D'Vine A Wine Bar moved in August into a bigger, more glamorous space (the one recently vacated by Cibo, and before that, Vizion), but it kept its winning formula -- wine, food and music -- the same.

What changed? Not much in the already-chic decor, but attention was given to the two-story wine tower that sits in the center of the room and was hyped as a draw by restaurants past. Turns out, the thing was never functional. The D'Vine crew sealed it off to keep bottles properly, steadily cool.

Cool.

The Food

D'Vine is all about the wine, and its menu of morsels created by Executive Chef Travis Briggs notes suitable pairings. The listing isn't extensive, but it does offer variety and festivity. Consisting mostly of small plates, it's a menu designed for sharing and sampling.

We started with a roasted beet salad ($8) -- thick slices of warm roasted beet atop vinaigrette-dressed greens with goat cheese, walnuts and daubs of arugula pesto. The dish was rich, tangy and sweet.

Tuna Tataki ($12) brought a looker of a plate with luscious seared ahi atop a seaweed salad. Shiitake mushroom relish and a smattering of sweet soy glaze rounded out the dish.

A whiff of NOLA shrimp ($10) from the table next to us made our next decision easy: The spicy shrimp, stacked on a cheddar biscuit with mashed sweet potatoes, are cooked in (and come with) a sharp, savory beer sauce.

Wild 'shroom pizza ($10) had a tease of light tomato sauce under its cheese, but only one-third of the promised mushrooms. (Crimini? Check. But nowhere was there a nibble of the advertised oyster or shiitake mushrooms.)

Bananas Foster ($7) was amped with ice cream and plenty of rum and liqueur, but came to the table finished, without the tableside fireplay we'd hoped for.

The Service

Servers handled tables on their own, and ours had an air of newness about her, stumbling over specials and getting flustered when asked for recommendations.

The Atmosphere

D'Vine cuts a grand figure, with miles-away ceilings and a graceful arc of windows. Creative, colorful lighting ensures there's no whiff of stuffiness about the place, and a crowd of youngish good-looking people keeps it lively.

The Price

$70 for two, with tax, tip and one cocktail. Some of the prices looked steep when I read the menu, but they didn't seem so high after the food arrived.

Next Time

Lamb lollipops ($18) marinated in Dijon, fennel and basil, and served with goat-cheese polenta and apple, mint and jalapeno jelly.

-- By Traci Cumbay / Star correspondent