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As Lombard St. makes its bid for domination over the marina scene, this new bar will no doubt become a neighborhood favorite. Bin 38 is a wine bar that sheds pretension and opts for comfort over stuffiness. Sunday night beer swillers will appreciate the fact that here you can take the missus out for a respectable evening and still drink a beer without offending the grape gurus–in fact, the beers are plugged right into the menu as recommended pairings. Following the Garret Oliver (of Brooklyn Brewery) school of thought on this matter, beer is given nearly equal billing to wine. Both liquors are dominated by new world varieties, and their nourishing counterparts are also forward-thinking: Steak tartare is served with lettuce cups and roasted potato wafers, making for a dashing presentation. And the cheese plate, rather than including a French bleu, boasts “Oregonzola.” The dishes could either be called small plates or upscale bar food, just as the establishment could be called a gastropub disguised as a restaurant. For dining en plein air, two picnic tables presently line the street, and a backyard is scheduled to open during November (not a bad break considering their supercharged heating lamps).
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