My first thought when I laid eyes upon The Brasserie’s wine list was that I needed to make an appointment at Lens Crafters. Surely that bottle of 1947 Red Bordeaux couldn’t possibly cost $13,488!

After handing over the thick leather-bound menu to my dining companion, I awaited the final verdict as to whether I was experiencing a bad case of double vision or if we had indeed discovered one of the most exclusive wine selections in the region. Relief and excitement prevailed the second I saw the companion’s jaw drop open.

The Brasserie is an upscale restaurant tucked away in one of the strangest locations imaginable. It sits upstairs from a store called The WineSellar, which resides in the bowels of a Sorrento Mesa office park. A small sign at the foot of the driveway points you to the back of the building, where it appears as though you’ve been led astray to some loading dock at a paper supply company. Then suddenly a hint of commercialism appears in the form of lighted signage and parked cars, providing an especially welcome re-entry into civilization if you arrive here at night.

A staircase inside the store leads to a plush, parlor-like dining room that is neither modern nor outdated – just very unexpected. Needless to say, we wanted to tear out of our jeans and borrow the pants off the waiters the moment we approached the polished-wood host desk.

When a restaurant amasses 10 years’ worth of awards by The Wine Spectator for having “one of the best wine lists in the world,” you can bet the food will be pretty damn good too. Add to the mix an inferred French influence, and you’ll wonder how this gastronomic gem ended up in such offbeat territory.

The companion got rolling with a glass of champagne, a bright and refreshing Blanc de Blanc from France. Its fine quality matched that of my Pinot Noir, a smooth 2000 vintage by Dutton Goldfield (Russian River) that struck an atypical pairing with an appetizer of Hawaiian Prawns adorned with fennel and baby turnips. Equally stunning were the handmade Wild Mushroom Ravioli augmented with shaved truffles, fresh herbs and Parmigiano-Reggiano.

Tender, fleshy figs and a sprinkling of Stilton cheese rounded out the companion’s arugula-endive salad, an attractive vertical creation that obviously took more than several seconds to construct. This, while I savored an oh-so-French style White Corn Soup enhanced with chanterelle mushrooms and a foamy puddle of truffle Chantilly crème in the middle.

Meal courses are considerately paced so that diners have time to relish their wines and acclimate their palates to new vintages if need be. And the companion did just that, switching to a wonderful woodsy 1999 Meritage from Napa Valley. Also keep in mind that you are faced with hundreds of varieties when ordering wine by the bottle instead of the glass. As General Manager Steve Barr put it to us: “If I can’t find a wine of your choice, then shame on me.”

All this slow and easy sipping primed us for two very different main courses. The companion’s Herb-Crusted Alaskan Halibut, dressed in a ragout of Maine lobster, was presented on a bank of corn, leeks and English peas. It was an excellent choice from the menu’s limited “seafood and shellfish” category. Equally irresistible was my Szechwan-inspired Cured Pork Loin flavored with toasted curry and a mouthwatering dry Vermouth sauce. Baby bok choy and Asian mushrooms made this a flawless dish.

Other entrée options include two different preparations of duck, Guinea Hen and Rack of Lamb, to name a few.

Desserts are equally elaborate in nature, thus defying the true French meaning of the word brasserie; a place that serves simple meals. The Buttermilk Panna Cotta, pointed up with rhubarb gelée and strawberry sorbet, tasted too perfumed for our liking. But we reveled over the Hazelnut Cannoli filled with creamed Mascarpone and embellished with caramelized banana wedges.

For all its high-caliber food, rare fine wines, French pressed coffees, plus two lovely private rooms, the Brasserie maintains a surprisingly low marketing profile, although it is no stranger to the GLBT community. Over the past 12 years it has participated in the annual Mama’s Day charity event, a dazzling culinary exhibition that puts the Brasserie right at home along with San Diego’s finest other restaurant contributors.