Style File: Gas Station Wine

WSVN -- Regular, unleaded or Pinot Grigio? It may sound crazy, but tucked away in the back of a B.P. gas station in Coconut Grove, past the cashier and the candy aisle is an unbelievable wine shop and tapas restaurant.

Veronica Xiques: "I just said 'It's in a gas station how good could it be? I'm not really the gas station type.'"

But she changed her mind and you might too as soon as you get a glimpse of what's inside.

Veronica Xiques: "We walked in and instantly it's like you're somewhere else."

Danello: "I was like wow this amazing. You could never expect this from a BP gas station."

Owner Richard Fonseca has owned this gas station since 1981.

Richard Fonseca: "Where we are sitting now originally used to be a car wash."

But eventually, his love for vino took center stage, so he opened a Tapas Restaurant & Wine Store.

Richard Fonseca: "We like to think that maybe we've turned the tables on people. We're actually selling gas out of a wine shop."

This place is no joke, the wine shop houses about 2,000 bottles of wine.

Richard Fonseca: "We have wines from all over the world, South Korea to Hungary to Argentinean, Uruguay."

Danillo Martinez: "I come here mainly for the selection of the wine, and also the pricing. His pricing is great, and a lot of rare wines and good vintages here."

Now, to the restaurant where they serve mostly Spanish tapas, but have some dishes from all over the world.

Richard Fonseca: "We have a very traditional Spanish Cazuelita de Mariscos. This is a seafood pot. Some may know it as gumbo or creole."

And a meat plank to die for with several cuts of meat.

Richard Fonseca: "All the way from the more exotic blood sausage, Argentinean sausage, to a more traditional chicken, pork, beef."

It's a great place to spend lunch or dinner of course, with a bottle of wine.

Veronica: "Today it's a Pinot from Oregon."

Veronica: "I can fill up my car and I can get wine and a great lunch. So it's fabulous."

So drive on over, park yourself at a table gas station food never tasted so good.

Belkys Nerey: "The restaurant is getting ready to start sake dinners where they will pair sake with the tapas. It's located on the corner of Southwest 17th Avenue and US 1."

FOR MORE INFORMATION:

BP Gas Station/ El Carajo International Tapas & Wine
2465 SW 17th ST, corner of U.S. 1 and 17th ave.
Miami, Fl.
305-856-2424