“It had been a dream of mine to have a speakeasy in the area,” says Faith Catalano, owner of Fuhgeddaboudit Wine Bar & Lounge, a hip new speakeasy-style bar and lounge tucked away in a shopping center off Hidden Springs Road in Wildomar. “I wanted to name it after my husband Angelo, but he wanted something different. He actually came up with the spelling – like with a New York accent,” she laughs.
Catalano’s husband is the beloved proprietor of Angelo’s Brick Oven Pizzeria also in Wildomar in the same shopping center. And the couple were definitely on the same page when it came to designing the space. “Angelo and I agreed on everything,” she says. “He designed the floorplan and I decorated with him. I picked his favorite color. I knew I could get away with more – like velvet or rose wallpaper - if it was in blue. We wanted to create a manly environment but one that the ladies would feel comfortable in. We also wanted to make it so that women could go out in an environment where they could visit their girlfriends and feel safe. Where their husbands weren’t worried about what kind of bar they were going to. It’s a really comfortable environment where everyone feels relaxed.”
“Our menu is unique. Everything is made fresh in-house. Our brioche buns take 24 hours to prepare, the short rib for our beef sliders takes 14 hours to prepare. Everything we do is in-house – our sauces are all made in-house, our pastas, our bread is made in-house and our hummus. People really love our hummus because it’s sesame-free. We have weekly specials, different appetizer and entrée specials, we have fish, meat, gluten free options and vegetarian options. We just added wine-based cocktails like margaritas, espresso martinis, limoncello and Aperol spritzes.”
And the place has been a hit with locals and out of towners alike. “We're getting amazing feedback. People walk in and go, ‘Wow, it feels like there’s nothing like this except for in New York,’ or ‘You have to go deep into San Diego to Little Italy to find something like this.’”
“We are really fortunate, we do get a lot of support from the local community and from people that we served years ago at another restaurant where Angelo and I first met. The support we’ve received from the community is really overwhelming - we really appreciate our community and do a lot of fundraisers and support local charities. We love what we do and we love giving back.”
September Passport Dinner – Argentina! | Sunday, September 8, 2024 | 1 pm & 4:30 pm
Every month, Fuhgeddaboudit Wine Bar & Lounge showcases the sips and savory delights of a different country along with samples of the local wines. So far, guests have taken culinary tours of Italy and France, and now, this month, guests can experience the tastes and flavors of exciting Argentina! Bring your friends and come enjoy a multi-course selection of some of the country’s most beloved dishes, along with a pairing of fine local wines of the region. Reservations for the Argentina Passport dinner, private events or for more information, call 951-457-0827 or visit wildomarwinebar.com.