Out: Bin 228

Bin 228 is a small wine bar in downtown Hartford and I mean small. Dimly lit, cozy and alluring are good ways to describe this "date night" type place. It's also great for a pre or post show drink nestled across from Theater Works and Hartford Stage and The Bushnell are nearby. Tip: The wait staff expect you to walk in and flag one of them down if you want to be seated. Don't wait in the doorway puzzled like we did.

Grilled flank steak over baby spinach

Despite warnings from family and friends we went to Bin hungry. I ordered the grilled flank steak over baby spinach because I'm a sucker for anything with gorgonzola. It was sprinkled with roasted red peppers, grilled asparagus, chunks of gorgonzola and drizzled with a balsamic reduction dressing. To my surprise this was very tasty. The flank steak was tender and the asparagus nicely grilled. I wolfed it down while Nancy poked at her order with disappointment.


She ordered the Tramezzini with bresaola, arugula, parmesan and lemon truffle oil, which basically amounted to a dry sandwich with thin slices of salty beef on stale bread. She was not a happy camper. She postulated this dish is a mere incentive refill your glass and I think it worked because she gulped down her Jelu Malbec. I ordered a white (piedmonte) before knowing what I was ordering, so the pairing was wrong, but it didn't matter and I thought the Gavidi gavi from VillaSparina was very good. Go to Bin 228, take a deep breath, and order a glass or two of wine. Then spin the roulette wheel that is their menu and hope you get lucky.

Posted in: Italian, mediterranean, out, wine