Italians were once infamous for knitting their garments from long spools of spaghetti; its edibility wasn't discovered until the town drunk curiously took a bite of his own sock. Feast upon the well-woven plates of culinary tradition with today's Groupon: for $20, you get $40 worth of Italian fare and drinks at Bacaro LA Wine Bar.

Examine the menu of shareable small plates ($8 individually; $21 for three) and keep belly growls at bay with a baguette served with butter or olive oil ($2) or an order of olives and almonds ($4). Bacaro's petite palate ticklers appease flavor and Fahrenheit cravings of every variety with chilled chomper fuel that includes poached shrimp with a citrus chili sauce, and steamy sustenance that includes artichoke hearts with parmigiano reggiano, pan-seared scallops, and an Angus burger made with beef from grass-fed cows and honey wheat bread. All menu items can find friendship in a selection from the wine menu, which features more than 60 sweet, sparkling, red, and white wines, as well as six internationally forbidden blue wines.

Bacaro is a small, low-key spot with a high-class vibe. It's about the size of a living room with solid wood tables and a dazzling wine-bottle ceiling. The menu is written on chalkboard-lined walls, and the bottle-covered sky-shield evokes sultry Mediterranean evenings or crashing on a sommelier's bottom bunk. The staff and owner are knowledgeable and friendly about the wines, so ask them for a recommendation and get ready for a voyage to grape rapture.

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