On the flip side, some people might not like that they cannot choose exactly what wine they want. I definitely don’t have a wine cellar, and I liked knowing that my bottles of wine were being stored in perfect conditions.
Spoon and cellar upgrade#
As a 25-year-old millennial on a tight budget, I would never spend $85 on a bottle of wine, but I was given this opportunity with the upgrade technology.
I liked the platform because it forced me to try completely new wines that I normally would not have reached for in-stores.
The chance of getting upgraded to something like a 1975 Dom Pérignon Oenothèque (worth $2,000) is what keeps the user hooked and coming back for more deals. As the user, you know you will at least get a bottle worth what you paid for. Buying wine on the platform feels like a safer, tannin-infused version of gambling. However, Underground Cellar’s gamification feature sets it apart from the other sites. Other platforms that sell and recommend wine exist, like Vivino and Winc. The bottles are stored in my “CloudCellar,” which means that Underground Cellar is storing them in its Napa Valley facilities until I am ready to ship the wine to my house. Two of my bottles were ready to ship right away, and the one took about a week to become available. I actually ended up with bottles of wine valued at $45, $60, and $85. I did not know exactly what brands or vintages I would be receiving until after I placed the order. Spoon and Cellar’s streetside location and upscale decor really gave them a chance to rise above typical hotel restaurant.I ordered three bottles of Cabernet Sauvignon, and each bottle cost $35. My filet was good, but in a city with standout filets at every Jeff Ruby restaurant, Otto’s or Alfio’s, it certainly didn’t approach the level that would lure me back and I think all five of my friends felt exactly the same, which is too bad. We ordered the Charcuterie and Artisan Cheese board as a starter and when I asked Frank what each of the pâtés were and what one of the cheeses on the board was, Frank said, “I’m gonna be real honest, I don’t know what pâté is.” That’s definitely an excusable offense, but as server, I felt like he should have retreated to the kitchen to find the answers to my questions, rather than just letting me know that he had no idea.Īs far as the rest of the meal, none of the six of us ordered anything that would entice us back to Spoon and Cellar. I say honest because Frank was extremely forthcoming in his lack of knowledge about the menu. We asked to be moved to a more comfortable location and after some confusion about which server was going to be lucky enough to incur our wrath for the next few hours, we were graced with the presence of Frank, a very attentive and honest young man. When the last of our friends arrived, we were seated initially at a table much too small for six people, even though the restaurant was mostly empty. When we asked him to make the next round less sweet, inexplicably they arrived at out table more syrupy than the first round. A mojito should be lightly sweet, slightly effervescent and crisp. Per my convesation with one of the bartenders on duty, he was of the opinion that mojitos should be served with approximately as much sugar as a large glass of southern sweet tea.
While sitting at the bar, we did enjoy the Spinach and Artichoke dip, served with delicious salty lavash crisps. I don’t normally feel like I have the right to ask a restaurant to change its lighting scheme, but this time I had no choice but to ask the manager to turn off these particular lights. Luckily, I don’t suffer from epilepsy or any other similar affliction, because one entire bank of recessed lights in the bar area incessantly flickered, to the point of distraction. The restaurant within, upon first examination also looks great, albeit a bit homogenous.Īfter parking in the extremely convenient attached garage, we sat down at the bar while we waited for our friends to arrive on an icy Friday night in the Queen City a few weeks after the restaurant opened. I have never seen a Holiday Inn as nice as this one. I will give credit where credit is due, though.
Upon reflection, they may have been written by the employees themselves. I don’t place a lot of credence in Yelp reviews, but the first few for Spoon and Cellar were glowing. In a restaurant world where most establishments located inside hotels have names akin to “Candles” or “Sparks”, I had high hopes for Spoon & Cellar, located inside the new Holiday Inn on the corner of Broadway and Seventh Streets.
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