POCO Wine Room; a glass of something special!

It’s a quiet and warm spring night in 2008 when a couple of new friends, Peter and Bart invited me to join them for a glass of wine at their newly opened wine bar, POCO Wine Room. We hit it off immediately over our respective love of wine or more importantly champagne! I still remember arriving that first evening not knowing what to expect, the entry in this brand new building is sleek and modern, situated on the corner of the building with sun pouring in from the two story floor-to-ceiling windows. I opened the door and was immediately captivated by the simple elegance and warm groove that glows from every corner of the eclectic room. By far the most striking feature is the wood textured wall that anchors the space and borders the stairs. An architectural element unlike anything else you will find in Seattle, the two story wall was designed and built by Rick Jones, POCO Manager. Be sure to ask Rick about it when you stop in! The upper space is intimate, romantic and beautifully decorated--the perfect date spot.

Over the years POCO has grown to be known as THE wine bar on Capitol Hill, it doesn’t get any better! Two years ago a wonderful outdoor patio was opened that is the perfect spot for lazy summer evenings sipping wine and visiting with friends. Each year the boys produce two NOT TO MISS gatherings, “Holi-GAYS” and “Summer-GAYS”, two events that bring hundreds in for amazing food, wine tastings and of course…glasses of bubbly! But if by some chance wine or the signature beer is not your style, you can always get an amazing top shelf cocktail stirred to perfection and properly chilled. My recommendation is the “Manhattan” and let me tell you, it’s made with love!

I recently had the opportunity to dine with Peter and sample the newly engineered summer menu by Executive Chef Ally Rael. I’m not quite sure how to put this but I had assumed that because of the relatively small size of the space the menu would be limited to a few items that exist only to compliment the wine. I have never been more wrong or pleasantly surprised. First of all, Ally is a creative and vibrant thinker when it comes to the dishes that she prepares. Working out of a kitchen that is smaller than most people’s pantries, she creates plates that will make bigger restaurants feel like fast food. Organic, simple, elegant, plated beautifully and served with a style that has become famous to POCO. Although everything was amazing there were three things that stood out for me. These items were inspired and unusual, a truly unique experience found only at POCO. The first adventure was the Chicken Liver Pate. I know---- pate is not for everyone and normally not even for me, but there was something special about this recipe. It was delicate and flavorful, full of life with a subtle bite that kept me coming back for more! The second dish was the Candied Salmon Buccatini, frankly, this was beyond expectation, full of flavor and served beautifully with a crisp white wine that has become one of my favorites. We sampled many items that evening, but we finished with the Dark Chocolate Mousse, not for calorie conscious but certainly for the chocolate lover.

As we wrapped up the evening we began to discuss how POCO got started, where it has been and where it’s going. They have assembled an amazing team of people that work at POCO, professional, stylish and fun with an uncanny ability to remember your name as easily as your favorite glass of wine. Peter and Bart are not only business partners but partners in life and their collaborative styles sparkle together. They sponsor far too many events, groups, sports teams and non-profits to mention but it seems that they are never too busy to volunteer or help out. In 2009 they were named the GSBA New Business of the Year and have been the GSBA Champagne Sponsor for the last 3 years…fitting I think. You really can’t come to Seattle without a stop at POCO.

You can find POCO Wine Room at 1408 east pine street, Seattle, WA 98122  ~ 206.322.9463
pocowineroom.com

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By Jerome M Bader, Director of Marketing Greater Seattle Business Association & Travel Gay Seattle