Just days after returning from the Hawaii Food & Wine Festival and barely rested, my friend Adam invited me to join him for something called Club du Vin at Le Crocodile in Williamsburg, Brooklyn’s Wythe Hotel. As tired as I was, I said yes, as we share an appreciation for food, hospitality, and discovering new experiences. Little did I know that an evening of wine and dinner would become a lesson in history, community, and the enduring spirit of winemaking.
We descended into Le Crocodile’s private dining cellar, where guests gathered around communal tables to explore wines from the Levant and the Caucasus. Georgia, Armenia, Palestine, Lebanon, and Syria were represented through eight carefully selected wines, each with its own story.
The evening began with an unexpected wine lesson. Gabriella Borg Costanzi, who leads Le Crocodile’s wine program, announced that the sparkling wine offered as we entered was corked, a wine fault that can produce musty aromas and dull flavors. The surprise? The bottle didn’t have a cork! Cork taint can occur regardless of the closure. I had no idea. Half my glass remained untouched, but Adam had already suspected something was wrong. I looked at him, and he shrugged as if to say, “I just know these things.”
Glasses of white and red wine accompany an evening exploring eight wines from Georgia, Armenia, Palestine, Lebanon, and Syria. (Kysha Harris photos) 
A colorful selection of mezze, including hummus, baba ganoush, muhammara, dolma, house-pickled vegetables, and freshly baked breads. 
Grilled halloumi cheese topped with honeycomb, sesame, za’atar, and pomegranate seeds was a standout dish of the evening. 
Golden-baked spinach fatayer, a savory pastry served as part of Club du Vin’s family-style feast. 
Crispy lamb kibbeh and herbaceous falafel with pickled red onions, fresh herbs, and a vibrant green sauce. 
Whole branzino sayadieh prepared with harissa and preserved lemon. 
Baklava, fig leaf ice cream, and hibiscus sorbet complete the evening’s fall menu. 
AmNewsFOOD Food Editor Kysha Harris and her friend Adam head home on the L train after an evening of wine, food, and fellowship at Club du Vin.
The Le Crocodile team delivered an exceptional family-style feast inspired by the Levant and surrounding regions to accompany the progression of wines. We began with a mezze of hummus, smoky baba ganoush, muhammara, dolma, and a gorgeous assortment of house-pickled vegetables, accompanied by warm pita, lavash, and sesame-and-za’atar flatbread. The pickled pearl onions were so delicious I wanted to take them home for a dirty martini.
Next came crisp, herbaceous falafel, spinach fatayer, lamb kibbeh, and my favorite, grilled halloumi topped with honeycomb, sesame, za’atar, and pomegranate seeds — an extraordinary combination of sweet, salty, and savory.
A whole branzino with harissa and preserved lemon arrived alongside a vibrant fattoush salad. Then came a mixed grill of lamb sujuk sausage, lamb-and-veal kofta with spiced labneh and sumac onion salad, and grilled cauliflower. Baklava, fig leaf ice cream, and tart hibiscus sorbet brought the evening to a memorable close.
Throughout the tasting, I gravitated toward the reds, particularly Georgia’s Orgo Saperavi and Syria’s Bargylus, a beautifully balanced blend of Syrah, Merlot, and Cabernet Sauvignon. Lebanon’s Château Musar offered another remarkable story; its winemaking legacy enduring through years of civil war. Georgia’s winemaking traditions stretch back some 8,000 years, while Armenia is home to archaeological evidence of winemaking more than 6,000 years old. Learning about ancient vineyards and vines still producing grapes generations later deepened my appreciation for these wines and the people preserving their traditions.
I especially enjoyed the sense of community around the table. A neighborhood couple seated across from us regularly attends Club du Vin. Throughout the evening, guests recognized one another from previous dinners, exchanging stories and sharing plates. Strangers became companions through a common experience, much like attending a Broadway show — a shared experience unique to that one night.
That’s what makes dining clubs like Club du Vin so compelling. They create a third dining space, somewhere between eating at home and an ordinary restaurant visit, where curiosity, hospitality, and community come together.
Adam and I eventually headed to the L train back to Manhattan, having shared an extraordinary evening. I gained a renewed curiosity about wine, a few new favorite bottles, and another memory made with a friend. Sometimes the best dining experiences offer more than a wonderful meal. They give us something to carry home.
Thanks for reading and happy eating!
Kysha Harris is a chef, culinary producer, and food editor for the NY Amsterdam News. As a consultant and owner of SCHOP!, a personalized food service in NYC for over 23 years, she remains on the hunt for the city’s next great bite. Follow her on Instagram and on Facebook, @SCHOPnyc.
Questions, comments, requests, feedback, invitations! Email us at AmNewsFOOD@SCHOPnyc.com. Follow us on Instagram and Facebook, @NYAmNewsFOOD.
