For years, Circles owner Michael Chulikavit has been quietly amassing an army of great wine. His passion for the juice shows in the selections and pricing, but also when his face lights up after asking him to recommend a bottle to accompany his wife’s fabulous Asian-fusion dishes. Prices range from the low $20s to over $100 per bottle, and selection ranges from an impressive collection of Rieslings to high-end cabernet sauvignons. Not only is his bottle list impressive, he offers wine flights and an ever-changing wines-by-the-glass list. If only other Bay-area restaurants could learn from Michael, we’d be a much happier wine community. 2500 W. Azeele St., Tampa, 813-879-5228.
This article appears in Sep 14-20, 2005.