My husband recently took me to dinner at CAV Wine Bar & Kitchen in San Francisco. CAV started out as a wine bar but has developed into both a wine bar and a noted kitchen. The concept behind the food is that the menu revolves around the wine list, which contains about 250 wines from around the world.
I liked the casual feel of CAV. There is a dining room in the back but we sat in the front bar area. The staff was super friendly and helpful, making suggestions and giving us their opinions on the food and the wines.
Chef Michael Lamina’s menu consists of small plates and large plates, as well as a wonderful assortment of French, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese and American cheeses. And, of course, desserts!
We tried several things on the menu – the Lobster Pot-au-Feu, the Truffled Leek Terrine with Crispy Pig’s Ear and Wood Mushroom Salad, the English Pea Ravioli with Mushroom Veloute, Fresh Peas and Chanterelles and the Sweet Potato Frites with Tomato Jam. The Lobster Pot-au-Feu was outstanding – chunks of lobster and peas in a deep, rich lobster stock. The crispy pig’s ear really made the Truffled Leek Terrine dish, but we felt that the ravioli was slightly undercooked (and we like our pasta al dente). The Tomato Jam was outstanding – filled with cloves and spices. We each had a glass of 2001 Francois Jobard Chardonnay from Burgundy.
We ordered a cheese course with three cheeses – Abbaye de Citeaux (a washed rind cow’s milk cheese from Burgundy), Azeitao (a sheep’s milk cheese from the Arrabida Mountains of Portugal) and Azul de Valdeon (a cow and goat’s milk blue cheese from Spain, wrapped in a chestnut leaf). With the cheeses, we had a glass of 2005 Pietri-Geraud Banyuls Blanc.
For dessert, we had Chocolate Peanut Butter Sandwich Cookies and a glass of 1989 L’Etoile Banyuls Grand Cru Reserve.
Overall, we really enjoyed the food, the wines, the atmosphere and the staff.
CAV Wine Bar & Kitchen
1666 Market Street
San Francisco, CA
(415) 437-1770
cavwinebar.com