Armitage Wine Lounge and Cafe may be a haven for socialites who seek a Dom Perignon nightcap after their BCBG shopping trips. But for the rest of us, the trendy bistro offers the best deals at the mall.
From 4 to 6 p.m. and 10 to close every night, Armitage serves half-price appetizers and discounted cocktails and glasses of wine. If you’re satisfied with dining on a dinner of bruschetta and baked brie, you can do so for under $10 a person. All of the generously portioned appetizers on the happy hour menu are between $5 and $6, and feature creative and gourmet ingredients.
And some—like the margarita flatbread or the toasted ravioli with roasted tomato marinara sauce—could be eaten as an entrée.
On a recent evening, we decided to split three selections: the ahi tuna carpaccio ($5, normally $10), the spinach dip ($5, normally $10) and the baked brie with apricot compote ($6, normally $11).
The carpaccio came in thick slabs seared on the edges and drizzled with a sweet Asian ponzu sauce. The tuna was light and flavorful, but cut a little too thick for my taste. If you’re going to cut your tuna thick, it better be extremely fresh and tender, otherwise it runs the risk of tasting rubbery. The Asian slaw was subtly sweet, but also just shy of perfect. The carrots and cabbage were just a tad too dry and cut rough and ragged.
But whatever saucing points they lost on the slaw they earned back on the brie: a wonderful combination of soft white cheese, dried apricots, Craisins, almond slices and honey. The menu claims the topping is a compote, but to me it just seemed like pieces of moist fruit.
But as they say: When in Rome, order a pizza. When in a wine bar, order the cheese. All of Armitage’s cheeses excel, and the smooth and perfectly warmed brie is no exception.
Even the spinach dip, which came paired with the same crispy asiago sourdough bread, was a perfect mix of cheese, cream and spinach. The only complaint was that the accompanying pita bread was a little hard, though my dinner partner liked it that way. The dip itself was sensational, a creamy synthesis of subtle flavors, without any of the chunk or drippiness usually associated with the dish.
But if that doesn’t satisfy you and you’re still craving the lamb sirloin, your best bet is to go on Monday between 6 and 10 p.m. If you present a receipt from the previous week, the server will take 50 percent off your entire bill, no matter what you order. It’s a good deal if you normally frequent La Encantada establishments, though if the discount entices you to shop at BCBG once again, you’d probably be best cooking at home.
