Inlet Wines and Brew opened last January at the southern end of the Riverwalk Shopping Center in Roseland as a place where people can get a bite to eat in the evening.
But is it really just another restaurant? Or is it a wine bar, or a place to sample craft or imported beers? Or a comedy club? Or a takeout liquor store? Or even a cigar store? (Actually, you might be able to enjoy that cigar on the premises at one of the outdoor tables.)
On a recent Saturday evening visit, Christine and I found it hard to pigeonhole Inlet Wines and Brew and describe it as just one thing or another. Actually, it’s all of the above – not that there’s anything wrong with that.
Maybe we arrived a little too early, because there didn’t seem to be too much going on when we walked in shortly before 6. Perhaps we’ve gotten too used to the Florida early-bird dinner scene. By the time we were ready to leave after 7, several well-dressed (for the tropics) and sophisticated-looking couples had walked in, so the action appears to start a little later here. Many appeared to be regulars, by the way they were greeted and waved to others already there.
When we walked into the near-empty place, we were nevertheless warmly greeted by Georgie, one of two waitresses who shares the available shifts with one other colleague, but she’s pretty much in charge of the place when she’s there and does an all-around job.
The dinner menu is admittedly limited, as we soon found out. It has a chicken dish, a pasta dish and a steak on it as choices – apart from a bigger assortment of panini and other bar-type food like burgers at $8 each. When I said I was leaning toward the ribeye steak, she told me frankly that I’d be better off making another selection because the guy on duty in the kitchen didn’t know what he was doing.
I decided to mull over that news while I sipped a Belgian Grimbergen Dubbel Abbey Ale for $5 from the extensive list of imported and craft beers, while Christine opted for a hearty glass of sauvignon blanc from New Zealand.
But minutes later, Georgie gleefully announced that Tony, whom she described as the owner’s godfather, had arrived to take over in the kitchen and that it was now safe to order the steak. Between sitting down at various tables and regaling patrons with tales of his life in New York (as behooves any godfather), Tony in fact did manage to prove that he knew how not to ruin a good piece of meat.
Georgie had no qualms about recommending the Avocado Caesar Salad ($8) which could also be ordered with chicken or salmon as a main-dish salad. Christine ordered the “simple” salad without the accompaniments and was impressed with the large portion that included tomatoes, croutons, shredded parmesan cheese and slices of gorgonzola baguette. Inlet Wines and Beer proudly announces that it buys all its ingredients locally from Kroegel Homestead Produce, an institution in Sebastian.
I decided on the French Onion Soup ($5) – a hearty crock of tasty onion soup thickly covered with melted gruyere cheese.
My steak ($18) was served with a gorgonzola butter topping, and sides of roasted fingerling potatoes and creamed spinach. It arrived cooked as ordered – medium – and was juicy and tender.
We had overheard Georgie telling other customers that the meatballs in the pasta dish (spaghetti and meatballs) filled with parmesan cheese were a specialty of Tony the chef but Christine didn’t feel like spaghetti and instead chose the Chicken Vesuvio served over roasted potatoes and field peas.
Tony served the dish himself, a very impressive looking entrée with two slices of the gorgonzola baguettes on top. I noticed the aroma as the plate passed in front of me. Christine found the chicken moist and flavorful in the tasty sauce of white wine and garlic. And the peas were a nice surprise to her as they were crisp, not at all like the mushy canned peas that she grew up eating.
We were convinced to try the dessert – the only one available – Triple Chocolate Brownie (no need to say more – that’s what it says on the menu). Again, we took Georgie’s advice, and ordered only one to share. Out came a long plate with a large wedge of a warm, very chocolatey brownie, drizzled with chocolate and raspberry sauces and we were glad we ordered only one – it was too large for just one person to eat.
Inlet Wines and Beer offers music on weekends on a stage in a corner, starting around 9 p.m., and even has some comedy acts booked, for which there is a $15 cover charge at the door while advance tickets are being offered at $10.
Our bill including two appetizers, drinks and dessert came to about $60 before tax and tip – and we didn’t have to pay for any comedy act. Tony’s tales of New York City and Georgie’s ragging on the substitute chef were included in the price for us as free entertainment.
Inlet Wines and Beer may not be your usual family restaurant with all your typical dinner fare on an extensive menu. But it can be a fun place to spend a weekend evening – and get a bite to eat that’s reasonably priced and tastes pretty good, of course as long as Tony’s cooking.
