Tapas bar standing tall
La Taberna carves out taste of Spain in Wine Country
A rakish guy with the look of someone out of an English romance novel sat at the narrow counter in front of the window at La Taberna, sipping wine, picking at a bowl of olives, reading a book and occasionally glancing up to see what was going on.
A bear of a man with chinlength curly hair, looking as if he had just pruned a few acres of vineyards and was coming in for a break, sat at the long bar like you’d find in tapas spots in northern Spain and chatted up the friendly guy behind the bar.
A few minutes later, two young women in dresses and heels perched on the stools next to him and ordered glasses of wine.
As one group got up from a table along the wall, a foursome in their 60s came in, greeted the bartender like a good friend and went to the vacated table.
Throughout the night, locals filtered in and out; some, like the man at the window, stayed for a while; others had a few quick nibbles, a glass of cider and were out in 30 minutes.
It felt like a place everyone wanted to be, whether for half an hour or three. In downtown Napa there are lots of options to dine and drink wine, but there are far too few places to just hang and have a bite, which is what makes La Taberna so compelling.
This tapas bar is only a few doors away from sister restaurant ZuZu, which offers a more extensive tapas menu and paella.
For the design of La Taberna, owner Mick Salyer obviously paid attention to what was happening in Spain, what with the tile-fronted bar and the row of bar-height tables jutting out from a metal-topped box along the opposite side. With dark walls and an impressive mural, the space feels modern and finished, a pleasant blend of California and Spanish cultures.
At the back of the 45-seat restaurant, diners can see chefs Jean-Claude Balek and Yancy Windsperger working in the tiny kitchen, turning out 16 or so small plates.
The nightly changing selection is listed on chalkboards behind the bar, but always leads off with jamon Iberico de bellota ($12 per ounce), which sets the tone of the menu. Thin slices of striated cured meat glisten from the melting fat and are arranged with toasted bread on a cutting board.
Most items are $5 to $8. For $5, there are a half dozen grilled spears of asparagus, topped with shavings of cheese and pools of romesco and mustard sauce. The vegetable is precisely cooked so it still has a little bite.
At $6, the offerings include a medley of sauteed mushrooms and a refreshing watercress salad; $7 brings such items as artichoke hearts and hamachi crudo.
Much of the menu is protein-heavy. The chefs serve a manicured square of suckling pig ($12) in a casserole on a bed of brunoise — finely diced onions,
celery and carrots that show off the chef’s knife skills. Balek, who worked in Spain and was the executive chef of Google, dices the vegetables so evenly that the flavors meld and help cut the richness of the meat.
His time in Spain shows on the yellowfin luz rosa ($6), where chunks of tuna are coated in a thick, smoky tomato sauce. They’re served in an oval can and accompanied by toasted bread.
The kitchen also creates interesting dishes such as placing blood sausage on squid ($7); frying pickled smelt ($4); making tartare from lamb ($7); and cutting pig ears into strips and frying them until crisp ($6).
These bold treatments support the beverage list, which includes 17 wines by the glass, many from Spain and only four from California. There are also a half dozen ciders, including Oregon’s Wandering Aengus ($12) and the Basque Isastegi ($12).
Appropriate to the venue, the list also features a dozen sherries and 15 beers. The bottle list follows the same path, favoring Basque and French wine over California. As with the food, it’s the antithesis of typical Wine Country offerings, which makes the place stand out even more.
The most substantial items — and the best — are the bocadillos, where the torpedoshaped rolls are cut on the diagonal and speared with toothpicks decorated a red or green ball. Fillings can include merguez ($6) with a layer of crunchy lettuce; house-cured brisket with slaw ($7); meatballs ($7); and tuna ($6).
Desserts are more savory than sweet; like the tapas, they’re designed to go with beverages such as Madeira. Choices might include an empanada ($7) stuffed with Tetilla cheese and drizzled with honey. A chocolate bite with peanut butter mousse ($4) will satisfy those who need something really sweet.
La Taberna fills a neglected niche in the Napa Valley dining scene. It’s come-as-youare, casual fun.