WD555 revamps Wine Depot into a South Beach wine bar and café

Sara Liss2/25/2013

The goods: General manager Emmanuel Pelletier has revamped the former Wine Depot into WD555, a South Beach wine bar and café.

Ambience: The 100-seat patio is furnished with white acrylic tables and Philippe Starck wicker chairs while the loft-like interior features retail and bar space with more than 300 wine bottles.

The grub: Bistro staples with a Mediterranean influence. Prices are moderate: Tapas average $12, mains range from $24 to $32 and corkage is $7.50 a bottle.

Fresh baguette slices and butter set the stage for small plates like foie gras “au torchon,” duck rillette, escargot and charcuterie layered with speck, copa and Iberico ham. Tapas include seared haloumi cheese and carrot soup with dates, feta and mint, while grilled main dishes range from steaks to lamb to tuna. Desserts skew French with apple tarte, chocolate fondant and Grand Marnier soufflé.

Verdict: A laid-back wine bar with hundreds of inexpensive bottles, platters of imported ham and a sun-filled patio.