Brown-Bagging It

Sweet comfort food at a cozy wine bar

It's about the last thing you'd expect to see on a wine bar menu, which is part of what makes it so good. It was a Wednesday night, and we had gone to the Wine Shop Foxcroft to order one particular dessert, which I had spied on the menu a few days earlier. "Is there a wine that goes with this?" I asked stupidly. "Naah. Just a good cup of joe," came the reply. "OK, then, just the Bag of Doughnuts."

That's what it's called, and that's what it is. A folded-down brown paper bag filled with fresh, hot, airy balls of fried dough, some dusted with cinnamon, some with powdered sugar. Two dipping sauces—a rich chocolate ganache and a sweet vanilla espresso anglaise—complete the sublime arrangement.

The menu at Wine Shop Foxcroft—developed by a chef formerly of Terra—does have more wine-friendly fare, including charcuterie, cheeses, sandwiches (the Cubano and the California Club are popular), and salads. Knowledgeable bartenders pour more than a dozen wines by the glass. The bar-and-dining area is in the middle of the shop, which makes for an odd but comfortable setup (because, after all, you're surrounded by bottles of wine). The tables are small and few, but there's a pleasant patio for warm weather. All the better for enjoying that Bag of Doughnuts.

7824 Fairview Rd. (704-365-6550) $, L, D, BW, P.