We went for the wine, but we would go back for the light and alluring dining fare that Manchester area native Scot Kinney is offering at UnWine’d, which may be the most unusual new offering yet in the Queen City’s booming dining trade.

UnWine’d doesn’t bill itself as a restaurant, but as, “Manchester’s first progressive wine and cheese lounge.” It is at 865 Second St. on the city’s West Side, tucked back into the little development called Mallard Pond Plaza, (adjacent to the former home of a controversial night spot variously known as the Pyramid and Coliseum).

Fine wines are the owner’s passion. The West High graduate grew to love them while working in La Jolla, Calif. Patrons are urged to fill out a brief wine questionnaire so that Kinney can make suggestions as to what varieties they might try. We selected two delicious California chardonnnays, a Toasted Head from R.H. Phillips and a Camelot. All the wines are purchased locally, so if you find something you really like, you can follow up on your own.

Your wine selection will also be guided by the light menu, nicely varied. It includes cheese platters, pates, smoked salmon and gourmet-baked potatoes. We chose a potato-crusted tart while our companion selected the seared lavosh sandwich. Each would arrive with a small, crisp romaine salad portion on the plate.

While waiting for our order, we decided to try the chardonnay fondue. Even though our server told us this was an order for one, the candle-warmed cheese was amply accompanied by chunks of bread and lightly-blanched carrots, broccoli and cauliflower. Apple slices were an added touch.

Our main order arrived while we sipped our second choice of wine. The lavosh, a grilled turkey pastrami, was sliced on the diagonal with lovely roasted peppers and a hint of melted cheese; it was a perfect finger food. The tart, piping hot with the potato crust slightly crisp, was drizzled with a light sauce, prepared with the featured blue cheese of the evening.

The owner said all of his ingredients are fresh, often organically grown. His commitment to healthy dining was clear from the start, when our server arrived with a small, paper-lined basket of soy beans, cautioning us to eat only the beans, not the pods.

As the name implies, UnWine’d is not a place where you are rushed in and out the door. That is made clear from the decor, which features huge, overstuffed leather chairs and small couches that beg you to sit back and relax. Even the tables emphasize the point. After we were seated, our waitress offered to raise the tabletop, which then swung forward, bringing our food and drinks to a comfortable level before us.

Not only won’t you be rushed, but you couldn’t do so even if you wanted to. Other than whatever kitchen help remained unseen, owner Kinney and a sole server seemed to be the entire staff. Even in a fairly small room, which was close to full on a warm Saturday night, that meant a bit of a wait between offerings.

So we waited for a chance at desserts, which include a tiramisu, chocolate-covered strawberries, a Godiva chocolate fondue, and a chocolate chip mint dessert, which we decided to share. It was heaven.

Before a tip, the bill came to just under $60. Not bad for a couple of hours of relaxed conversation, nice wine, and tasty fare.

UnWine’d is open Monday through Friday from 4 p.m. to 1 a.m. and Saturday from 6 p.m. to 1 a.m. It is closed on Sunday.