America's 100 Best Wine Restaurants of 2018
Chef Katie Button and her husband, Sommelier Félix Meana, are serious about providing not just a great meal, but also an education. The menu is traditionally Spanish, and the wine list features a detailed map of Spanish wine, with lesser-known producers and regions.
From the Sommelier: “There is a resurgence of knowledge about vermouth, and more and more people are trying their hand at producing their own unique versions. Specifically here in the USA, people are beginning to learn how to drink and enjoy it without it having to be mixed in a cocktail. Sharing the vermouth experience with our customers is something that we take a lot of pride in.” —Félix Meana, Cúrate
Dish We Loved: Berenjenas Con Miel: Fried eggplant drizzled in wild mountain honey with rosemary
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Wine Director Félix Meana and Chef Katie Button
Can you tell me a little bit about your process for working together?
Button: The one thing that was really important is to stay true to who we are. Both the food and the wine are completely authentic.
Meana: Spain has several wine regions, and each has their own personality. We want to represent that. I’ve been incorporating more Sherry, cider and vermouth, too.
So, your food is traditional and your drinks are Spanish. How important is it to you to stick to traditional pairings?
Meana: If someone is looking for a more classic pairing, we’d recommend our octopus or gambas al ajillo with Albariño. If someone likes oloroso, for example, we push them to try it with tortilla española.
Button: We have a map of all the different regions, and we talk about each one and what makes the wines taste like they do.
Sherry’s so popular right now—you have 13 by the glass and one on tap. Is that something people are seeking out when they come in?
Meana: Yes. I’m big on Sherry, and I’m passionate about how well it can work with food… We [also] just opened a vermouth bar about a year ago, and we have a limited food menu, and there we’re pairing with vermouth.
Button: For a long time, we had Sherry by the glass or bottle, but it’s amazing what happens when you throw something on tap. It feels like less of a risk.
Do you spend much time in Spain these days?
Button: We go back every year to see family and see what’s going on there. Félix started these trips in Spain, Cúrate Trips. He takes small groups of 12 to 16 people to experience wineries he loves, restaurants we love, jamón producers, visit these people we have created great connections with.
Meana: I find wines that aren’t here yet, and I have importers who can help me bring them here.
Button: It’s exciting to be able to offer things that people can’t get anywhere else. —Layla Schlack
