Milo’s Wine Bar - A Distant Pleasure

I will freely admit that I had a skeptical attitude when I went to Milo’s in Boulder City. Every single person who had visited it loved it. In fact, Zachary, my oldest son of 2BC fame, called me from the restaurant when he was having a meal there. “Mom, you gotta come here. It’s great.”

A mention of Milo’s during a recent tasting brought accolades from perfect strangers. Yes, it’s a little far, they noted, but well worth it. Okay, enough already. I have to check this place out.

After a tiring day of talking, wine tasting, cheese tasting, and socializing (pure hell, huh?), I decided to end my day with a meal at Milo’s. Since I was already at the far end of Henderson, it was a short, 15-minute-ish drive to Boulder City.

Boulder City can easily be described as quaint, a veritable throwback to the earlier days of twentieth century Nevada. Although gambling - excuse me…*gaming* - is illegal in Boulder City, some of the names of the local landmarks give a nod to its flashier brother - The Desert Inn, The Sahara Motel, and the Flamingo Inn are just a few.

While it’s a bit of a trek, getting to Milo’s pretty simple. Take 95/93 until it turns into Nevada Highway in BC and look for it on the left hand side. Once hopping on the 95 from my side of town, I can literally be there in about 45 minutes without turning a single corner. Other than the distance, what can be easier than that?

Well, I found Milo’s and was greeted by Melissa, who sat me and brought me a menu. Even though it was busy, I felt that I was the only person there because of the attention I received.

I perused the menu and discovered several very interesting details:

This is a true wine bar. They don’t mess around. They have approximately 35 wines by the glass. The menu is casual. Appetizers, sandwiches, wraps, soups, salads, desserts. No pretense of “fine dining” here - good, “tastes like homemade” basic food. Not only do they have a bunch of wines, but they have about 15-ish beers as well. Juices, coffees, teas, and waters round out their menu, coupled with the most reasonable prices for Pellegrino I’ve seen at any restaurant.

So I began. Because there were so many wines to choose from, I ordered a flight. Frankly, it seemed almost surreal to order a flight of wine from a sidewalk café. I was pleasantly surprised when my flight was served to me in nicely engraved crystal glasses that were brought in a wooden holder. Classy. I ordered a 2006 Bonterra Sauvignon Blanc, 2006 Alamos Malbec, and a 2004 Prevail Meritage. Let’s just say that they were all flavorful, enjoyable and served at the perfect temperature. Tasting notes will have to go by the wayside this time.

I began my meal by ordering a cup of the soup of the day, which was Wisconsin Cheddar served with crusty bread and a small container of olive oil/balsamic vinegar dip. The soup was rich and creamy, perfectly seasoned, and studded with bits of vegetables and meat. You’ll be proud to know that I restrained myself and didn’t lick the bowl. It was delicious.

My sandwich was an Italian Dip which I opted to have served in a whole wheat wrap instead of the standard roll. For an extra dollar, any sandwich on the menu can be “wrapped” instead of being served as a standard sandwich.

The Italian Dip consisted of Italian beef, onions, portabella mushrooms and Swiss cheese. It was served with a generous bowl of au jus and Terra (root vegetable) chips. And a pickle.

The food was simple, delicious, and I did not have a long wait in spite of the fact that they were busy. This place could easily be my Jimmy’s replacement if it weren’t so far away.

After eating and paying my bill, I entered the retail wine store. Unfortunately, by that time I was quite fatigued, and as a result I can’t give any information about selection or prices of their retail wines. However, I did have time to chat with Cameron, who is a self-described Master Sommelier.

For those who want to come and spend an evening, they have a Bed and Breakfast where tired and overindulged wine drinkers can spend the night.

What else can I say? Milo’s confirmed what others have been saying: if you don’t mind the drive, then it’s well worth the time to go there for camaraderie, wine, and good food.

No doubt about it. I will be back again, but the next time I will go with friends. This wonderful little place was made for socializing and enjoying the company of friends.

Milo’s is located at 534 Nevada Hwy in Boulder City, NV 89005. Their hours are from 11:00 until 10:00 weekdays, and until 11:00 pm on Friday and Saturday.

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