Loro Asian Smokehouse & Bar

The wine list at Loro reads like a corporate purchasing department's greatest hits: JP Chenet, Ruffino, Caposaldo. You're at a fast-casual smokehouse where Thai-style brisket meets oak-smoked salmon, and they're serving you the same wines you'd find at Target. The list is small, safe, and shows zero effort to match the adventurous food coming out of the kitchen.

Fifteen to twenty bottles split predictably between California crowd-pleasers and Italian staples. The California side leans on Hayes Ranch Cabernet and Sandpoint Chardonnay — both fine for a backyard cookout, neither exciting for a restaurant billing itself as elevated fast-casual. Italy gets Caposaldo Pinot Grigio and Stemmari Pinot Noir, plus the obligatory Ruffino Prosecco in a 375ml bottle. There's a Perrin Grand Prebois Rosé and a Bulletin Place Shiraz trying to round things out, but the overall vibe is "we needed a wine list and checked the box." No natural wines, no interesting producers, nothing that acknowledges this is Texas in 2024 where wine culture has exploded.

Eight glasses available ranging from $9 to $10.50, which is actually reasonable pricing for what you're getting. The Pomelo Sauvignon Blanc and Perrin Rosé are your safest bets if you need something cold and refreshing with smoked meats. The Sandpoint Chardonnay will do the job with the coconut creamed corn, but don't expect any complexity or surprise.