Looking good

P%uFFFDr Wine House has created a fashionable menu and atmosphere

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It was the store that launched a thousand fashion blogs. Seemed that way, at least. Anthropologie. A women’s clothing store that taps into the area between fashion school and art school, selling unique clothing and lifestyle doo-dads.

In fact, the real appeal of Anthropologie is that it sells a lifestyle. From clothes to curtains to garden equipment, Anthropologie has cultivated the image of, or at least catered to, a fashionable, resourceful and reasonably wealthy woman. Their style has appealed to many.

Including, even if indirectly, the creators of Pôr Wine House in Louisville. Put it this way: If Anthropologie were a restaurant, it would be Pôr. Let’s start with the most superficial reasons why and then work toward something substantial. (And I’ll bury away the most superficial reason right now, which is that if 70 people came in the Thursday night we were at Pôr, 67 were women.)

Off the bat, the décor could be pulled straight out of the Anthropologie catalog. From the ground up, it’s red bricks cracked with green life, a line of stools that look like typewriter buttons, the wall of a carefully restored barn, a rusty freestanding fireplace, manicured shrubbery abundant, wine bottles refashioned as wall fixtures and affixed with ancient metal clasps, stable wood slats on the walls, and hanging circular lights across the ceiling.

The food, too, feels like an Anthropologie accessory. We start with a trio of stuffed mushrooms, marinated olives and bacon wrapped dates. For $5 apiece, the food comes pretty; colorful and textured on thin and glossy white plates. They are small but tasty — three crimini mushrooms stuffed with goat cheese on a red pepper spread; two medjool dates stuffed with goat cheese, wrapped in bacon and glazed heavenly in crisp honey goo.

Next is an arty take on pizza: bacon and bleu cheese on naan. It doesn’t quite come off as pizza, more like something inspired by pizza, but it’s delightful to munch on while having a conversation.

That’s the strength of Pôr’s food offerings. The smaller they are, the better. It works within the parameters of the restaurant — that is, you’re not coming here for a big meal out, you’re coming to chat with friends over wine and appetizers. In the summer, they open up the walls and you can listen to live music, too. 

The bigger meals, in fact, weren’t great. Pork meatballs came in a thin broth with zucchini noodles — the meatballs were overcooked and chewy, the broth tasted like nothing but parsley and the squash was really boring to eat after a few bites. The samosas were encrusted in what was an awful lot like pie dough and then seared as if they were momos. Though the flavor inside the pockets was good, the failed crust was hard to get around.

Unsurprisingly, the dessert was fantastic. Picking between Pôr’s dessert choices was tough, but the recommendation from the staff was a peanut butter mousse tower — gluten-free peanut butter mousse topped with chocolate ganache and served in a chilled mold. Excellent.

Even more like Anthropologie, though, were the prices. Glasses of wine start at $8, but most offerings are $9 to $12, while the cheapest bottle is $42. Cocktails (I had a French 836 (variation of the 75) that came in a miniature vase and tasted like an apple core in a really good way) run between $9 and $12. I’m told the service, slow but friendly, is also an apt parallel.

But like clothes, at restaurants you pay for the way you feel. Dining out is expression, just as fashion is. And just as some stores are remarkable for successfully and consistently selling a lifestyle, Pôr has clearly worked hard to offer the same. If that’s you, and you didn’t give up on this schlub’s undereducated and tiresome Anthropologie metaphor… Cheers!

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