Coqueta

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Just like Slanted Door, Coqueta is one of those restaurants I've seen while walking along the Embarcadero in San Francisco but I haven't had the chance to eat there. Anyway, after Val's dental appointment, we (including the wee one) ended up in Yountville for late lunch (and invited Daddy to join us). Except for Val, we've eaten at Coqueta previously and thought that this was a good place to introduce to Val.

The menu is Spanish and reminds me of Chele's Gallery by Chele, Gallery Vask's Tapas Room, and Arrozeria because of the small plates ("tapas" or "pintxos") and the paella. Coqueta features some of my favourite tapas: salmon ahumado (smoked salmon) and champinones (mushrooms, cheese, and ham skewered with toothpicks). I still miss Jamon Iberico but I probably didn't notice it on the Coqueta menu. The highlight of my meals there has always been the seafood paella sans crustaceans and cooked using rabbit broth instead of seafood broth (yes, Coqueta is quite flexible for people with allergies).

On both occasions, my family enjoyed the food but we still had room for more. The portion sizes were too small (we're talking tapas here after all) for people wanting to be filled to satiety by just one dish. It's like a tasting menu; there's enough to whet your appetite but not too much as to overwhelm the tastebuds. For very flavourful dishes, like these offered by Coqueta, such a serving style was perfect. 

A restaurant that doesn't put too much food on the plate, finally!

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