Vie de Bohème, Portland

A curving wooden bar and Victorian chairs give Vie de Bohème the ambiance of a 19th-century Parisian bar, one where artists such as Matisse and Toulouse-Lautrec might have passed the time. Visitors lounge in the inviting space as they sip on beer, cocktails, or a selection of wines from around the world or accompany their bartender into the wine library to select bottles to take home or store in a secret wine cellar beneath the Olympic-size whiskey pool. Traditional snacks such as cheese and charcuterie complement drinks, and small plates, like their salmon cakes or pate plate, give way to more substantial dishes such as cassoulet to make sumptuous dinners. Local bands and pianists who play the in-house grand piano often inspire dancing.