1301 4th Street
San Rafael, CA 94901
415.457.8466
www.saborofspain.com
Price: $$
If you are not familiar with the city of San Rafael, it is definitely a place to visit. Located about 20 miles from San Francisco, the downtown area offers lots of shopping and a nice selection of restaurants for a very active nightlife. Sabor of Spain is easy to find and perfect for dinner with friends, dinner parties or a getaway with co-workers after a long day. Owned by Scott Scheidt, it features the culinary creations of Executive Chef Jay Valencia. The restaurant is Marin County’s only Spanish style tapas and wine bar and is committed to showcasing Spain’s distinctive food selections and fine wines right here in California.
Upon my arrival, I really didn’t know what to expect although I am a big fan of tapas and Spanish cuisine. Our dinner party consisted of eight professionals who represented media, chefs and foodies. Once we were seated, Scheidt and Chef Valencia made a brief introduction and then the fun began.
Our first course was a gold beet, fennel and red onion salad with a sweet sherry vinaigrette. It was paired with an Altas Cumbres Viognier 2007 from Argentina. I have to admit, I am not a beet fan, but enjoyed the combination and the vinaigrette was a nice accent. The wine was crisp and light. Perfect for starters.
The next course was a lemon infused Bosc pear wrapped in Jamon Serrano with a balsamic reduction. The wine selection was a Pares Balta Blanc de Pacs 2008 from Spain. I thought this course was highly representative of Spanish cuisine. Having traveled in Spain and other countries in Europe, I am familiar with the dry-cured Spanish ham but have never had it with fruit like it was presented here. The unlikely combination for me was actually a pleasant surprise. I wouldn’t eat it often, but I would recommend all foodies try it. The wine was another great selection that complimented the fruitiness of the pear and the distinct taste of the ham.
Now the next course was my favorite; chicken chorizo ginger won tons with a sweet sour pimenton dipping sauce paired with a Monte Oton Garnacha 2008 from Spain. Delicious. The meat was very tender inside and seasoned just right. The sauce was a great too. I would have paired this course with a glass of white wine but their selection worked very well.
Moving on, we enjoyed a spicy marinated skirt steak with basil oil and Cabrales blue cheese. The wine was a Terrapura Cabernet Sauvignon 2008 from Chile. This was another one of my favorites. I traded the blue cheese for the previous dipping sauce and didn’t miss a beat. The meat was perfectly marinated and flavorful. The wine accented the flavors of the meat and was a smooth and dry.
By this time, we were all just about to roll off our chairs when dessert was served; Venganza de Diablo which is an espresso chocolate mousse with rosemary infused strawberry coulis/marscapone cream. Favaios Moscatel de Duoro from Portugal was the dessert wine. I love dessert wines so the sweetness balanced out the bitterness of the espresso mousse for me since I am not a coffee drinker.
Although the true test was yet to come on Friday with director John Woo, we all thought the dinner was a big success. My only regret is that this was my first time to Sabor of Spain but certainly not my last.
To learn more about Sabor of Spain, the menu and wine offerings, visit www.saborofspain.com. For more information about the Mill Valley Film Festival, visit www.2009mvff.com.
Scale is based on a 3-course meal per person.