes including perfect andouille and squid stuffed with small pasta and mediterranean veg alongside some slightly over-ambitious ones (a soft-yolked egg with lime-leaf flavoured foam. Am coming to loathe slow cooked runny eggs). Paid the price for greed though and couldn’t finish the very rich creamy dish of sweetbreads and morilles for which I’d paid a supplement. If that sounds a bit half-hearted don’t be put off. It’s a charming place with sweet service and at 38€ for its fixed price menu is not expensive for an evening meal. David Lebovitz has a similar take on it here.

Day 4

Morning spent in recovery after the previous day’s blowout. Though not to the extent of skipping lunch - in a rather cute cafe called Le Bal attached to a photographic gallery up in the 9th (I think). The chef used to work at the Rose Bakery - so it has a similar vibe. Soup (Beetroot. Excellent) and lovely wobbly quiche for 15€. Just what the doctor ordered.

Evening at our other favourite restaurant Le Baratin, a Paris institution. Review here. Note there is another Baratin - make sure you don't book the wrong one. This is in Belleville.

Day 5

We walked a couple of miles to a street food festival on the quai d’Austerlitz then found it was so rammed you couldn’t move (You should have seen the queue for fish and chips - the French are mad for street food these days.) So we hoofed it back to the 11th to Clamato a small ‘tapas’ bar we’d heard good things about that’s been set up by the owner of Septime (which we hadn’t been too taken with last year)

Clamato is great, not least because it’s open on a Saturday and Sunday (though only in the evenings from Wednesday to Friday). As the name suggests it specialises in fish. We skipped the oysters in favour of some fantastic rillettes of mackerel and sweet herring, black mullet sashimi and a very pretty dish of asparagus with trout eggs. In fact all the food was pretty. Interesting wines too. You can’t book btw.

In the evening we had the one dud meal we had in Paris at the much-hyped Chatomat. Goodness knows what’s happened there - the chef seems to have totally lost the plot or got far too excited by his new sous-vide. Among the disasters - tough-as-boots bulots with a bland sludgy green sauce (bulots are served with aioli for a reason), virtually blue - sous-vided?- onglet with a slow cooked egg yolk (bleugh) and rare pork and just-cured sardines, as nasty a combination as it sounds. We left before dessert. A car crash of a meal and one of the most expensive ones we had in Paris.

Day 6

In recovery again. As it was Sunday we decided we’d eat in for a change and bought some rotisserie chicken, salad and strawberries in Les Enfants Rouge market. Oh, and some gorgeous cheese.

I’d also discovered a new Israeli restaurant had opened round the corner called Miznon so we thought we’d see if we could get to try one of their pittas. Although it was rammed we were lucky enough to land a table though had to clear it ourselves. Good pittas though (one lamb, one chicken salad) with a fantastic fresh green chilli dip and spectacular ‘roast’ (though it tasted deep-fried) cauliflower the remains of which we demolished with the chicken. In and out in 45 minutes. It looked quieter and less manic during the week (it's closed Friday evening and Saturday) Vive le fast food!

Day 7

Another favourite Abri in the 10th, this time for their fabled sandwich (served only on Saturdays and Mondays) If that doesn’t sound too riveting think a stack of finely sliced pickled cabbage, Japanese omelette, crisp fried pork in breadcrumbs and melted cheese sandwiched between two slices of light as air pain de mie. Oooof! Not cheap, I admit, at 15€ but you do get an organic drink (juice or wine) and a madeleine thrown in. We had lunch there in March 2013 which was also great. Note it's quite hard to find. underneath a sign that says City Café.

Then our last night in Paris. A Monday which made it tricky. We decided to stick to the Marais and give a natural wine bar called Au Passage a whirl. No recent reviews because its chef had decamped to Bones* but the food - the ubiquitous small plates - was simple and delicious. (A great plate of anchovies, butter and sliced shallots, a terrific terrine and smoked egg with salt cod which I didn’t think I was going to like but worked really well. A slightly dull plate of asparagus by comparison but you can’t have everything. And the place was heaving. Would definitely be on our list for next time

Day 8

We’d booked a late train back so had time for one last lunch - again in the Marais so we didn’t have to lug our suitcases along. A totally unreconstructed bistro called Chez Nénesse (top picture) which serves old fashioned hors d’oeuvres like oeufs mayonnaise, leeks vinaigrette and harengs a l’huile (herring and potato salad) and whopping great stews (on the day we went chicken marengo). Not remotely refined but cheap (about 55€ for the two of us with carafe wine). If you yearn for the Paris of the ’70’s before bistros got smart you’ll love it. If you don't give it a miss.

