November 14, 2005

Foreign Reserve

Cav Wine Bar Opens

Big, bold, California reds are to these parts what football players were to high school.

Available by the dozen, great at parties, and hard to miss.

There’s nothing wrong with that. But sometimes a girl craves something a little different, exotic, and daring.

Fortunately, the newly opened Cav Wine Bar can help you on your quest. Done up with softly glowing light, red walls, and zinc tables, the Market Street newcomer has 40 wines available by the glass. Only three hail from the Golden State and just five from U.S. soil. The rest come from vineyards in Spain, France, Italy, Portugal, Chile, Greece, and Croatia.

But the adventure hardly ends with the fruits of the vine. The kitchen churns out crudo plates like velvety halibut drizzled with red wine vinegar and saffron and an antipasti platter of cured meats, cheeses, and marinated vegetables. Plates, available in small or large portions, pair nicely with sides like creamy butternut squash gratin.

All lovely things to enjoy as you traverse new frontiers — even while you continue to appreciate the old standbys.

After all, with wine, as with menfolk, you should never underestimate the value of good body.

Cav Wine Bar, 1666 Market Street, between Franklin and Gough Streets (415-437-1770 or cavwinebar.com).