Boudoir Wine Bar

The 2013 edition of The List's Eating & Drinking Guide is out now – only £5.95 (+p&p).

This review is taken from the current (2013) edition.

As the name suggests there’s a strong European influence here with wines and antipasti drawn from the owner’s European travels. It serves a fine selection of old world wines, particularly from France and Italy – a great combination with the generous four-cheese platter, which includes a mild Auvergne blue matching the sweeter reds. Velvet drapes and chic lampshades set the mood to soft and sultry, more continental elegance than risqué glamour. The intimate feel is well-suited to dates while the back area adjoins a square making it busily animated at weekends. Wines are the highlight, yet it’s more than just a wine bar. The menu is modest in showcasing the wonderfully different artisan beers from northern Italy – intriguingly crisp and subtle, and unique enough to be worth the visit. The bar’s quirky euro-chic features are thoughtfully soundtracked by music ranging from gypsy-swing to live acoustic performances. A bar-bedroom with va-va voom.

• High point: Wine trip option is perfect for working round the menu
• Low point: More trip options would be an added temptation