So, a ridiculous amount of eating but thankfully a fair amount of walking too which meant we didn’t put on any weight. And, as I say, we skipped the patisseries ...

Note: most of these places we booked in advance. If you haven’t booked go early (before 12.30 or late - after 1.30 - for lunch or before 7.30 or after 9.30 for supper though the trendier places will still be busy then

* one of a number of restaurants we missed this time.

Magnum and Le Tire Bouchon: two wine bars to discover in Toulouse

When I knew I was going to spend 24 hours in Toulouse recently I asked my followers on Twitter - as you do - what restaurants and wine bars they would recommend. Unusually they all suggested different places which didn’t help that much so I ended up trawling around online.

The problem with Toulouse is that everything seems to focus round its big - and rather beautiful - squares which can get pretty crowded on a Saturday night, even in January but we were after something a bit more off the beaten track - and found it in two small family-run wine bars: Magnum and Le Tire Bouchon.

Le Tire Bouchon in Place Dupuy, which was recommended by French restaurant critic François Simon, was the first port of call. You honestly wouldn’t know anyone was eating there. It looks just like a wine shop then you peer in and see they’ve managed to cram 3 tables in among the jumble of boxes (and another three downstairs)

They only serve food at lunchtime which is cooked by the owner Philippe Lagarde's wife Laurence. Nothing is chalked up on a board - not even the prices but it’s 16€ for two courses, 21€ for three. A big plus is that it's easy to eat veggie without really trying (rare in France). I had an excellent butternut squash and coconut milk soup with coriander crème fraiche and homemade cheese ravioli while my husband stuck to the more conventionally south-west French options of piquillo peppers stuffed with confit duck and a homely veal stew. Puds were a classic chocolate mousse and a rather delicious fluffy cheesecake

They don’t do much in the way of wines by the glass - you’d be better off buying one of the bottles from the huge selection on display which unusually features wines that are not French - though they will be at the very least organic and biodynamic. We tried a white grenache blend called Cool Moon from Les Enfants Sauvages which was a bit wild and funky for me (though better after decanting) and a lovely Gipskeuper German riesling (2009) from a biodynamic Wurttemberg producer called Beurer.

It was actually Philippe who suggested Magnum which is one of Toulouse’s oldest streets, rue Perchpinte - about 5 minutes walk from the Carmes metro stop. It’s more obviously a wine bar with a smaller selection of wines but a bigger menu of which the charcuterie served at almost fat-meltingly warm room temperature is a stand-out feature. (One customer went over just to sniff it) We also had a great umami-bomb of a carpaccio with slow-roasted tomatoes

But the two stand-out dishes were again made by the owner Jérome Rey’s wife who comes from Réunion. Some local Toulouse sausage and prawn dumplings served with a spicy sweet chilli sauce (sounds dire, but it was brilliant with the 11% Thierry Puzelat gamay we were drinking as you can see from my match of the week) and some potato pancakes with lumpfish roe and a creamy lemon dressing I could have eaten twice over. (My Guardian colleague Marina O'Loughlin went a few days later on my recommendation and was raving about a cheese and ham brioche toastie with truffles. The menu obviously varies.) We spent about 70€ but could have spent a lot less.

These places won’t be for everyone. If you want more of a theatrical Toulouse scene and don’t like natural wines you may want to go for one of the better known names like Christian Constant’s Le Bibent. But if you want somewhere where you actually get served by the owner and experience a less touristy side of Toulouse they’re perfect.

PS judging by how full they were you’d do well to book - at Magnum you probably stand a better chance of getting a table if you eat early as the locals start to pour in from 8.30 onwards.

Where else to drink in Toulouse . . .

Le Nez Rouge, in rue des Couteliers - another natural wine bar recommended by Philippe

No. 5, 5 rue de la Bourse - 700 different wines, 30 of which are available by the glass at any one time.

. . . and where to stay

Hotel Albert 1er - we stayed in this solidly bourgeois French 3 star hotel in rue Rivals just off the main shopping street rue d'Alsace-Lorraine. Providing, somewhat surprisingly, an organic breakfast. Our very large double room cost 113€. Not flashy but well-run and welcoming - a hotel of character, not a boring modern chain.

