Best of 2000: Best Place To Dine In Style And Not Get Gouged By The Wine List

The Wine Bar & Grill
1271 Prospect Street, La Jolla
(858) 456-4644

Proprietor Charles Adams has carved a beauty of a brasserie out of a former candy store and stocked it with interesting wines that one can quaff at 20 to 40 percent over retail. Savor a plate of cheeses and vegetable paté, a pan-seared foie gras, or a roasted half chicken accompanied by cellar offerings from France, Italy, Australia, or Napa Valley. Wines can be ordered by the taste, glass, bottle, or flight and start at $3. Dinner entrées start at $14.50. Call for reservations -- this place can seat only 54 patrons.