Battery Park "Wine" Bar

There is no question that Battery Park Wine Bar makes a wonderful addition to that up-and-coming corner of town. But whether or not it fits the classic definition of a "wine bar" is largely up for debate. Industrial to the core, scantily decorated, and occasionally boisterous, this is no snug and cozy wine cave to be sure. And don't get us started on the pool table and Journey tunes.

But if, as owner Mike Graley tells us, the goal was to create an "upscale place to have fun, enjoy a bottle of wine, a few appetizers, and escape the madness of everyday life," well, who can quibble with that? Indeed, the unofficial moniker of this joint is Y.O.L.O., as in: You only live once (so relax and have fun).

Since its inception in 2006, the Battery Park development has sold over 60 pricey new townhomes. Its proximity to Detroit Shoreway, Lake Erie, and downtown make it one of the most desirable new addresses going. At the epicenter of that development is the historic Eveready Powerhouse, a red-brick building that sports the now-iconic neon-clad smokestack. Inside is where you'll find BPWB and, before summer, another restaurant.

As a longtime wine buyer for Heinen’s, Graley has made a living turning regular folks on to delicious juice. While bona fide oenophiles may find the selection too heavily geared towards approachability, there can be no objection to the pricing structure. All bottles are sold at just $12 over retail, making it downright foolish to not go big often. Some 150 wines are sold by the bottle, with the majority coming in between $25 and $45. By-the-glass folks have less flexibility, with about 15 whites and 15 reds priced largely between $7 and $10.

Opened in mid-November, it can be said that the wine bar still is a work in progress. But there is no reason it should look like one. Housed in a stark brick shell, Battery Park has an uphill battle when it comes to comfort. The choice of poured concrete floors didn't help. But it's the conspicuous absence of rugs, art, drapery or a fireplace that leaves the room feeling unfinished, not to mention loud and cold. And rather than outfit the roomy adjoining space with cozy low-slung seating, management opted to fill it with a clanging billiard table.

In appropriate wine-bar fashion the menu offers a nice blend of grape-friendly snacks, starters and sharable items. Entrees have been wholly excluded from the menu in favor of meat-and-cheese boards, Mediterranean flatbreads, and a host of creative tapas-size dishes. Chef Dimitris Ragousis, formerly of Opa!, just needs to do a better job executing what could be a very appealing roster of foods.

During one visit the issue was temperature, with a full half of our items arriving less than warm. A cold and doughy crust spoiled an otherwise pleasant braised lamb and feta pizza ($11). Fragrant cumin-scented lamb-and-veal meatballs ($9) were marred by tepid cores. Perhaps those items were waiting on the chef to finish our toasted cheese ($8), a perfectly crisp and buttery sandwich oozing with fig jam and melted camembert. I'd normally recommend pairing that sammie with the smoked tomato bisque ($5), but we found the smoke flavor bitter and artificial tasting.
On another visit our issues centered less on temperature than timing. Silver dollar-size potato pancakes ($6) arrived hot and crisp outside but raw and crunchy within. A towering cone of sweet potato frites ($5) had all the right salt and spice – just none of the snap. The kitchen apparently solved the pizza predicament by formulating a new model, this one square and svelte as opposed to round and puffy. A tiny portion of buttery seared scallops goes down fast, but mostly because the 13-dollar dish contained only four quarter-size bivalves.

Budding wine buffs will be happy to know that Graley intends to launch regular wine tastings. A roomy island countertop, located directly in front of the retail wine display, will serve as his delicious classroom. Here's hoping that the kitchen soon catches up to the wine.


Battery Park Wine Bar
7524 Father Frascati Ave., Cleveland
216-631-9463