"Where-To-Wednesday" Adventures: November 2012

Oh prince. You dazzled us with Purple Rain. You blew our minds with Kiss. But you captured our hearts with Take Me With You. That song would get me dancing in the middle of Sunday service. And now that I'm all grown up and hitting restaurants a tad more frequently than clubs (when did I get old?), as I walk in a tapas restaurant, that song suddenly becomes my anthem. With dishes meant for sharing, I need to get a taste of each....simple math people. And how fitting, Contigo literally translates to "with you." Oh Prince, you could have been a restaurateur in another life. But lucky for us, we've got your songs to jam to while going to town on the delicious food at Contigo. Let's go crazy. (Oh yeah, I went there). At this latest Where-To-Wednesday adventure on October 24th picked by Melissa - Becky, myself and Elizabeth all experienced the charm of Contigo and the glorious lesson of sharing when it comes to Spanish tapas. Yum. Yum. Read on to check out our experience on the 0/10 and if we "adore"d Contigo...or not. I promise, that was the last one. Maybe.

Ambiance 9: A true neighborhood gem, this place leaves me scratching my head as to why I'm not living in Noe Valley. It's a charming spot, with the energy of a restaurant and the comfort of a home. The open kitchen gives it a lively feel, and the overall floor plan is welcoming - with multi-level indoor seating, outdoor dining, and seats along the kitchen counter AND a cava bar. Yes, a cava bar. When am I getting one of these installed in my house? The heavy scent of flavors and aromas brewing in old world dishes cooking up in the kitchen, envelope you in a warmth that is echoed through the soft lighting and carefully placed candles atop each table. So...when are we going back?

Wine 7.5: Did I mention there is Cava bar? Because...there's a cava bar. And so, cava we must. We each tried different kinds. I opted for the Suriol "Castell de Grabuac" brut from Penedes, which was pretty darn magnificent. A tad sweeter than your standard brut with a lingering depth to the cava that brings out its soul. This cava is aged in chestnut barrels which give it a very unique finish - almost a touch of port at the end of each sip. Cava and port in one fantastic drink? How...’extraordinary’. Teehehehe. We also chose a red to go with dinner: the Manchuela, Ponce Buena Pinta, Garnatxa blend 2010 which had a bit of bite at first but mellowed out after giving it some time to breath. Overall good…but not spectacular. Especially when we’re starting with Cava. That’s like being a recognizable one-name know-all and then referring to yourself as a symbol. Wait a second…did I just…yes, I did.

Food 9.5: One of the greatest things about our Where-To-Wednesdays is that we essentially create a tapas style for everything we order. Countless dishes…and we all get the benefit of trying it all. Does it get any better than that? Needless to say, when a true tapas style menu presents itself, we tuck in our napkins and get to work. We all opted for the tapas tasting menu, which included 7 of the nights’ best dishes served family style. Check them out:

- Pimientos de Padron: They must have hired pepper sales reps who go to each restaurant and pitch the pepper, because I’m seeing these more and more and have mixed reviews. The good: they’re lightly salted, slightly crispy and even have a hint of buttery warmness to them. The bad: hidden in this array of seemingly normal peppers are extremely hot, firey peppers just waiting to jump in your mouth and surprise you with a scorching flame. Some might find this fun. Some might find this scary. I don’t remember this issue in the story of Peter Piper when he picked his peppers. Oh how this world has changed.

- Wood Oven Roasted Local Sardine and Avocado Toast: This warm, smoky sardine lays atop a crisp toast, layered with pickled onions and avocado that add depth to the dish and enhance the smoky aroma. Get over the fact that it’s a sardine, and take a big bite!

- Warm Pelicata Squash Salad: This beautiful, brightly colored salad is equally delicious. With crispy frisee topped with shaved Idiazabal cheese, soft squash and crunchy pomegranates literally bursting with flavor, this dish is a sensory overload that you’ll absolutely love.

- Samfaina: Think Ratatouille…re-envisioned. Delicious, fresh vegetables are baked with cheese in a wood oven, creating a warm, inviting dish. And topping it off, are two farm eggs atop, adding a depth and creating a deeper complexity of flavors.

