Cav Wine Bar

I’m not a big reviewer, but this one moved me, and unfortunately not in a good way. First, it was empty at 8:30 on a Thurs. Off night? Regardless, I should’ve taken it as a hint and gone somewhere else.
The food arrived at our table within 5−10m of ordering, so it clearly wasn’t fully made to order. In terms of taste, the food was generally bland and underseasoned. I’m all for letting the ingredients be the stars, but even that wasn’t working (if it was the intent). The breaded and fried halibut cheeks were cooked ok, but overly greasy– after a few bites they tasted like a mediocre fish and (no) chips. Pork trotters were delicious at first bite, but had a lingering burnt grease aftertaste. The saving grace for us was the simply seared and lightly seasoned peppers– they were quite good. The faro as well as the bean cassoulette had virtually nothing going on flavorwise.
The service was about as blasé as the food. Barely interested in us (again, it was *empty*) or the dishes. We were both starving and ate most everything despite the lack of flavor, yet sat talking over finished plates for close to 15m before they were cleared from the table. My gf’s wine glass sat empty for half of the meal, never was asked if she wanted a 2^nd.
All said, this was a phenomenally poor, unsatisfying experience. I give it 1 star for the first bite of the trotter and the peppers. Never again.

I was here for an event a few weeks ago. Cav is in a great location right on Market, and I was excited to go since I had heard good things about it. I don’t exactly agree.
First, I found the servers to be not very friendly. I mean, they weren’t «unfriendly» per se, but they didn’t really stand out for me. But a bigger issue is the overpricing. I was there at 5 or 6pm on a weeknight and was expecing to find some kind of happy hour special. Nope. No specials to speak of. In fact, I paid $ 12 plus tip for 1 glass of wine. The wine was decent, but come on, $ 12 during happy hour on a weeknight? With so many great places to choose from in the immediate area with excellent happy hour specials, why on earth would I go back to a place that is so expensive?

This was a second stop on a Wednesday night with me and my BFF. We stopped in for a glass of wine and hoping to get some dinner, but the menu really didn’t inspire us. So we just had our drinks and decided to move on next door.
The bartender was very friendly and knew his wines, we both asked for recommendations and he was spot on in what he poured. I like that they have tastes here, sometimes it’s just nice to sample and drink a bit less.
The place was quite empty, not sure why but they should do something about this, Café Zuni and Hotel Biron next to it were both packed.

Been here twice now. Probably won’t go back.
Pros: Great space, never too crowded or loud, excellent wine list.
Cons outweighing the pros by a LOT.
1. Food: very mediocre. Halibut cheeks stringy and flavorless. «Hot» chocolate cake dry, crumbly, and hey, where’s the chocolate? Oh, that meager little drizzle on the plate?
2. Service: My date and I finished our one glass of wine each and our food, and the waiter completely cleared our table without asking us if we’d like anything else. We checked in with each other and decided we’d like to continue hanging out and have another glass. Hellooo? We were totally ignored. Waiter serving other tables, bringing bottles of wine and never even glancing in our direction. For like, 15 minutes. Ouch. We decided to get the check instead and go someplace else.

Noticed from across the street as a little glowy doorway under a red awning. Décor was too subway-​esque for my tastes and I had an uncomfortable and embarrassing plop on the silver metal chair.
I redeemed myself with two excellent tastings of red, 3 piece cheese plate, and the strawberry shortcake. Excellent wine, so so food and presentation. Nice staff. For me, I prefer darker, softer and more cheese :)

I liked the desserts at this wine bar. There are only three and that’s it ($ 8 carrot cake, $ 8 winter citrus, $ 7.50 chocolate cake)…wishing I had photos, but will find some and update! Total was $ 29.96 after tax and a 18% tip since we had a group. The wine list was not too bad either, and doesn’t overwhelm you with too many choices.
This venue needs a better signage or you’ll fail to see or even recognize it (
). The place has a nice vibe to it, using modern furniture and exposed concrete. It also has a NYC theme, what with the Manhattan-​centric murals and all. There are high chairs and tables, or regular cushioned seats and chairs if preferred — thanks ToroE (
).
Good for groups or dates as it is not noisy inside, but noisy enough that conversations can be private (the dim lighting also reflects this).

