On our first day in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, we ate like queens. We started out with a delictable breakfast at Picnic and by lunch time we were headed to Bin 22, a wine shop with a top secret restaurant out back.
Two of the girls on our trip had been to Jackson Hole before and they raved about the food and drink at Bin 22. The best part? Though you can't see it from the street, they have a beautiful outdoor patio.
Though it's a wine shop, once we were seated out back, the cocktails were calling to us. Between the five of us we ordered the same two drinks: the Great Greyhound (gin, st. germain and grapefruit) and the basil lemonade (spiked with gin).
The two gals who were sipping the Greyhounds both agreed this was an excellent version of the classic cocktail. The three of us enjoying the basil lemonades were in heaven! The drink was the perfect mix of tart, sweet and floral. I ordered a second one before I was even done with my first.
The food menu at Bin 22 is Spanish tapas style. Having studied abroad in Spain, I'm always excited to try new versions of my favorite dishes.
We decided to order several things to share (the best way to do it) and the first dish to arrive was the cold cucumber salad. It was topped with radish, cilantro, pickled red onion, crunchy grains and citrus vinaigrette.
It was super hot that day so we welcomed every cool bite.
Next up was the burrata cheese, which came over stone fruit, tomato, mint, preserved lemon, crunchy grains and white balsamic.
None of us were sure what a stone fruit is, but we loved it. The firm fruit was a wonderful compliment to the creamy burrata.
The patatas bravas came out next. This is my number one Spanish dish and I want it every time I get tapas.
Bin 22's version was great. Crispy potatoes, a generous amount of brava sauce on the bottom of the bowl (pro move), and a paprika aioli squeezed over the top.
We also got the fried shishito peppers with lemon, sherry vinegar and maldon salt. One of the girls got a super hot pepper on her first bite and it took quite a while for her senses to come back down from the jolt.
The next dish was my favorite of the meal: mozzarella cheese with wild mushrooms in balsamic butter, served alongside crostini.
I scooped the mushrooms and mozzarella right on top of that crostini to form an open-face sandwich and it was fantastic.
The omnivores of the group also ordered the octopus which came over olive oil potato puree, olives, piquillo peppers, roasted fennel and a lemon-basil vinaigrette.
The plate was presented beautifully and the girls were freaking out about the potato puree. Between bites, one friend gushed, "This is so creamy! This is heaven!"
Once all the plates had been cleared, we were quite full. It was such a lovely experience to sit outside, and the Bin 22 patio is covered, so you get the benefit of the fresh air without having the sun beating down on your skin.
My one gripe is that the service was quite slow. We were having fun and we were on vacation so we weren't in any kind of rush, but if I were a local trying to have lunch on a work day, I think I would have felt anxious.
If you want to experience Bin 22 for yourself, the wine shop and restaurant is located at 200 West Broadway, Jackson Hole, Wyoming 83001.