- Calamars a la Planxa: I’ll admit it. In the past, I’ve been scared off by squid ink. It just sounds…disgusting. But if you can get over the name (which you probably can because the words “squid” and “ink” aren’t listed in the dish title), then you’ve got yourself an amazing dish to enjoy. This was absolutely delicious – by far my favorite dish on the menu. The taste is mind blowing – with the salty, soft rice, the rubbery calamari, the zesty artichokes, the hearty chorizo, and the garlicky, sweet allioli and chile oil that both give a sweetness and kick to the dish. An absolute must-have. You’ll thank me.

- Santa Cruz White Sea Bass: Garlicky and delicious, the sea bass sits atop a bed of vegetables – crunch corn, hearty chanterelles and cherry tomatoes – each which add a variety of zest to the dish.

- Albondigas: Meatballs! These four delicious gems filled with pork and jamon, sit in a sea of warm, hearty tomato sherry sauce. At first taste, you’ll swoon at the flavor – warm, juicy meat cooked to perfection with the perfect balance of salt and sweet. What is that...you’ll think. That slightly sweet deep spice you can’t quite put your finger on… It’s cinnamon! And it’s divine. This dish will get you singing like Prince.

Dessert: Yes…yes we did.

- Churros: I see these everywhere I go, and yet I never buy them. Why? What is wrong with me? These are heavenly! With sugar and spice and all that’s nice, these deep fried crunchy churros will get you closing your eyes as you enjoy their goodness. And Contigo even takes it a step further - adding a side of dark chocolate to dip in. Let’s be honest, adding dark chocolate to anything makes it better. But to churros? You will cross over to the other side, my friend.

- Chocolate Sorbet: Delicious and amazingly rich – something you don’t typically find with a “sorbet”

- Vanilla Bean Gelato: this creamy gelato was topped with rich olive oil and sea salt, creating a unique combination of flavors that is absolutely spectacular. The varying textures in the dish – the crisp salt, rich gelato and smooth olive oil – are a perfect combination, and create an unexpected taste at every bite.

- Mint Ice Cream: Creamy and smooth, this fresh dessert was the perfect ending to a delicious meal

Service 9.5: We dined, we drank….and we even learned a few things, thanks to our fabulous server Andrew. Not only did he provide great food recommendations, cava tastes to make sure our first cava experience was a good one, but he seemed to always mysteriously appear whenever we had a question. “These meatballs are amazing, but what’s that spice in them…I can’t seem to put my finger on-“ Enter Andrew from a poof of smoke. “Cinnamon.” Ah yes, that’s it. We probably should have tried out three wishes instead of food questions, but alas, we walked away knowing even more about the delicious food we had tasted.

Price 7: Bring your appetites…and your wallets, especially if you’re drinking. This is the story of our W2W life, but was emphasized even more so at Contigo. The food pre-fixe menu was $40 per person which wasn’t bad, however, the total with dessert (not included!) and wine was a whopping $110 per person. Congratulations Contigo, you win the award for most over-priced restaurant we’ve hit so far. Now if you’ll excuse us, we’ll be in the back…we’ve got some dishes to wash.

Noise Level 9: Contigo embodies the liveliness and energy of constant background buzz you hear at a restaurant where you know engaging conversations are bubbling up everywhere, and the place is alive with excitement. Now…we enter the realm where most fail, and only a few succeed: can you actually hear the people in your group amongst the background clatter? Well, I’m happy to report that Contigo passes the test. Our small group could easily hear each other as we carried on conversation amidst the other chatter in the background. The restaurant is set up with smaller areas throughout the space to dine, which creates a more intimate experience.

All About The Area: Every time I set foot in Noe Valley, I get a bit more smitten with the area. The tree-lined streets, the quaint true neighborhood feel, the little bars and restaurants adorning each corner…it’s such a cozy area I find myself shaking my head as I head about town to the hustle and bustle I currently call home. And during this time of year, as fall nods off to winter and the trees become decorated with millions of tiny twinkle lights, Noe truly embraces and welcomes in the season with open arms. I don’t know about you…but I’m jumping right in!

Overall Score: 8.5