Geneva spot brings together global wines, good food
Home to an annual wine festival and Galena Cellars Vineyard and Winery, Geneva was already a great place for oenophiles. The newly opened Preservation Bread & Wine adds to the mix, bringing wine lovers in to enjoy a global selection of bottles paired with excellent food.
Motif: The space is small, but large windows overlooking the downtown area make it feel more open. Customers can sit at the bar and watch the chef at work or relax at one of the small blacktop tables with plush floral print chairs. The tables near the bar are higher, giving an illusion that the wood floor is elevated. Exposed brick walls give way to white space decorated with narrow paintings by co-owner Lawrence Colburn. Wines and bottles of alcohol are displayed near the bar.
Service: Our server was very friendly and eager to share her favorite dishes with us. She regularly came by to see how we were enjoying the food and drinks and just to chat. She said she was sorry for not giving us enough attention because the bar was busy, but no apologies were needed. Colburn was also around, providing plenty of personal attention to the crowd. Food came out quickly, and our water glasses were always kept full.
Liquid consumption: True to the name, wine is the focus with 20 selections available by the glass and 70 by the bottle. The list includes plenty of picks from Washington and Oregon, but the emphasis is on varieties from around the world. Colburn is a sommelier and can offer spot-on pairing suggestions like a rose cava with a light starter, pinot noir with heavier fare and dessert wines that even drinkers who usually don't like such sweet stuff can enjoy. If you find something you like, you can purchase a bottle to take home at 60 percent of list price. The bar also offers a selection of microbrews, with a few German and Belgian beers along with craft Americans like Two Brothers' Domaine DuPage. There's a limited alcohol selection if you must have a martini.
Food: The menu changes daily depending on what's in season. Co-owner Rebecca Colburn bakes all the breads in house daily, and some ingredients come fresh from their garden. The bar also offers a variety of cheese plates and a charcuterie featuring duck prosciutto and cured ham.
Dishes are small, and the idea is to order a few and share. The gazpacho is a light cold soup that goes well alongside the tomato salad, which mixes flavorful chunks of heirloom tomatoes with sliced cucumbers, onion, mozzarella and crispy sourdough croutons. A red wine vinaigrette brings out the flavors of the salad rather than overwhelming them. The brioche grilled cheese was a decadent dish, with three-year-aged cheddar melted between thick and fluffy bread. One of the most popular dishes, and our favorite, was the wild mushroom tart. The dish resembles a pot pie, with rich, hot mushrooms mixing perfectly with light goat cheese and flaky crust. The bread pudding is so popular it was sold out by the time we got to dessert, but the lemon cream tartlet made for an excellent summery finisher, with light-citrus custard topped with whipped cream and blueberries.
Crowd: Preservation draws mostly the 30 and up set, dominated by couples and small groups. Dress is on the nicer side of casual, with many of the men sporting polo shirts with khakis or jeans. The 28-seat spot was almost full around 8:30 p.m. on a Friday night, though it had significantly thinned out by 10. The bar doesn't accept reservations, but waits are rarely long.
Parking: There's ample free street parking nearby.
Overall: If you're a wine novice but want to learn more, the personal attention at Preservation will help steer you toward some delicious pairings.
Preservation Bread & Wine513 S. Third St., Geneva, (630) 208-1588, preservationbreadandwine.comHours: 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday; 11 a.m. to midnight Friday and Saturday; 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. SundayFalse12712000Wines from all over the world are available at Preservation Bread & Wine in Geneva.Laura Stoecker | Staff PhotographerFalse