Pane e Vino Wine Bar & Academy

How Pane e Vino (their new name, not yet reflected on their record as of this review) has escaped much of the Yelp crowd in this region escapes me. I don't think it's going to last much longer though.Came last night after discussing what's going on here with a few friends who are knowledgeable about food & wine, fine dining, and are passionate about a meal as an important part of their world. We visited on Pasta Night which is every Tuesday. Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays there are meals, special events, wine tastings and more. They also lead occasional tours in Italy it's my understanding. Michael Kirkendoll, the owner/sommelier personally attended to our meal, described our wine and food pairings with careful attention (enjoyable!) and visited as time permitted. Lovely!We started with a cheese and charcuterie that included some of the best prosciutto that has passed my lips in a long time. Include NYC, L.A. and other far flung spots in that comparison. We watched as it parted from the cured leg on display in the dining area and was in front of us in less than a minute. The cheeses included a manchego, a blue and another that slips my mind. Sublime, and priced better than fair in my opinion. We paired with the Italian white G.D. Vajra, Lange Bianco "Dragon," one of my favorites and one we partake of at home. Perfect.The homemade pasta of the evening was a ravioli of Sweetlove Farms chicken liver and Knapp Family Farm pork cheeks, both local providers I'm familiar with. Came in a delicate sauce (see images) and a side of what appeared to be Wheatfield's bread, but I can't be sure. As I told Michael, what I really appreciated about that pasta was most was it was accessible, local ingredients, and not over the top in sourcing or price. Sure, I love a ravioli with Alaskan crab caught late at night and flown in or some other exotic treatment, but pasta this good, this delicate, and so satisfying from local ingredients we can get at the Farmer's Market: that's a bonus. I'll call it like it as: at $15 it's underpriced in my opinion. Totally satisfying, not too much, seasoned perfectly, allowing the ingredients to shine. The buttery homemade ravioli dough a work of art. Had I consumed this in a spectacular trattoria in Tuscany I'd hope for it to taste this good. We paired with earthy Barolo and Barbaresco reds. Spectacular.Dessert is outsourced, not in-house, but it's lovely and just perfect. Not too sweet which is our preference. It was a Lisbon chocolate tart with cayenne and cinnamon. Perfectly paired with a Sauternes.Most of the wines on the menu, some 160+ can be purchased here, as can be at least two olive oils with more to come.In short, everyone on my list of friends is hearing about our experience and it's a matter of a short time before we return.If you come, from their web site:Tuesday, 4pm - 9pm (pasta night)Friday & Saturday, 4pm - 10pmSunday, 2pm - 6pmStreet parking. Major credit cards accepted. It's located in a new apartment complex so you're literally dining in their living room. Homey, no pretense, friendly, and the service is first-rate. Very highly recommended.

We had an amazing night! The food was spectacular. It was pasta bolognese night - each night has one entree! The pasta was freshly made and the sauce was rich and flavorful! The service was personal and first rate. This is a very unique pace, especially for Lawrence, KS. It's a destination - we came from Dallas for this experience.

A true gem of a restaurant in Lawrence, KS. I dined with Pane e Vino Wine Bar & Academy last night and I cannot recommend it enough! To begin with, Michael and his wife were incredibly welcoming and patient in explaining the wine selection and menu. For the particular night that I dined there they had a scallop dish but I had decided to go for a lighter fare to include a summer salad, cheese board, and a delighful Chardonnay. Everything on their menu was reasonably priced (typically $20-30 for a plate) and I definitely would have been willing to pay more based on the quality of their ingredients. fThey also have wine education classes and wine tours to France and Italy. I cannot wait to come back!

This business did not disappoint! This wine shop is a new, locally owned small business where you can taste over 100 different wines! The business owner/our server was able to answer all of our questions about the different wines, and was very kind and attentive. We were able to try out a few different wines and got a charcuterie board with high quality ingredients. I plan on returning!