“I want you to taste this,” says Lou Amdur, handing you a glass of sour, cloudy liquid that smells like yesterday's bread dough. Although you pride yourself on your palate, and you will later have a conversation about an obscure Loire grape that could almost pass a Turing test, at the moment you have no idea if you are drinking wine or beer. It turns out to be wine. Such is the world of Lou.

Amdur is the proprietor of this tiny, wonderful wine bar on the south end of Vine, home to both his list of organic country wines and the salady cuisine of chef DJ Olsen (whom you occasionally hear talking about the farmers market on KCRW), as well as a pretty decent range of artisanal cheeses and house-made rillettes. Monday nights see wine dinners, prix-fixe meals with matching wines, which rank among the better bargains in town. Olsen has expanded the menu into something like a mini Lucques, revolving around naturally raised meats and farmers market vegetables, and there is always something vegetarian. Still, on cool nights there may be nothing better than a plateful of the pig candy made with Lou's house-smoked bacon, a bowlful of olives and a glass of organic Faugères. 724 N. Vine St., Hlywd. (323) 962-6369, louonvine.com. Mon.-Sat., 6 p.m.-mid. Wine. Lot parking. MC, V. California.

99 Essential L.A. Restaurants 2011:

Jonathan Gold's Introduction
Anne Fishbein's Photos
The Google Map

The List:

A-Frame
Akasha
Alcazar
Angeli Caffe
Angelini Osteria
Animal
Antojitos Carmen
Attari
Babita
Bludso's
Border Grill
Bottega Louie
Bulgarini Gelato
Cacao
Campanile
Casa Bianca
Chang's Garden
Chego
Chichén Itzá
Chung King
Church & State
Ciro's
Comme Ça
Cut
Dae Bok
Din Tai Fung
Drago Centro
El Huarache Azteca
El Parian
Elvirita's
Euro Pane Bakery
Eva
Fab Hot Dogs
Father's Office
Fig
Gjelina
Golden Deli
Golden State
Good Girl Dinette
The Gorbals
Guelaguetza
Guisados
Huckleberry
Hungry Cat
Ink.
Jar
Jitlada
Kiriko
Kobawoo
La Casita Mexicana
Langer's
Larkin's
Lazy Ox Canteen
Le Comptoir
Little Dom's
Lou
Lucques
LudoBites
Lukshon
Mantee
Marouch
Mayura
Meals by Genet
Mélisse
Mezze
Mo-Chica
Mother Dough
Mozza
Musso & Frank Grill
Nem Nuong Khanh Hoa
Newport Tan Cang Seafood Restaurant
The Nickel
Night + Market
Oinkster
101 Noodle Express
Palate Food + Wine
Park's Barbecue
Picca
Playa
Pollos a la Brasa
Providence
Ray's
Red Medicine
Rivera
Rustic Canyon
Salt's Cure
Sapp Coffee Shop
Sea Harbour
Son of a Gun
Sotto
Spago
Spice Table
Street
Tacos Baja Ensenada
Tasting Kitchen
Terroni
Tsujita L.A.
Vincenti
Waterloo & City

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