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56 T here's a lot to love about developer Steve R a d o m ' s H e i g h t s Mercantile — most recently, the opening of Postino Wine Cafe. Owners Lauren Bailey and Craig DeMarco opened their first Postino in a vacant mid- century post office in Phoenix 15 years ago. They've ventured to Houston after transporting their concept — as well as their appreciation for approachable wines and craft beers — to Arizona and Colorado. The cool spot features a wall relief of cut-up skateboards, courtesy of fans and friends who've donated their old boards to be up-cycled. Thirty wine selections are available by the glass, with 40-plus more local and national wine varieties by the bottle. But what's a glass of vino — say, a 2014 CA zinfandel by Three or a 2016 French Grenache care of La Damase — without a tasty go-with. Postino's signature bite is the bruschetta board, made with locally baked Kraftsmen multi-grain bread, lightly toasted and served with toppings of homemade sweet and spicy pepper jam spread over a mild Spanish goat cheese and burrata, bacon, arugula, and tomato ($15 for four mighty selections — take that, BLT!). The butcher's block ($15.50), pub board ($14), and bounty ($15.50) are wooden cutting boards piled high with (in the case of the bounty) grilled cauliflower, asparagus, guindilla peppers, smoked almond hummus, and Marcona almonds. Postino, Heights Mercantile, 642 Yale St., 346.223.1111, postinowinecafe.com. B Y L A U R A N N C L A R I D G E FIVE WILDLY DIVERGENTNEW RESTAURANTS Will Have You Spinning From Montrose and the Galleria to Midtown and the Heights. INTO THE BLEU I n the new Bar Victor in the former Zimm's location in the Montrose, a sea of Yves Klein- -blue velvet juxtaposed with midnight-blue walls sets the tone for the dreamy interiors. Owners Vincent Sinard and restaurateur Jean-Pierre Gleize from Toulouse, as well as DJ and music impresario Frank Boissy, have pulled together everything they love about French nightclubs: Sultry music plays on the custom sound system and news broadcasts from Paris and Eurosport channels play on the flat-screen TVs, while classic cocktails and bottles of French wine and champagne are proffered, along with small bites such as country pâté ($14), sliced jambon with salted butter and cornichons ($16), and sharing boards of a luxe caviar spread known as the Saint-Tropez ($110). Steamer trunks make up the DJ's platform, custom-made in France for the 50-seat lounge, which has 12 more seats at the bar and a VIP room for 20. The bar was named for Gallic novelist, poet, and playwright Victor Hugo, and bons mots from fashionable French men and women dot the walls. Up next from the owners: a French restaurant dubbed Villa Saint-Tropez, coming this summer just a few doors down. Stay tuned for details. Bar Victor, 4321 Montrose Blvd., 713.521.2002, barvictor.com. CORK PoPPING Bar Victor