Bar Cinco offers dizzying array of wine, tapas
Jean Ciallella
The Olympian
A friend and I took a ride out to Yelm last Friday to check out Bar Cinco. The building that houses Bar Cinco stood empty for a while but has been resurrected by proprietor Lynne Glore as a Spanish tapas bar.
Lynne has turned what was once a rather forlorn looking building into a lovely Spanish hacienda, painted in soft, earthen colors.
You enter through a beautifully landscaped garden walkway, past a waterfall and a large majestic stone lion.
Glore has brought a long-standing Spanish tradition of serving small bites, or tapas, to Yelm. She offers an extensive and diverse selection of tapas that are complemented by an impressive list of domestic and imported wines.
It was hard to choose from the many delicious items on the menu. We started with an order of Jamon con Agaucate, three Serrano ham-wrapped avocado slices drizzled with a balsamic reduction. Next we ordered Champinones Rellenos, three small mushrooms stuffed with goat cheese and Spanish sausage, baked and topped with shaved Manchego cheese and a cranberry reduction. Both were very good and gone much too soon.
My favorite appetizer was the Patatas Bravas con Salsa Picante, red potatoes fried and served with aioli and a spicy Spanish sauce. The Bikini Pizza — grilled flat bread topped with marinated grilled chicken, dried cherries and mozzarella cheese — was crisp and chewy and the odd-sounding combination of flavors really worked.
We also ordered Brocheta de Puerco, two small skewers of marinated sweet Spanish barbecued pork served on a bed of cilantro tossed with a chimi churi dressing. When we ordered the Brocheta, the waitress wasn’t sure it was ready, as the cook was marinating another batch of pork. She did deliver an order to our table, but the pork hadn’t really had time to soak up the marinade and tasted rather bland.
We were brought back into the fold with an order of Gambas de Naranja, fresh, plump shrimp grilled and served with a sweet orange glaze. Delicioso!
We each ordered a different Garnacha wine. The house wine, Castillo de daroce is imported from Spain. I found it a bit too dry.
The Valcantara garnacha was softer and sweeter and, in my opinion, the better choice. But there are literally hundreds of imported and domestic white and red wines from which to choose.
We decided to stay for the live music and ordered coffee and a slice of cheesecake that we shared. Desserts are prepared by Sebastian’s Best, a Yelm bakery. We were enjoying every bite until the music started.
It’s really great that Bar Cinco showcases local artists. But this particular artist was hooked up to so many amps that the decibel level was almost painful. She might have had a lovely voice, but the music was so loud it was hard to tell. We stayed for about two songs, paid our bill and wound our way back through the beautiful garden to our car, the music following us all the way.
Jean Ciallella is a freelance writer. The reviewer makes every effort to remain anonymous. Meals are paid for by The Olympian.
Bar Cinco
Location: 704 Yelm Ave. W., Yelm; 360-400-9000
Hours: 3 to 10 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday; 3 p.m. to midnight Friday and Saturday. Bar Cinco can be reserved for group functions Sunday and Monday.
Food: The menu includes many tantalizing small plates as well as a few entree salads, including a chef’s choice salad and an Andalusian potato salad. They also offer a few sandwiches, including a Thai chicken wrap and a meatball sandwich. They pride themselves on using fresh, local ingredients when possible. The menu includes several vegetarian offerings.
Beverages: The restaurant interior resembles that of a Spanish wine cellar. An incredible variety of wines line the walls. You can order by the glass or the bottle. The small bar serves up the usual mixed drinks and beer along with a number of specialty drinks, including Mojitos, Choco Lattinis, Peach Long Island Tea, and the Wake up Call, a mixture of Red Bull, Mandarin Absolut Vodka and O.J. Soft drinks, coffee and tea also are offered.
Value: The value really depends on how many plates you order. The couple next to us ordered two glasses of wine and a bowl of fried almonds that they munched on the entire time we were there. Their tab would have come to about $20. Order a few tapas and a glass of wine and you can get in and out for about $25-$30. If you go in really hungry, order one of the few entree items or be prepared to spend quite a bit more if you want to fill up on tapas. Our bill with tip came to about $100.
Service: Excellent. The staff of four was attentive and friendly, even when the restaurant was full and things got very busy. The owner came out to the tables often to say hello and inquire if everything was all right. They did run out of a few things, such as cream for the coffee, but overall, our dining experience was delightful.
Atmosphere: Proprietor Lynne Glore and her staff have created a beautiful, relaxed casita setting that seems to be a popular hangout for the locals. The interior walls are faux stucco, painted in the same soft earth tones as the exterior. The floors are tiled in what appears to be a Chinese slate. The tables and chairs complement the Spanish decor. The restaurant is divided into two small areas that in total seat about 60.
Before the live music begins, they play a nice selection of soft jazz and artists such as Madeleine Peyroux. Although the live music on the night we were there was too loud, they have a line up of other artists who, from their descriptions, might play music that would be more in keeping with the intimate space.
Reservations: Reservations are accepted.
Methods of Payment: Cash and major credit cards.
