Let the Good Wines Flow
Village Vine chef Chris Galbraith brings his French fine dining training to Swarthmore. Photo: Rachel Pastan
Mushroom strudel. Citrus-cured salmon. “Duck duet” risotto.
Those were some of the dishes on the menu when Village Vine, Swarthmore’s first-ever wine bar and bistro, celebrated its grand opening last week. On the wine list: selections from Italy, Turkey, Chile, and upstate New York, among many other places.
For owners Lori Knauer and Jill Gaieski, opening day was a long time coming. They got their liquor license last October, and since then have negotiated legal and logistical challenges, the headache of finding the right staff, and, of course, a pandemic. “I’m excited about finally getting to be open,” Gaieski says.
She and Knauer are also enthusiastic about their staff, led by chef Chris Galbraith and manager Whitney Standish. Both are locals.
Galbraith moved to Swarthmore three years ago. Before that, he lived in Philadelphia, New York, Boston, Martha’s Vineyard, and Vermont. “I’ve cooked all up and down the East Coast,” he says. Locally, he ran the Rittenhouse Square branch of Di Bruno Brothers and cooked, as executive chef, at Bar Hygge.
“He’s a true professional,” Gaieski says. “And he’s very creative.”
“He remains calm even when things get complicated,” Knauer adds. “We ran into some unexpected issues with the refrigerators, and he was, well, let’s move to plan B.”
Trained in French classical style, Galbraith is enthusiastic about his charcuterie, which includes maple-smoked ham, cremini-mushroom-and-aubergine terrine, and duck rillette. “I bring in the whole duck, and the idea is to use every bit of it that’s possible,” he explains. Duck risotto with braised duck leg and seared duck breast also will be on the fall menu. So will an elegant beef sandwich. “It’s going to cook for about 12 hours,” Galbraith says. “It’ll get smoke on it. And then it’ll braise with red wine.”
Seasonally changing small plates will encourage customers to taste a variety of flavors, share dishes with dining companions, and pair up different foods and wines.
Manager Whitney Standish grew up in Moylan and spent summers working at the Swarthmore Swim Club. She worked for restaurants all over the country, first as a bartender and later as a manager. She opened restaurants in the West for famed Philly restaurateur Jose Garces and worked for David Chang at Momofuku in Washington, D.C. Before the pandemic, she was thinking about switching careers. But when she heard about Village Vine, she got in touch with Gaieski and Knauer. It was the right fit.
“Jill and Lori really love what they’re doing,” Standish says. “It’s not the kind of corporate money-pumping machine I’ve worked for before.”
The cocktail list is Standish’s creation. Original drinks are named after local landmarks: the Chester Road (tequila, cointreau, honey, lime, Thai chili), the Swarthmorean (gin, cucumber, blueberries, dill, lime, ginger ale), and the Biddle Tract (vodka or gin, strawberries, Thai basil, lemongrass, lemon, and bitters). Many are available in non-alcoholic versions.
The scale and local vision of the project drew Galbraith, too. “I’m excited to be able to feed my neighbors,” he says. “Chefs rarely have that opportunity.”
Knauer and Gaieski are looking forward to talking to people about wine. “Our whole original mission was educational and cultural,” Knauer says. “We want to offer flights where people can taste a variety and compare them.”
Gaieski is excited about the lightly sparkling red lambrusco on the menu. “It’s dry,” she says. “It has good fruit. And it’s very fun and affordable.”
Knauer talks up the rieslings, both dry and off-dry. (The latter are on the sweeter side.) “Rieslings have high acidity,” she explains. “So they’re great food wines.”
According to the terms of their liquor license, diners (or non-diners) can also buy up to four bottles to take home. The restaurant will be only the second establishment in town legally authorized to sell alcohol.
Village Vine opened for drinks and charcuterie in late August. So far, the community response has been strong. They already have some regulars, Gaieski says.
Outdoor dining will keep them going for a while, the owners report, but the pandemic makes everything harder. Their original vision of a crowded room with neighbors drinking and talking together won’t be realized soon. Four outdoor tables can seat about 20, and indoors they are seating 25% of capacity. This means they can serve up to about 30 customers at a time.
In the meantime, they’re tasting wine and finalizing menus. They’re wrangling refrigerators up and down narrow stairways and booking private parties. And they’re pausing, when they can, to savor the welcome from neighboring businesses and from customers.
“Everyone,” Standish reports, “says this is exactly what Swarthmore needs.”
