/ Reviews / French
A Cheeky Glass of Wine
by Tom Lee
on Friday, January 07, 2011 12:00 AM
Wine bottles line the interior; chalk boards blare out the daily deals; the total number of seats hits about 60: Fossette has cozy wine bar written all over it.
French for "dimple", Fossette is a cheeky little operation that intends to offer clientele a "casual and fun atmosphere", according to Managing Director David Fang. In recent years, many ventures have built a scared cult out of wine, surrounding it with mystic mumbo jumbo designed to inspire awe in the amateur enthusiast. The owners of Fossette have no interest in setting up false idols, emphasizing the clarity with which they humbly present their offerings.
At present, there are around 60 wines available, separated by price range. Most of the choices are very affordable, from the under RMB150 options to the highest bracket of over RMB300. Each section encompasses a spread of Old World and New World; and every vintage has a brief description to elucidate the flavors, a little glass symbol to indicate whether it's a red, white, sparkling or sweet wine, and a flag to signify the provenance.
Accompanying this accessible list is a simple food menu that caters to a range of palates. Ravenous patrons can satiate themselves by devouring the "Hunger Beaters", a selection of burgers and pastas, but the healthy eaters will better enjoy the salads under "Good Greeners". If it's a quick fix that's needed, the "Fast Runners" include anything the kitchen can dish up in a flash, though for more delicate, artisanal dishes, snap up the smaller portioned "Palate Teasers". Taking the cake, however, are the "Sweet Tasters", a selection of sugary desserts.
Splitting the menu in this way does make it sound incredibly appetizing, and dishes like the Seared Salmon Bouchées (RMB52) live up to the hype, offering three big mouthfuls of lightly cooked fish with sour cream reduction on a bed of blanched vegetables. Also under the heading of "Palate Teasers", the Polenta Wedges (RMB38) with goat's cheese and sun-dried tomatoes soak up any excess wine rolling around the tongue with mealy goodness. Pizza, though, is substandard, with the Prosciutto and Mushroom (RMB65) very low on mushroom.
Despite a few kitchen issues inside the nascent Fossette, it's excusable considering the nice wines and the unpretentious setting in which to enjoy them.
The Bottom Line: Inviting nook for fine wine.
