ViNoVA opens its doors to a tour of European cuisine and beverages

ViNoVA Chef and co-owner Chris Kenworthy – Photos Courtesy ViNoVA

A new restaurant with a distinct European flavor, ViNoVA, has opened its doors at 124 East Main Street in downtown Front Royal. For the first time in the area, tapas and exclusively wines and beers from Europe and basic foodstuffs fresh from the fields of Warren County are featured.

To the uninitiated, by the way, tapas means servings of ever changing foods from oysters to cheese to pates and other delicacies on small plates that accompany the many wines ranging from inexpensive ($25 to $30) to high end ($50 to $100) per bottle. The restaurant offers a Happy Hour (4 p.m. – 6 p.m.) daily, however, promising three tapas and wine or beer for about $15.

The hostelry, which had a “soft” opening a couple of weeks ago, isn’t so new, however. Nor is one of the owner-operators, Rachel Failmezger. The property signals her return to 124 E. Main where the old Vino E Formaggio wine and cheese shop – later re-named Vino 124, a full service restaurant – was situated and run by the same Rachel Failmezger along with her husband Christian.

A Happy Hour special: three tapas and beverage of your choice

After a decade, the couple closed the Vino124 and repaired to a broken down gas station on Commerce Avenue that they turned into a successful destination restaurant, The PaveMint Tap & Smoke House, now two years old. The PaveMint continues to operate under Christian Failmezger, who also has an informal hand in ViNoVA.

Rachel and Christian Failmezger

In a sit down interview with the Failmezgers on a Tuesday “closed for business day,” the couple introduced a co-owner of ViNoVA, chef Chris Kenworthy. After 15 years in the restaurant business, including a notable period in the Philippines where he consulted and helped build a restaurant in a Filipino jungle community, he’s demonstrating his flair for unusual cuisine at ViNoVA.

My first question of the interview was about the close proximity (next door, in fact) of another new Main Street bar, the popular Front Royal Brewing Company which I suggested ViNoVA would be in competition with.

“Not competition,” responded Rachel, “the words are ‘complementary to.’ ”

The front entrance and small outside seating area

And there followed a description of the unique-to-the-region cuisine, the vintage wines from countries such as Italy, Spain, France and Germany, and exclusively showcasing Pilsners from Czech, Trappistes from Belgium, stouts from Britain, cocktails, fashioned by barkeep Chris Carboni, seemingly have jumped from the pages of Hemingway or Fitzgerald.

Beverages with a dash of European culture, including a very dressed drink below, to compliment the tasty tapa dishes

“They will be a perfect complement to our colorful food menu,” Rachel promised of the beverage selection.

Chef Chris’s promise was “a journey through the Mediterranean with stops in Italy and Spain in spring and summer (with) fall and winter menus touring Europe’s comfort cuisine of Belgium, France and Austria.”

The much-changed from years past decor, a muted black and white motif, and controllable subdued lighting, lends an ambiance perhaps unequaled in the area: think date night rendezvous!

The two “soft opening” days by invitation only resulted in packed houses and an exciting evening of new experiences and meeting friends from the old days of Vino124, much in evidence both days.

A very tasty-looking tapa dish – Chef Chris, I want one of THOSE!