Pasadena: Vertical Bistro

 

After the Motopony concert last Saturday at One Colorado, we popped around the corner to Vertical Wine Bistro. I’ve gone in before for wine flights but have never tried the food. I have heard Chef Laurent tinkered with their menu so I was very excited to try it.

Though it’s mainly a wine bar in my mind, I decided to try a cocktail. I ordered a Manhattan and unfortunately, it came to me shaken. I prefer mine stirred. Still, it’s whiskey!

 

The burrata salad was probably the best thing we had this night but it’s rather hard to mess that up.

 

Based on the suggestion of our server, I went with the pulled pork sliders. These were fine. I could have used some sort of tartness to the onions or maybe some pickles on the side.

My friend had the sweet pea risotto before and wanted to get it again. This batch needed salt. Maybe pepper. Definitely lemon but wine would have been great as well. Basically it tasted like peas and rice. She was sad there wasn’t enough cheese to provide any flavor.

But the worst offender of the night and killed my foodie soul was the mushroom mac and cheese. I was so looking forward to a creamy mac and cheese with savory bits of mushroom. Sadly, this was closer to a watery pasta with some taste-less sliced mushrooms.

I would come back. I thought possibly they were slammed because it was the same night as the Gold Cup and plenty of people were either celebrating or sadly grieving into their adult beverages. In any case, Minty gives Vertical a pass this time. I want to come back on Burger Night on Thursdays.

 

Vertical Wine Bistro

70 N Raymond Ave (Upstairs)
Pasadena, CA 91103
(626) 795-3999