Cuisine:

• Others
• Tapas
• Bar
• Lounge, club, bar
• Contemporary

Cava Restaurant Description:
The décor is bistro minimalist---wood tables, hard floors, bare, white-washed walls hugged by leather banquettes. The bar's wine bottle display, hanging legs of Serrano jamón and white ceiling baffles break the monotony and cacophony somewhat. No matter, the tapas by owner-chefs Chris McDonald and Doug Penfold are the draw and get better with every passing month. Several of the 30-plus selections change every week in tune with the harvest and the weather. House-made charcuterie, braised veal cheeks and hand-cut, twice-fried papas fritas are in-demand constants, while porky beans with crispy, braised pork belly appears during the chill of fall. Veal sweetbreads on radicchio-poblano salad are delightfully crisp on the outside with custard-like innards. Meanwhile, a pork belly tamal with roasted tomatillo sauce and fresh morels is decadently tasty, and---by contrast---pineapple and jícama salad with smoked trout is a refreshing starter. Desserts often have Latin flair, drawn from McDonald's Mexican cooking adventures; ones to watch for include churros con chocolate and crema Catalana foam with leche frita. Be sure to stop by his adjacent XocoCava for some of the city's best chocolates, ice creams and candies to go. About 250 well-chosen wines are available, over 20 of them by the glass. Order several dishes each, and eat from them family-style to best appreciate the diversity of piquant, provocative flavors.