 

Wine lovers' New York: Where to drink well in the Big Apple

So where are the best places in New York for a wine lover to hang out? And what should you drink there? Blogger and winelover Zeren Wilson of Bitten & Written sets out a game plan.

Going to New York for a dedicated restaurant visit is a high octane thrill that I don't think I'll ever tire of. A recent visit saw us rack up a bewildering (some would say indecent) number of venues and while on this occasion it was the food driving our agenda, finding anywhere which also has a wine list to quicken the pulse, adds another frisson of pleasure to lunch/dinner/third dinner.

On this visit I was trying to keep my wine instincts tamed (mainly due to a potentially devastating dent to the budget, which was already going to take a battering from food), yet when I glimpsed a list with interesting domaines and producers, the spirit of Bacchus came snarling and snapping out, and suddenly I was channelling the vinous gods. It would be the height of bad manners to ignore their call, right?

Managing to snag a seat at the bar at Gramercy Tavern on a busy Saturday lunchtime, the list of wines by the glass hooked me in. Seeing Oregon winery Cristom by the glass set the tone, their 'Mt. Jefferson Cuvée 2011' a great example of elegant, restrained American Pinot Noir, with more than a whiff of Burgundian style about it.

It's a tour de force of a list, put together by beverage director Juliette Pope, and they're also banging the drum for maligned wines such as Lambrusco, with Lambrusco 2009 'La Luna', from Cantine Ceci, currently being poured by the glass. Good baked Long Island clams here and Beausoleil oysters, on ice or roasted. A fantastic list for wine lovers.

Another restaurant in Danny Meyer's Union Square Hospitality Group, Maialino, just around the corner from Gramercy Tavern, has a 100% Italian list of some note, showcasing the great breadth and sometimes bewildering number of Italian varietals.

They are currently highlighting vintage Nebbiolo, pouring thirteen by the glass, with some 'big dog' names featuring. Francesco Rinaldi's Barolo 2007 'Brunate', Bartolo's Mascarello 2000, Borgogno's Barbaresco Riserva 1978, and Barbaresco 1988 from the ever reliable co-operative Produttori del Barbaresco — Italophiles will be delighted to explore the list here.

Champagne represents the only foray outside of Italy, and there are good growers listed here, including the 'Special Club' 2005 from Blanc de Blancs winemaking wizard Didier Gimonnet, of Pierre Gimonnet. Get me away from this list, it's dangerous to linger...

'I need a dollar, dollar, dollar is what I need...', and so we veer off into somewhere less 'spenny', a fantastic craft beer temple Merchants & Advocates of Great Beer, owned by beer geek Ted Kenny, tucked away on Orchard Street in the Lower East Side. A huge array of beer taps greets us, an obsessive list of craft beers chalked up on a huge board behind the bar. Lagunitas 'Brown Shugga' from Petaluma, Sonoma, kicks things off with deceptive, sneakily potent 9.9% ABV, and the list of over 600 bottled and canned beers from around the world is dizzying. You can fill up empty bottles and take these home with you too. A great spot if you're feeling the pull of the grain over the grape.

Hot spot of the moment Betony, with Executive Chef Bryce Shuman (formerly at three Michelin-starred Eleven Madison Park) at the helm, delivered a great wine experience, ably assisted by sommelier Cristina Lemos. I had noticed Muscadet playing a prominent role on a couple of lists, testament to the much improved wines of the region, and the opening wine by the glass was Muscadet Sèvre et Maine Sur Lie 2011, from Domaine de la Louvetrie, which made a fine palate-wakening first drop. It went well with a bar snack of 'lobster roll' too, a cheffy interpretation of this classic, sweet lobster meat encased in the most impossibly crisp and fine cigar shaped tubes: probably made out of brioche, but reimagined in a very Michelin way.

Riesling whizz kid Klaus-Peter Keller, making some of the best dry wines in Rheinhessen, features by the glass, as does iconic Rioja from La Rioja Alta and their Viña Ardanza Reserva 2004. Come here and sit at the bar, have the posh bar snacks, drink good wine and excellent cocktails — our negronis were pitch perfect.

More Muscadet and a very savvy, snappy list was waiting for us in the West Village at Chez Sardine, a real highlight of the trip that saw the most pristine nigiri served to us at the bar by a chap wearing a baseball bat emblazoned with You Mad, Bro'?'

