Vin Noir - Sans insignia, this tiny Nolita wine bar would go unnoticed by passers-by, save for two Art Deco plastic couches lit from within, which are placed just outside on the sidewalk and reserved for smoker patrons. Owner Todd Flathman has made the most with this converted minimalist chic space, which was formerly the foyer to the apartment building next door. A steel countertop-bar is the centerpiece, surrounded by steel stools and swathed in candlelight. Tray-sized steel slabs jut out from the exposed brick wall, creating makeshift tables for two. Diplomats, fashionistas, publicists, and yuppies in their 20's and 30's hover together over glasses of Pinot D'Alsace or a sparkling Cabernet from the Loire Valley. Each month the selection of 20 wines by the glass and 10 by the bottle are rotated, and always draw from the best representation of France, Germany, Austria, Slovenia, Switzerland, and Northern Italy. House cocktails are made using a barley-based Japanese vodka as a way of getting around the lack of a full liquor license, but that doesn't mean there's a shortage in selection--aside from your usual reds and whites, champagne, aperitifs, sherry, port, Madeira, and an array of imported beers are also on the menu.