<< previous review
Jean Ciallella
The Olympian
A friend and I took a ride out to Yelm last Friday to check out Bar Cinco. The building that houses Bar Cinco stood empty for a while but has been resurrected by proprietor Lynne Glore as a Spanish tapas bar.
Lynne has turned what was once a rather forlorn looking building into a lovely Spanish hacienda, painted in soft, earthen colors.
You enter through a beautifully landscaped garden walkway, past a waterfall and a large majestic stone lion.
Glore has brought a long-standing Spanish tradition of serving small bites, or tapas, to Yelm. She offers an extensive and diverse selection of tapas that are complemented by an impressive list of domestic and imported wines.
It was hard to choose from the many delicious items on the menu. We started with an order of Jamon con Agaucate, three Serrano ham-wrapped avocado slices drizzled with a balsamic reduction. Next we ordered Champinones Rellenos, three small mushrooms stuffed with goat cheese and Spanish sausage, baked and topped with shaved Manchego cheese and a cranberry reduction. Both were very good and gone much too soon.
My favorite appetizer was the Patatas Bravas con Salsa Picante, red potatoes fried and served with aioli and a spicy Spanish sauce. The Bikini Pizza — grilled flat bread topped with marinated grilled chicken, dried cherries and mozzarella cheese — was crisp and chewy and the odd-sounding combination of flavors really worked.
We also ordered Brocheta de Puerco, two small skewers of marinated sweet Spanish barbecued pork served on a bed of cilantro tossed with a chimi churi dressing. When we ordered the Brocheta, the waitress wasn’t sure it was ready, as the cook was marinating another batch of pork. She did deliver an order to our table, but the pork hadn’t really had time to soak up the marinade and tasted rather bland.
We were brought back into the fold with an order of Gambas de Naranja, fresh, plump shrimp grilled and served with a sweet orange glaze. Delicioso!
We each ordered a different Garnacha wine. The house wine, Castillo de daroce is imported from Spain. I found it a bit too dry.
The Valcantara garnacha was softer and sweeter and, in my opinion, the better choice. But there are literally hundreds of imported and domestic white and red wines from which to choose.
We decided to stay for the live music and ordered coffee and a slice of cheesecake that we shared. Desserts are prepared by Sebastian’s Best, a Yelm bakery. We were enjoying every bite until the music started.
It’s really great that Bar Cinco showcases local artists. But this particular artist was hooked up to so many amps that the decibel level was almost painful. She might have had a lovely voice, but the music was so loud it was hard to tell. We stayed for about two songs, paid our bill and wound our way back through the beautiful garden to our car, the music following us all the way.
Jean Ciallella is a freelance writer. The reviewer makes every effort to remain anonymous. Meals are paid for by The Olympian.
Bar Cinco
Location: 704 Yelm Ave. W., Yelm; 360-400-9000
Hours: 3 to 10 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday; 3 p.m. to midnight Friday and Saturday. Bar Cinco can be reserved for group functions Sunday and Monday.
Food: The menu includes many tantalizing small plates as well as a few entree salads, including a chef’s choice salad and an Andalusian potato salad. They also offer a few sandwiches, including a Thai chicken wrap and a meatball sandwich. They pride themselves on using fresh, local ingredients when possible. The menu includes several vegetarian offerings.
Beverages: The restaurant interior resembles that of a Spanish wine cellar. An incredible variety of wines line the walls. You can order by the glass or the bottle. The small bar serves up the usual mixed drinks and beer along with a number of specialty drinks, including Mojitos, Choco Lattinis, Peach Long Island Tea, and the Wake up Call, a mixture of Red Bull, Mandarin Absolut Vodka and O.J. Soft drinks, coffee and tea also are offered.
Value: The value really depends on how many plates you order. The couple next to us ordered two glasses of wine and a bowl of fried almonds that they munched on the entire time we were there. Their tab would have come to about $20. Order a few tapas and a glass of wine and you can get in and out for about $25-$30. If you go in really hungry, order one of the few entree items or be prepared to spend quite a bit more if you want to fill up on tapas. Our bill with tip came to about $100.
Service: Excellent. The staff of four was attentive and friendly, even when the restaurant was full and things got very busy. The owner came out to the tables often to say hello and inquire if everything was all right. They did run out of a few things, such as cream for the coffee, but overall, our dining experience was delightful.
Atmosphere: Proprietor Lynne Glore and her staff have created a beautiful, relaxed casita setting that seems to be a popular hangout for the locals. The interior walls are faux stucco, painted in the same soft earth tones as the exterior. The floors are tiled in what appears to be a Chinese slate. The tables and chairs complement the Spanish decor. The restaurant is divided into two small areas that in total seat about 60.
Before the live music begins, they play a nice selection of soft jazz and artists such as Madeleine Peyroux. Although the live music on the night we were there was too loud, they have a line up of other artists who, from their descriptions, might play music that would be more in keeping with the intimate space.
Reservations: Reservations are accepted.
Methods of Payment: Cash and major credit cards.
<< previous review