Euro Bar owner Charlie Hensley
A cool, low-key central Kentucky gem of a place for drinks and light gourmet fare is the Euro Wine Bar (www.euronicholasville.com), at 102 South Main St. in Nicholasville, Ky. This place has been open for more than five years and has a loyal local and regional following. The owner/operator is Charlie Hensley, and the concept is a limited-hours bar serving tapas and heavy hors d’oeuvres.
Hensley, a native of eastern Kentucky, is a man of many talents who over the course of his career has worked in many foodservice concepts. Along the way, he has accumulated extensive knowledge of wine and spirits. Opening the Euro Wine Bar gave him an opportunity to put many of his entrepreneurial skills to work.
The centerpiece of the Euro Wine Bar is a massive, antique, mirrored piece of furniture that is 10 feet high and 14 feet wide, serving as a backdrop to the bar area. It was salvaged from a barber shop in Texas with the assistance of Lexington-based Heritage Antiques. The actual bar was once a counter in an eastern Kentucky grocery store. The rest of the public area of this restaurant and bar is a mix of tables and a sofa area that is often a communal gathering place for locals.
It is a very friendly and inviting watering hole for locals and visitors alike. Talented bartenders Shilah Riley and Austin Lark are skilled mixologists who add to the experience.
The bar offering includes the standard array of whiskeys and other spirits. Unique offerings include fruit and other flavor-infused vodkas, rums and tequila. And there is a bacon-infused Bloody Mary mix, a signature item.
The menu includes mini hot browns, baked Brie, pan-fried ravioli, homemade pizza, a wedge salad, buffalo chicken nachos and pizza soup.
There is also a $5 menu with items such as hummus, marinated olives and more. Dessert options include warm port brownies and dark chocolate bruschetta.
The Euro Wine Bar is only open Wednesday through Saturday evenings from 5 p.m. to 12 a.m. It also has occasional special tastings, dinners and events, which are often listed on Facebook.
All in all, this is a gem of a little place that merits checking out.