i always wanted to see what all the hype around bone marrow was about. i’ve had bone marrow butter and things made with bone marrow, of course, however i’ve never had it as an appetizer. i ordered it, thinking it’d be a couple of small bones on a plate with some toast. the next thing i knew, a mammoth plate with four prehistoric looking gargantuan bones stared me in the face. i felt like Wilma from the Flintstones or something. i was impressed, as they served it with the toasts but also a caper-​relish type deal and some sprinkling salt. it was pretty good but after getting through a couple of them, i’d had enough.
i like the corked wall and the random drawing of (i think it was.) Curious George.
service was excellent and the server made sure to note that we were on a time restraint to make the ballet in time. bonus points!

This wine bar was incredible!
Friendly and over achieving staff, contemporary and adventurous menu, gigantic selection of premium and affordable wines.
The décor was modern yet cozy and an overall wonderful place to spend an evening with friends.
I have to make a shout out for the bone marrow and sea scallops which stole my heart, romanced my tongue, and some how disappeared from my life way before I was ready for it to be gone.

Cav and I have a steamy affair. In the cloak of darkness I escape to its warm embrace, stealing moments of slow swirling and sipping. I rekindle my passion for wine.
The new chef tempts, his knife deft, technique excellent and flavors rich. He will satiate any cravings: carnivorous with pork trotter and bone marrow, herbivorous with tender brussel sprouts and pickled pinky carrots, pesca and bivalve-​hungry with sea bass and scallops.
Gazing about, the décor is pleasantly incongruous, like a personality filled rich with surprises. Lover, I have found you. I only wish my wallet could go steady.

3.5 stars.
I was a little upset that they ran out of the roasted bone marrow but the tasty pork trotter made up for it. Instead of the fatty version served up at Incanto, here it’s quite meaty with vinegar dressed frisee to cut the richness. The lardon brussel sprouts were cooked perfectly with a nice sauce to tie everything together. Also, the pomme frites were good, served piping hot, skin on with a tasty aioli.
The mains were slightly disappointing more so because of the portion size. The beef prime ribeye was slightly lacking in seasoning however, and the Tokyo turnips were undercooked, not as good as the ones at Ad Hoc. (Chef is French Laundry alumni) The kurobota pork though, was cooked a nice medium with tasty braised cabbage.
The wine by the glass list was surprisingly short, and the 3 i tried were pretty much just okay/​decent for me. The reds were served slightly warmer than I’d like but once the hot food arrives you tend to forget about it. I liked the Syrah better than the Bourdeaux or the Zin from Paso Robles.

Went over here after finding there was a 90 min. wait for another nearby place (not Zuni). For a place on this price level, we expected more and had a few complaints:
1) Waiter came to tell us about changes to the menu… out of this, that substituted, etc. Since you have a simple paper menu, why not just print new ones and save some disappointments? And even then, they ran out of the scallops just as we ordered.
2) I rarely complain about price, but here’s one instance where I feel like I got ripped off — the agnolotti (think mini-​raviolis) filled with potatoes & cheese were $ 21. For 7. Since we got, hmm, between 7 and 9 of the things, that’s about $ 2.25-$ 3 each. Are you kidding? And 4 – 5 brussels sprouts, quartered, for $ 6? When the agnolotti came out, all of us (my sister and her b/​f are regular customers) didn’t realize this was actually a main.
All the dishes were tasty & flavorful, as was the wine, and the ambiance and our waiters were pleasant. but the portions were skimpy. If you’re a fashion model who wants to have a dinner out where she doesn’t have to stick her finger down her throat after eating to keep looking like a stick figure, this is the place for you. I’m all for moderate-​sized portions, but this is the first time in a long time that I’ve left a restaurant hungry. Not going back.

