Menu finds a Niche at downtown wine bar

Why: October marks the five-year anniversary of Niche Wine Bar in downtown Vancouver. Niche offers 160 wines by the bottle, and over 30 by the glass and half glass, and the menu is designed with wine in mind. It is, as the name suggests, not a very large place, occupying a recessed space of sorts among the shops that line Main Street.

What I tried: My dining companion and I tried the cheese and fruit plate, the Paysan Plate, the Niche Sandwich, and the Wild Card.

The cheese plate included sliced pear and apple, apple cinnamon preserves, white cheddar, brie, an herb truffle cheese, and a sliced warm baguette. The Paysan Plate included pesto crostini, baked squash, three-liver pat?, a soft and creamy French cheese, julienne cut carrot, turnip and jalape?o pepper. Of the two plates, I enjoyed the fruit and cheese more than the vegetable and cheese plate. Together, they offered a broad variety of cheese samplings, with each one possessing its own special characteristics. I loved the baked squash, and the pesto crostini was delicious.

The Niche Sandwich is made on a ciabatta roll and stacked with salami, roasted tomatoes, and smoked mozzarella before super-heating in the oven. The result was a flavorful, smokey combination — perfect for a cold, rainy day.

The Wild Card is the chef’s choice menu item. On the evening of my visit, it was a French pastry dough topped with pesto, feta cheese, and roasted red peppers. This was my favorite item, primarily due to the non-yeast flavor and flakiness of the crust, joined with the flavors of the toppings. It was baked perfectly and the top of the high spots were golden brown.

Menu highlights beyond what I tried: Cheese, olives, smoked and cured meats, nuts, and a salad make up the rest of the food menu’s offerings.

Atmosphere: Dark shades of gold and burgundy paint the walls and ceiling above its wood plank floor. An area rug placed at a sofa sitting arrangement helps to cozy up the space. Barstool seating is available at the long bar’s counter, and a few other tables and chairs are positioned on the open floor. The decor imparts a somewhat dark mood, with many raven sculptures placed about and painted on the walls. Wine is attractively displayed on shelves toward the back and behind the bar. Amid the decor items is found both antique and new things, lending a complex feel to the atmosphere.

Other observations: The service was very laid back. I found the atmosphere a bit somber. Surfaces, other than the bar counter and tabletops, needed to be wiped down. I was able to observe the food preparation from where my dining companion and I sat and was disappointed as I watched the assembly of the cheese and fruit and cheese and vegetable trays, which are comprised mostly of ready-to-eat foods, was done with bare hands. It was also unfortunate that on the evening of my visit Niche was experiencing a population of fruit flies, though the server did give us coasters to place over our glasses after one casualty in my glass had occurred. My glass was also replaced and refilled at no charge.

Cost: Food items are $3 to $16.

Hours: 4 to 9 p.m. Monday. 3 to 10:30 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday.

Telephone: 360-980-8352

Where: 1013 Main St., Vancouver.

Online: www.nichewinebar.com

Health score: Niche Wine Bar received a score of 5 on November 1, 2014. Zero is a perfect score, and Clark County Public Health closes restaurants with a score of 100 or higher. For information, call 360-397-8428.