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Bar review: At Lolita's Wine Market, go with the flow

 
Go with the flow: Lolita's staff will open shelved bottles, though there are open ones on ice, and help navigate the choices in a clunky but managable  process.  Scott Keeler/tbt* file (2017)
Go with the flow: Lolita's staff will open shelved bottles, though there are open ones on ice, and help navigate the choices in a clunky but managable process. Scott Keeler/tbt* file (2017)
Published Sept. 25, 2018

It's funny how different cultures are when it comes to specialty bars. Beer taprooms and breweries, while considerably varied, seem part of a cohesive group when compared to cocktail bars and high-end whiskey spots. Wine doesn't lend itself especially well to beer gardens, buzzing cocktail joints and sports bars. It's inherently laid-back.

One of St. Petersburg's latest wine bars takes the intimate nature of the average wine bar to another level, resulting in an experience that is initially quite awkward but ultimately worth the experience, depending on how willing you are to go with the flow.

Lolita's Wine Market, a tiny space tucked just off Central Avenue, is from Alex and Kelly Rodriguez, a pair of restaurateurs with a resume you'd expect at a high-end spot in a big city, rather than a St. Pete side street. This explains the full house I ran into when I visited on a Wednesday evening. Lolita's may be out of view, but it's no secret.

Outside, rocking chairs sit in front of window planters overflowing with Cuban oregano and face a concrete overpass. The road is removed from a steady traffic by only half a block, but it feels secluded, if not especially scenic.

Inside, things are a little less so (it can get loud), though the scenery is more lively. The walls are a mix of blue, purple and red, and alternate with the patterned area rugs on plain cement floors. The ceiling is black. An assortment of throw pillows, framed artwork and potted plants add more color. There's an open kitchen and a few shelves with wine bottles for sale.

It's not immediately clear what to do once you enter. If there are no seats, as often is the case, you'll need to sign in on a chalkboard. Next to this is a "bar," which is really just a corner of the kitchen used to stock the open wine bottles.

Here's where I ran into a snag. There's no wine list, as the selection changes frequently. There are open bottles to choose from, but you'll need help from a bartender to navigate the selection. Figuring out prices involves reaching into an ice tub and hoping there's a sticker on the front — but not on the back, which the whole bottle's cost.

The staff will open the bottles stocked on the shelves, but there's about 6 inches of space between the wine and the people seated at a long table between the shelves and the kitchen, so perusing the selection when it's busy is a bit of an ask.

Your experience will vary greatly depending on how well you go with the flow. Here, I took the bartender's suggestion and sampled a few of the open bottles, settling on a nice cabernet that was hopefully not $20 a glass (if it was, I wouldn't have known). For the next glass, either have a refill or repeat the process. It's clunky, but I can live with it.

Unless you're in a group of four or more, you're going to be sitting community style. My fiancée and I ended up next to a couple on their first date. This arrangement encourages guests to break out of their bubble. That's ultimately a good fit for a wine bar, but it's part of the overall learning curve on your first visit. It's appropriate that Lolita's neighbor is a theater that specializes in improv comedy: coming into a situation without a clear plan can turn out to be pretty fun — if you let it.

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If the overall experience is a mixed bag, the rest of the details are all easy to live with. First off, the prices for all of the wines are remarkably low — almost retail low. And the food, an eclectic mix of à la carte items selected via checkboxes on the menu, is outstanding.

Once you know the procedure, future visits will be less jarring and you can soak up the intimate, anything-goes vibe of this funky wine bar. You probably couldn't pull this off with beer or spirits, but with wine, it kind of works. Lolita's won't be for everyone, but if you're game, you'll be rewarded by the experience.

— Contact Justin Grant at jg@saintbeat.com. Follow @WordsWithJG.