We ate here about a year ago before a symphony performance and the food took forever. We made it to the hall only a few seconds before the performance but at least the food was good.
When we found out about the new chef, we decided to give it another try. The food is even better, the wine list is excellent, but it still is the slowest meal I’ve had in the city.
We really enjoyed the special mushroom dinner, but everyone thought the food was a touch too salty. In Russia we say that when the food is too salty, the chef must be in love.
We loved the brussel sprouts and the yukon gold agnolotti with beurre Monte and shaved white truffle and the Pig Ears (mushrooms) with pork loin. Candy cap mushroom dessert was good too.

Social networking has made me realize a few things, one of which is that my 20^th high school reunion is coming up and there are actually people whom I used to socialize with regularly, who I thought were the sane ones of my school, who I still call my friends after all of these years who are bat shit crazy enough to want to go to this thing.
They actually want to be reminded that when you are all thrown into a room together after 20 years you revert back. Some people are perceived as better than others with no merit whatsoever and that, though you were not that super unpopular geek that sat alone at lunch, you also were not a part of the crowd everyone wanted to be a part of.
Cav, all of these years later, sort of makes me feel like that «almost there but not quite» gal of the wine bar world. The servers seem selectively nice depending on who you are, who you know and what you say. The food is beautiful but sort of lacking depth, and they sometimes make you feel that if you don’t know the wine on the menu then you are clearly not cool.
The place isn’t all bad, I mean, it reminds me that you can fit in but still have a bit of individuality (the nice décor paired with the chalkboard cartoon walls demonstrates this nicely). I am able to look back on my few visits here and come up with some vague fond memories, mostly of the people I came with. I know enough about wine to know the list is decent. I am certainly not that person that is snickered at behind their back, but if that was all that I required in an experience I would just go to my reunion.

.. .. .. .
It means exactly what it looks like– that’s a review placeholder. For I’ve been overfed, overstimulated and as a result I’m deliriously happy and must go directly to bed. Yep, 4 grand hours of imaginative food and wine has beat me down.
Fucking impressive. Thanks Tadd, Michael and the rest of the Cav staff… detailed review to follow shortly!

Pros:
— ambiance: relaxed, warm vibe. Reminds me of a boston restaurant.
— friendly waitress (made up for her forgetfulness)
— 1000 opentable points
— delicious handmade gnocci
Cons:
–forgetful waitress (forgot our frites, took a while to clear plates)
— very small portion size of gnocci (for $ 17 it shoudl be almost double)
— no bread
— several things on menu «not available tonight»
Overall, if my boyfriend and I are going to throw down a good 80 bux, I want to go somewhere with more attentive service and larger portions.

I’ve only been living in San Francisco permanently for two weeks now, but before I changed my zip code from 92 104 to 94 115, I spent plenty of time in the Bay Area for work related activities. Between living here now, and those previous visits, I’ve probably wined and dined at 50 – 60 different places. While most of those other dinners were enjoyable, none of ‘em even compare to the meal (s) I had last night at CAV. It might have been the best dinner I’ve had all year, actually.
Because it’s been go, go, go since we moved up here, the lady and I had yet to really hunker down for a quality date-​night kinda meal. Last night was our time to shine, and we went big. We asked our server to recommend a few items to bring to the table, and he didn’t mess around. Everything we tried last night was superb, and due to excessive wine intake, I’ll do my best to recall everything we consumed.
*Flash fried octopus with tomatoes — probably the best octopus I’ve ever had. It wasn’t too tough or too slimy. While I typically pass on octopus because of I’m not a huge fan, I’d definitely order this dish again from CAV.
*Gnocchi — came in a cream sauce that wasn’t as heavy as you’d usually experience when ordering this dish elsewhere, but it had just as much flavor. There were roasted nuts on top, and steamed corn which added a really nice crunch to the soft-​textured gnocchi.
*Olive Oil Poached Halibut — came with melted leeks, caper berries, pistachios and dried tomatoes. Halibut is great because it doesn’t overpower the entire dish… it’s pretty innocuous.
*Cheese plate — if anyone really knows me well, they know I’m a sucker for a great cheese plate. While nothing I’ve had to date has compared to the cheese plate at Tractor Room in San Diego, this one was pretty close. Came with two cheeses (the Brilliat Savarin and and a brie cheese from Georgia, If I’m not mistaken), along with a homemade lavender jam, roasted almonds and cashews, sliced apples and currants. Like any well thought out cheese plate, the flavors all complimented each other very well, and everything was extremely balanced.
That was just the food! Don’t even get me started on the wine. My memory is shot, but I’d highly recommend you ask your server for the best pairing for whatever dish you end up ordering. That’s what we did, and we were pleasantly surprised with each glass of vino that arrived at our table.
I know San Francisco is on a completely different level as far as food and food culture is concerned, but I can’t help to wonder where CAV ranks among some of the heavy hitters in the SF restaurant scene. I know Michael Bauer included it in his list of the Bay Area’s top 100 restaurants, though, so it must be one of the best. If future dining experiences are anything like what went down last night, I don’t think I’ll be able to eat anywhere but San Francisco or Tuscany for the rest of my life.

