The name of the new wine bar in Chinatown evokes moody, dim, stylish, and a little intimidating in a cool sort of French New Wave way, and that’s not too far off base. The interior is decked out in saturated primary colors and vintage bric-a-brac, the wine list and the food menu are concise to the point of opacity, and the crowd is exceedingly trendy. But the surface-level look undersells the quality of the bar. It is pretty remarkably fun. The menu makes up for its lack of readability with on-point execution, from a lovely mushroom and nettle pie to squishy tramezzino-style sandwiches, and the wine list is constantly changing into new, exciting shapes. The place buzzes with energy on weekends but stays just the right sort of chill on weeknights. Before you know it, you’ve spent a dozen evenings there, the menu no longer feels opaque, and you’ve become part of that intimidating crowd yourself.
 How to book: Walk-ins only.

Cafe Triste

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