March 30th, 2010—Bar 79

Day 79—Monday, March 29th
Ayza Wine and Chocolate Bar

A lot of people have asked me in my tavern travels so far, what’s my favorite kind of bar. The answer is dive bars. Really if I had my preference I’d be hitting a dive bar every night. But one of the points of the website is to visit diverse bars and occasionally wander out of my comfort zone. Today while Googling around I found a wine and chocolate bar that’s only blocks from where I work called Ayza Wine and Chocolate Bar. Normally I would never think of going to a place like this, but then again, why not? It’s got wine, it’s got chocolate, how bad can that be? They’ve also got a peppermint chocolate martini, I’ve gotta try that. Get your sweet tooth ready for a treat and let’s go!

It's a rainy night out tonight, but they've put up a plastic shield so patrons can still sit on the patio seats outside.

The bar is small and intimate, but lucky for me I spy an empty seat.

Being a dope about wine, I asked the bartender Yulia to pick the wine. I told her I liked dry, white wine that's not too sweet. Within seconds she found the perfect wine and here it is.

It was perfect! And notice the extended pinkie while drinking. Who says I ain't got class?

Andre and Tro are two of the friendly staff on duty.

Krissy and Chris were visiting from Las Vegas. This was their first time in New York and they were having a great time in the city and in Ayza. I want to take this moment to say hi to their friend, Todd, who they told me could probablly match me drink for drink on this bar crawl. Hi Todd!

there's tables on either side of the bar for patrons who come here to sample the wonderful appetizer and main course menu.

Bartender Yulia serves up a peppermint martini with a gorgeous smile, thanks Yulia!

Here's some of the wine bottles that are on display over the bar.

Annie gets a glass of wine to take to a table.

Fire! (I'm sorry, this just never gets old for me! Although I know everyone else is sick of it.)

Ayza also offers outside seating. Smokers take note!

Steve was seated next to me at the bar and we learned that we both work within the same industry. In fact, after talking, we discovered his company makes the magnetic boxes for the mettalic ink jet prints I make. As Steven Wright once said, "It's a small world, but I'd hate to paint it." Cheers, Steve!

Yulia taking care of business at the bar.

In addition to the wine, there's a full bar available.

And Yulia pours the final drink of the evening, a champagne martini. Thanks for the great and hospitable service and conversation Yulia! And goodnight everybody!

Review

I saw both versions of Willie Wonka and the Chocolate Factory and never saw him touch a drop of alcohol. If he did develop a liking to booze, this would be the spot he would definitely hang at. Ayza Wine and Chocolate Bar is a wine and chocolate lover’s paradise. The place is classy and cozy, but be forewarned, it ain’t cheap in here, but as they say, you get what you pay for and if you like wine and chocolate, it’s worth the extra bucks. The bar is a small one, but if you’re lucky enough to snag a seat and Yulia is the bartender, you’ll have a wonderful evenging. Yulia and the rest of the staff are super friendly and knowledgeable about the wines, house cocktails and chocolates. Yulia is an expert mixologist and I highly recommend the chocolate peppermint martini.

Ayza Wine and Chocolate Bar more than live up to their name. There’s over 90 wines and champagnes to choose from and a large selection of gourmet chocolates. They also offer three different types of chocolate martinis and four selections of beer. And if you’ve got an appetite for something more than vino and chocolate, they have a full lunch and dinner menu. Some of the unique appetizers include: White Truffle Pizza, Wild Mushroom Pita Tart, Asian Steak Tartare and Carpaccio Di Manzo. There’s a large variety of panini available and some of the entrees to choose from include: Medallions Of Filet Mignon, Stuffed Chicken Paillard and Pasta Radiatore. Save room for dessert, because they have a large and enticing menu. Next time I come here I’m trying the Warm Chocolate Molten Cake.

Ayza Wine and Chocolate Bar
11 W 31st St. (Between 5th Ave & Broadway)
212-714-2992