Have you ever walked into a place and felt like it's a place you would make for yourself? That's…read morethe way I felt walking into LouElla's After a long day at work and some evening errands, Jack and I were making our way home, when I decided to check out wine stores that were still open on my route. Louella's came up as one of the few still open after 9 PM. I checked the website, and found that they have not, one, not two, but an entire page of fortified wines and Vermouth! As a cocktail nerd, this place checked boxes I didn't even realize I had! There's half a rack of bitters and other premixes.
The atmosphere on this blissfully warm night in September was dimly lit, quietly elegant ambiance music (Think Brian Eno, Volcano Choir, or Bon Iver) From outside, with two large TVs above a bar, you may think it's a typical sports bar. But no one here is drinking beer, they have pizza from down at Hutchin's Garage and various wines out on the tables out front. With real glasses. Like adults. Here in the south in a semi-pandemic semi-lock-down.
After picking out three different sweet vermouth to try, I bought a glass of Dolcetto and a pre-boxed cheese/meat tray. Although the cheese was from the cooler, as it set out, it was evidently fairly fresh, because it warmed up testily. Sadly, they close at 10, so I'll have to wrap this up later. Suffice it to say, if you're looking for a place to grab a special bottle to upscale your Negroni, or just can't seem to find Pechaud's bitters anywhere, now you have a place to check out. There is an entire 85% more of the store to explore for me, since I had arrived with a narrow purpose and found it immediately. But you can bet, I'll be back. It's within walking distance of FullSteam, MotorCo, Hutchin's, Cocoa Cinnamon's Old North Durham location. They've only been open for six months, when you don't count COVID time, so give 'em some love, folks! They are the type folks we need to support!