It's a thrillingly tiny, modern take on a Japanese izakaya of just seven tables, a bar, and sushi counter. Sommelier and wine director Jen Sgobbo (ten years at Gramercy Tavern) has put together a list leaning more towards whites and lighter reds, complementing the fish-heavy menu. We start with an excellent sparkling Vouvray Brut from Domaine Bernard Fouquet.

Miso-maple salmon head is the most startling dish, proudly occupying top billing on the list: try this with the dry Rheingau Riesling 'Rudesheimer' from Leitz, or the Beaujolais from Martine and Pierre Chermette - both coped well with the salmon.

Inventive nigiri and sushi such as salmon with pretzels and lime cream, unagi with tobiko and tempura, and scallop with jalapeño and lemon, ask tough questions for just one wine to sail through, but our Muscadet 'Côtes de Grandlieu' 2012, from Domaine Les Hautes Noëlles performed admirably. A very carefully considered list which will reward further visits.

Fatty 'Cue, the deliriously playful Malaysian/BBQ mash-up from the team behind Fatty Crab (gearing up to arrive in London next year), have a small, but well thought through list, while cocktails feature heavily too. We were enamoured with the cocktail 'Landing Strip', a potent combination of Campari, amaro nonino, bourbon, lemon and yuzu. Fatty Manhattan was a mixture of rye whiskey, vermouths, smoked cherry Coke, angostura bitters and lemon zest: heady, boozy, great fun.

Whites by the glass feature aromatic varietals largely, Sauvignon Blanc/Riesling/Grüner Veltliner, alongside another Muscadet: Muscadet having something of an NYC 'moment', it seems.

One of the savviest shorter lists is at Locanda Verde in TriBeCa, Andrew Carmellini's bustling all-day Italian inspired dining spot, and a seat at the bar for their lamb meatball sliders is a favourite NYC moment. On this occasion a broad shouldered, fleshy Vietti Barbera by the glass was the sparring partner for the meatballs. The 100 bottle all-Italian list is put together by Josh Nadel, although they are quite happy to accommodate BYO for $35. With a list as good as this, it seems churlish to indulge the urge.

Finally a shout out to the finest barman we encountered, the brilliant Troy at Daniel Boulud's DBGB on Bowery, on the fringes of the Lower East Side. A hectic day of restaurant hits meant eating was nigh-on a physical impossibility, so we thought we'd drop in for a drink at the bar. One drink. Four hours later, a combination of Troy's drinks mixing skills, entrancing charisma, love of English football, and infectious love of the hospitality business, kept us there until appetites were miraculously revived again. He also had impeccable wine knowledge and gave us a taste of a Margaux which happened to be open. Superstar barman!

What to drink - and eat - where

Gramercy Tavern

Drink: Cristom Pinot Noir.

Eat: Duck liver mousse/Pork chop, Jerusalem artichoke, apple and hazelnuts

Maialino

Drink: Rinaldi's Barolo 'Brunate'

Eat: Fettuccine alla Carbonara, with guanciale

Merchants and Advocates of Great Beer

Drink: Lagunitas Brown Shugga'

Eat: Excellent jerky from small producers. Or Mission Chinese on the same street.

Betony

Drink: Muscadet, Domaine de la Louvetrie

Eat: "Lobster Roll", Crème Fraîche, Salt & Pepper

Chez Sardine

Eat: All the nigiri. Miso-maple salmon head.

Drink: Sparkling Vouvray, Muscadet, François Mikulski Meursault, Beaujolais

Fatty Cue

Eat: Fatty 'McRib' Bao, smoked pork rib, kewpie, BBQ sauce, pickles

Drink: Nerello Mascalese, 'Etna Rosso' from Murgo

Locanda Verde

Eat: Lamb meatball sliders

Drink: Vietti Barbera d'Alba 'Tres Vigne'

DBGB

Eat: Pig's head terrine and charcuterie at the bar.

Drink: Anything from the excellent Burgundy and Beaujoloas list. Try Marcel Lapierre's Morgon. Great cocktails.

SOME OTHER WINE DESTINATIONS OF NOTE

Nolita Wine Merchants

Excellent and very smart wine shop on Mulberry Street.

Moore Brothers

Great source of German Riesling, Burgundy and Italy in particular.

September Wines

Lower East Side wine shop with some gems to be discovered.

Terroirs/Hearth

Collection of Riesling obsessive bars (self styled 'acid hounds') and a top restaurant at Hearth.

Zeren Wilson is a food and wine writer with a background in the wine trade. He publishes his own blog Bitten & Written - you can see some of the other places he took in during his NYC trip here.

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