Smash Wine Bar And Bistro

Based on various reviews, it appears Smash is not without some controversy when it comes to people’s food and wine experiences there. Folks seem to have had either a great or a dismal experience at Smash. I figured it was time to see for myself what all the debate was about.

Although service was good from the time we entered until the time we left, it appears Smash would do well to ensure it’s wait staff have tried the wines they are serving. When asked about the first wine I ordered (a Washington riesling), the waitress sheepishly admitted not having tried it. Okay, no worries on that one, but when I ordered my second glass, it became apparent something was amiss.

While pondering what to order next, I noticed an Alsatian pinot noir grouped in a flight alongside an Oregon and New Zealand pinot. When the waitress returned, I asked if she had tried the Alsatian pinot, whereupon she seemed a bit embarrassed to admit she had not. But then the moment turned surreal, when she started stammering and stuttering trying to explain what kind of wine it was. Her words were something along the lines of, “it’s uh…you know…(uncomfortable smile appearing on her face)...so….uh…French…you know…French!”

It was all I could do to not laugh out loud.

Now, please don’t take this the wrong way. I am no wine snob. I wasn’t looking for her to suddenly break into wine critic-speak and share her recent tasting notes on the wine. However, when I do visit a restaurant, I always ask, “what’s drinking well these days?” or “what do you recommend with the food we’re having?”. These questions usually steer me in the right direction. And if the person serving us cannot answer, they usually have the wherewithal to go find someone who can.

If Smash aspires to be a wine bar, then it would do well to have each and every member of its wait staff taste and re-taste its wines on a regular basis. It’s truly appalling to go to a wine bar and be served by someone who has not even sampled the wines they are serving. And it’s even worse when this same person is unwilling to seek assistance from someone who might be able to answer your questions.

Finally, on their web site, they state, “Smash’s list is heavily focused on Northwest wines with a splash of international flavor.” I found exactly the opposite in terms of what was featured on their wine list the night I visited. It was heavily focused on global wines with just a “splash” of wines from Oregon and Washington. For example, considering the overall quality and appeal of Oregon pinot noir, they chose to feature Cloudline as their standalone representative from the state. More time and effort is clearly needed here, as their wine list suggests they may have outsourced this aspect to whichever distributor has their business.

Based on my experience, I might return to try their food, but would not have high expectations in terms of its wine list leading to new discoveries and experiences going beyond the bottle. In fact, they might do well calling the place, Smash Bistro and Wine Bar, rather than the other way around.