My friends’ and my second time at Cav. They have delicious wines, wonderful food, great ambiance, and a friendly and knowledgeable staff! The waiter was great about answering questions about the wines. My friend chose a French syrah for us, which I thoroughly enjoyed: dry but not very tanin-​y at all.
We ordered the 5 cheese platter, asking the waiter to choose which cheeses for us. He made excellent choices, with the triple cream brie and the goat cheese being my favorites. I wasn’t the hugest fan of the sweet potato fries, as they were quite different from how I am used to sweet potato fries being. We also remembered the pig trotters being delicious the last time we were there, so we had them again. The highlight of the evening was the dessert! I don’t have much of a sweet tooth, but their special for the evening was absolutely decadent! Molten lava cake with ice cream and raspberries! I highly recommend it if they have it when you’re there! (Food pics uploaded.)

Food: 5 Stars
Of all the wine bars in SF, I like the food at CAV the most (so far). Often times, wine bars treat food as a side note, but CAV seems to take a serious approach to their food. With wines from all over the world, they take you on a winery adventure; they do the same with food, taking you on a culinary adventure. I really enjoyed trying interesting items like lamb chop with red wine braised lamb’s tongue, foie gras torchon, pig trotters (feet), and country style boar pâté. It was all very tasty and fun.
Ambiance: 3 Stars
Average. Modern and nice look, but I didn’t fall in love with the décor here. They need to work on their lighting design. In the summer, sunlight shines in from the entrance, not enough to brighten the entire place, but enough to get your eyes adjusted to the direct light, so the place looked dark. I’ve noticed at many restaurants, they keep the interior lights bright when the sun is out, and slowly decrease lighting as night falls. I don’t think CAV does this. I like the atmosphere at places like District (
), Bar Bambino (
), and Circa (
) much more.
Wine: 4 Stars
They had a pretty good selection of wine by glass that changes weekly. They offer taste sizes (2.5 oz). Unfortunately, after tasting 5 reds, I still didn’t find one I really liked.
PRICE:
A sample outing:
$ 17 — Sampling of three house-​made charcuteries
$ 20 — Lamb chop
$ 20 — Four taste size glasses of wine
$ 15 — Tip and taxes
— — — — — — — — — — — — — —
$ 72 — Dinner for two

Despite us having an embarrassingly hard time getting here, with a crazy fucking cabbie that stopped in the middle of a block on Market and told us to get out, it was amazing!
The wines were TASTY and the cheese plate was sinful. We had the bruschetta with beet, apple and marscapone cheese, also very, very good.
Slightly expensive for the amount of food and wine tastes, but overall worth it to check out if you luuuuv some vino.

«I stay out of their way at KMart» — Willie Brown, Mayor of San Francisco when he was asked what he does to help the poor. 1996.
This is the message that was written on a chalk board in the bathroom. For that message alone I give them two stars.
I LOVED the subway vibe of this place. The ambience is rather gritty and urban and, well, subway-​like, and on purpose. Cool theme.
Although I didn’t try any food, the wine was good (one more star) with an ample selection. The Bartenders were extremely nice and very friendly. Unusual for SF, I’d say! They even comped me on a glass of champagne that we pointed out wasn’t on the check.
When I get back to SF I want to revisit the Cav and see what douche bag they are exposing.