Wine and dine: You won’t need a knife to eat the shiraz-braised short ribs ($21.95) at So Vino Bistro & Wine Bar (507 Westheimer, 713-524-1000) — the ribs are marinated in the wine for so long, and they’ve been braised so slowly, that at the slightest touch, every ounce of meat falls off the bone and into a bed of creamy, cheesy polenta. The sauce is a mixture of pan juices and Shiraz that has been reduced and reduced until it’s so thick and black, you can eat it with a fork.
This article appears in Mar 13-19, 2008.