Coming of Age

Cheese and Wine Made in Heaven

Though it nestled in a mere stone’s throw from some of Chaoyang Park West Gate’s more colourful nightspots (hello, Suzie), Cheese & Wine Made in Heaven quickly established itself as the slightly more demure neighbour on the block upon its 2010 debut. Seeking its cosy, French provincial café ambience, vin et fromage enthusiasts from all over the city flocked to sample the cache of more than 200 wines and three dozen cheeses housed in a walk-in cheese room.

But as this past summer came to an end, so too did Cheese & Wine’s wallflower persona, as it closed for an extensive facelift. Thankfully, the hiatus was short-lived and BJ’s favourite quaff-spot reopened in September sporting a daring new look. Gone are the rustic, rough-hewed wooden tables and kitsch chandeliers, and in their place we find a sleek fitout of lipstick-red walls and expansive polished-wood shelving. The selection of reasonably-priced, mostly-French Old World wines has returned, with owner Christophe Pompeani hinting there may be some New World labels arriving in the near future, while the humidor is once again overflowing with imported artisanal cheeses running the gamut from mild chevres to harder, robust flavours to the stinkiest of bishops. As before, guests can enjoy the classic pairings in-house, but we are hankering for the warmer months, when a takeaway picnic tasting in nearby Chaoyang Park will be on the cards. Fromage sur l'herbe, mais oui!