Bar Vauté
By Maggie Vickrey, CharlotteBergerPR
What doesn’t sound exciting about an underground bar with a rainbow colored array of cocktails and dishes like French Onion Grilled Cheeses?
This month, the tastemakers took on Brasserie la Banque’s Bar Vauté. Its European charm was apparent from the moment you saw the Renaissance Revival style building (former home to One Broad) from across the street. The unassuming entrance to the hidden bar sets your expectations for a speakeasy vibe, which it lives up to. The space is small and with such limited seating, you couldn’t help but feel special, like you were in on the secret.
Their drink menu boasted refined, well-balanced cocktails and mocktails, as well as a wine list. Each drink was brilliantly colorful, a beautiful contrast to the dark and neutral room. Not to mention their cool glassware which undeniably made the drinks taste even better. Some honorable mentions include the Le Jeux De Sorciere and the Bande De Orange.
Le Jeux De Sorciere- Hat Trick Gin, Yellow Chartreuse, Lemon, Orange Cream Citrate, Egg White.
Bande De Orange- Vida Mezcal, Pernod, Carrot, Ginger, Tumeric + the option to make it spicy by adding Chili Tincture. Which was an obvious choice.
The apps and entrees were elegantly simple. Dishes honored their French origins and were approachable and cravable. For real, how good does French Onion Grilled Cheese sound?! We also indulged in a Seasonal Crepe with fresh veggies, tomato tea (who knew?), and gooey cheese, Steak Frites with a CAB 8oz Coulotte, Crispy Potato Sticks, and some yummy concoction called Sauce De La Banque, as well as delicate Crab Croquettes, tons of oysters and more. It all tasted just as good as it looked.
Their dessert options struck me not only because my fork physically could not stop diving in, but because they both were deliciously sweet and satisfying without leaving that heavy, sugar-packed feeling in your tummy. How someone can manage to make 30 Layer Crepe Cake and chocolate sauce doused Profiteroles (aka creme puffs) do that is amazing to me. Talk about a win-win.
Not only was the Tuna Tartare the charity item for this event, but it was also the star of the show, in my eyes. Made with icey cold, house-made Avocado Sorbet, bright clementine, and a touch of zing from espelette pepper, the ultra-fresh tuna was a masterpiece. $1 from every Tuna Tartare sold from August 12- September 12 will be donated to Ben’s Friends Charleston, a local nonprofit that helps people in the F+B industry who are struggling with substance abuse and addiction.
No matter what your plans are next week, you’ll want to stop into Bar Vauté for an expertly crafted cocktail to kick off the evening, dinner, or a heavenly post-dinner dessert!
1 Broad
