Sip Downtown Brasserie has existed in a few different incarnations, and the most recent location change I hope is the final version because this place has nailed it. 



The wine and whiskey bar has expanded from a small space to a large, gorgeous restaurant with an inventive menu and an impeccable whiskey and wine list. 



To start off my evening, I ordered a sweet white wine flight. 



The Sweet Tooth consists of Bornos - Frizzante Verdejo (Rueda, Spain), Fritz Zimmer - Riesling (Mosel, Germany), Vietti - Moscato D'Asti (Piedmont, Italy). 



They are light and sweet and floral and very fruity. If you want your wine to be nearly as sweet as your apple juice, this is the one for you. I like sweet, so this was perfect. But depending on my mood - and meal - I go for a more dry white or red. 



First up was a cheese board. Dawn and I both got one with all the different cheeses so we could try it all (or maybe because I really wanted to try it all and Dawn is a good sport). Along with a selection of crackers, nuts, cornichons, toast and dried fruit, we sampled these cheeses:



- Mahon Reserva (Spain) Firm & slightly sharp with a paprika and oil flavored rind, made from cow's milk
- Manchego (La Mancha, Spain) A popular Spanish cheese, made from sheep's milk with a firm texture
- Beemster Extra Aged Gouda (Northern Holland) Cow's milk cheese, aged 18 months
- Whiskey Cheddar (Ireland) Kerrygold aged cheddar with Irish whiskey, made from cow's milk
- Dorothea (Holland) A unique and creamy goat gouda with basil oil and potato skins Mountain
- Gorgonzola (Italy) Delightful cow's milk blue cheese with a gentle sharpness



I could seriously live on plates like this. If I stopped here, I would've been in heaven still. But, it did get better. I ordered the housemade crab cakes (two 4 oz) with blanched asparagus and creamy sriracha remoulade sauce. 



It's a smaller portion, but it's worth it to me. Better quality ingredients and higher-end dishes with attention to flavor and detail are far more attractive to me than a giant portion of something that's just OK. This was great.



And to finish off the meal, I ordered a caramel popcorn cotton candy. How often do you get to have cotton candy?! And at a restaurant? Never. What a lovely, novel treat. 

If you're looking for a good whiskey and wine list, an upscale environment and delish food, you've come to the right place.

Grade: A