A classy steal

For years, Revolution Wines stood out as Sacramento’s first urban winery—with decent but limited food options.

There were cheese plates, bruschetta, a couple of sandwiches, maybe a flatbread. Items were usually tasty with wine and generally inoffensive, but not particularly exciting. The menu read more like a wine bar and less like the bistro it was calling itself.

But for the past year, the culinary side of Revolution Wines has been gradually changing—and improving—under executive chef Teddy Gibanov. Last year, he introduced a burger, which quickly became a favorite around town. The owners revamped the teeny-tiny kitchen, most notably adding a hood in March and giving Gibanov more ways to flex his creative muscles. Now, Revolution Wines is a legitimate dining destination regardless of whether or not you drink. There’s even Sunday brunch.

With all of the development, Revolution Wines celebrated a grand reopening last weekend. While the dining room was already cozy and charming, it looks even more contemporary and stylish now, with a fresh coat of paint and warm lighting. The patio, shared with Temple Coffee, remains one of Sacramento’s most pleasant outdoor dining options. Servers are friendly, professional and knowledgeable about wine, if a little leisurely.

Considering the classy interior, flowing drinks and date-night vibes, the prices are more than reasonable.

For example, there’s a glass-and-entree special every Friday night, which usually costs $15. Revolution Wines posts a tempting preview photo on Instagram each week, or you can solve the mystery by calling ahead. On an evening earlier this summer, it was ahi poke with chenin blanc. Though there was a bit too much soy sauce in the poke, it made for a lovely pairing and, overall, an excellent deal.

Similarly, on Thursdays you can get a glass of red wine with a burger for $15—a huge bargain, considering the burger alone costs $15 any other day. With bacon, caramelized onion and melty American cheese, Revolution’s burger is one of the most flavor-packed versions around. And the thick patty actually arrived at the requested medium-rare—an impressive feat—alongside herby, salty and wonderfully crispy fries. The only strange misstep was the abnormally pale bun, a housemade brioche that felt spongy and damp before crumbling apart. Based on the ringing endorsement of Rodney Blackwell, the blogger behind Burger Junkies, I’m willing to assume it was an off night.

I was also amazed by the bargain that is the steak panzanella salad ($13), which would be more accurately described as “steak with panzanella salad.” Unfortunately, only half of the strips of steak were medium-rare, while the other half were medium-well and dry. As this was consumed on a different evening than the burger, I can’t blame the mistake on a single bad night.

The mac ’n’ cheese ($9) delivered, though, even rivaling pricier versions at the Rind. Just the right amount of truffle oil permeates the creamy cheddar-Parmesan sauce, rich and comforting with big hunks of bacon and a nice crunch from fresh breadcrumbs. Gibanov also offers a rotating pasta special as well as a daily seafood.

Recently, it was grilled halibut ($15) draped over an heirloom tomato salad with a bright and basil-forward pistou. With a little walnut-juniper oil drizzled over the flaky, tender fish, every component of the summery dish worked beautifully together.

Gibanov’s talent and range show through the specials—and repeat visits—but he does need to work on consistency. Still, despite a couple of slips, the halibut dish alone made me eager to return and taste Gibanov’s latest experiment.