Downtown Round Rock addition caters to wine lovers

When Susan Mendenhall discovered Round Rock, she saw a city ripe with opportunity. While others rejected the idea that the city was fertile ground for an upscale wine bar and bistro, Mendenhall believed there existed an untapped market of customers eager to patronize an alternative to chain restaurants and bars.

"My sister and I decided we were going to make a life change and do something for ourselves," Mendenhall said. "We did some research on the area and saw it growing."

Mendenhall, and her sister Kim Hiler, who both grew up in Alaska, decided to take a chance that a wine bar could work in Round Rock and began the process of creating Krave Wine Bar & Bistro.

"I was just driving around and saw this building for lease," Mendenhall said. "It was boarded up and had dirt floors—it was the ugliest building on the block."

Despite the dilapidated appearance of the building, Mendenhall believed she had found an ideal location.

"It felt like a gamble while we were doing construction," she said. "We had comments from guys doing the construction that it would never work in Round Rock. So that scared me a bit, but I had the faith."

When Mendenhall and Hiler designed the Krave concept, they decided to stay true to what they understood—good wine, original dishes and a comfortable atmosphere.

"We built it for the women, so that the women would come—and they have," Mendenhall said. "We picked our target niche and just stuck to who we were, stayed true to the food and wine that we serve."

Although there are plenty of men who frequent Krave, what helps attract women to the location is the friendly atmosphere they encounter, she said.

Krave opened for business Jan. 5, 2012, and has already established a loyal following of customers, Mendenhall said.

Patrons wanting to taste a variety of wines have the option of ordering flights—three, 2-ounce samplings of different wines. Popular flight options include the Red River Shootout (three Texas red wines, $11), Italian Stallion (three Italian white wines, $12), and Running the Bulls (three Spanish red wines, $13).

Krave also offers a variety of original mixed drinks, including lavender cosmopolitans ($9) and a pink sangria ($8).

Mendenhall, however, touts Krave for its food options as much as its drinks.

"They are equal parts," she said. "People who come in on a Saturday night want to come in and have a fine dinner."

The food at Krave is a departure from the traditional fried and grilled bar menu. For lunch, customers can order puccia sandwiches—Italian breads baked to order with a variety of meats and fillings.

Appetizers include smoked salmon pate ($12) and the restaurant's popular Italian nachos ($9), which come with house-made chips smothered in alfredo sauce and topped with sausage, olives, pepperoncini, green onions, tomatoes and parmesan.

The salads, pizzas and entrees served at Krave range from Italian staples such as Gorgonzola gnocchi ($15) to the locally familiar tenderloin medallions ($22).

"The menu was a conglomeration of mine and my original chef's, who was from Italy," Mendenhall said.

Judging by Krave's early success, it appears Mendenhall's gamble to open in Round Rock could be a successful one.

"I feel that we are very blessed," she said. "[Krave] seemed like something I would have went to. ... I just thought if we could do something like this, then people wouldn't have to go down to Austin. They could stay in their own neighborhood."

Krave Boards

Among the most popular food items at Krave Wine Bar & Bistro is the Krave Board ($20), a selection of meats, cheeses, fruits, nuts, olives and chocolates that customers get to choose.

"This is what we have become known for, our Krave Boards," Krave co-owner Susan Mendenhall said. "People love it because you get to make it however you want it."

Meat (choose 2)

• prosciutto
• dry salami
• hot coppa
• ham
• turkey
• roast beef

Cheeses (2)

• Cru Reserve Gruyere
• Vintage Van Gogh
• Buttermilk blue
• Fontina
• Sharp cheddar
• Fresh mozzarella

Nuts (1)

• walnuts
• toasted pecans
• cashews
• roasted almonds

Fruits (1)

• grapes
• apples
• strawberries
• pears
• fresh seasonal

Olives (1)

• garlic stuffed
• blue cheese stuffed
• pimento
• green
• kalamata

Chocolates (1)

• dark
• milk
• caramel
• chocolate with nuts

Krave Wine Bar & Bistro, 121 E. Main St., 512-382-5446, www.kravewinebar.com

Mon.–Sat. 11 a.m.–close