Caf & #233; 207 in San Clemente may be small, but it does a fine job of getting the local stamp of approval. Hospitality is a big factor since it is family owned and run. The compact size makes for intimacy. The food is prepared with love.
We wanted to get together again with some of our longtime friends who live in South County, Jean and Wayne McMurray and Leigh and Ralph Siemion.
Since the McMurrays live in an oceanfront home in San Clemente, it’s always a big treat to sit in the comfort of their home and watch the ocean as we enjoy drinks and food. Jean is an artist, so enjoying her paintings is an added bonus.
She’s also an excellent cook but this time we all met at the McMurrays’ home for a glass of wine and some munchies, with Caf & #233; 207 as our final destination.
Everyone looks forward to seeing owners Peter and Sarah Donahue-Ortiz and chef Darren Corralez. They are the ones,often helped by other family members,who explain the seasonal items on the menu.
Six years ago, Peter and Sarah bought the restaurant from Darren, who had already been running it as a local dining spot under a different name. They wanted Darren to stay on and continue his style of food. The sale subsequently freed Darren from the complete management package and allowed him to concentrate on his real love, cooking.
Walking into the restaurant, generous use of authentic Mexican tiles might mislead one to think that the menu is going to be south of the border. Not so. That’s left to the family’s del Agave restaurant. Del Agave also is a small place, situated just across a cute courtyard from Caf & #233; 207.
At Caf & #233; 207, the level of intimacy makes itself immediately known. Maximum seating inside is about 42, but patio seating adds more tables. Once inside, you work your way along the narrow space between the counter’s stools (about 20 of them) and the front window wall. It’s a long bar and people always are eating there so we get to peek at some plates of food as we pass by. At the end of the bar, there’s only one table for six, one for five and two smaller ones. Our little party of six is lucky to get the banquette along the back wall.
We got to sit beside the tropical fish tank, a colorful amusement. A few eclectic adornments make up the rest of the decor: a couple of bas relief panels, a stuffed animal head, a friendship totem, a vertical row of framed prints and several vibrant paper lanterns. One large and beautiful flower arrangement sort of centers it all. This allows Darren to skip over borders in putting together some American and global dishes, all served in generous portions.
Everyone seems so comfortable with their food. As soon as you look at the wine list, it’s easy to see why almost everyone has a wine glass in front of them. Caf & #233; 207 doesn’t have a hard liquor license but the wine list is pretty extensive. On this most recent dinner, Wayne ordered the Coppola 2005 Oakville Sauvignon Blanc. It’s so well balanced and refreshing that even I, the red wine drinker, opted to have it throughout my meal.
Between winery names like Joseph Phelps, Far Niente, Epiphany, J. Lohr, Stags Leap, Trefethen and Greg Norman, there are clever and sometimes cultish finds. Red Truck pinot noir from Sonoma, Ravenswood “old vine” Zinfandel and Concannon Petite Sirah get my attention. They serve many wines by the glass and there are numerous fine labels in the $23 to $45 range.
I did not expect to find escargot calling to me from the current menu. But there they were, described as very French in garlic butter. I love them and caved in. They were delivered along with a basket of soft batons of bread. At first, everyone enjoyed the fresh bread, but then I found myself sharing the garlicky essence of the escargot.
Other interesting appetizers popped out at us as well. Blackened ahi conveys a creamy soft texture against the crunch of wonton chips mixed with Japanese cucumber slices and mixed greens.
Four prawns indulge in a wrapping of spinach and then bacon and come atop baby greens with a slightly tangy Thai style sauce.
Other notable tastes come via the bruschetta, breaded artichoke hearts and romaine hearts with Danish blue cheese and candied walnuts.
The tomato herb soup is excellent. It’s a large bowl of fresh tomato, basil and garlic broth with house seasonings and made to order. This soup could transcend seasons.
There are always about eight entrees supplemented nightly by several specials. Very popular is the Caf & #233; Filet Mignon: 8 ounces of steak topped with portobello mushrooms with a ribbon of Port wine reduction around it. Two in our party ordered it.
I opted for the pork tenderloin.
While it is described with a spicy raspberry chipotle sauce, I asked instead for a sun-dried tomato and garlic cream sauce and they happily made it. The dish was superb, sided with lots of fresh vegetables. The sauvignon blanc we were drinking influenced my alternative choice of sauce.
A trio of pasta dishes is on the menu now and there’s a whole rack of lamb for only $31, seared with fresh herbs, served with mashed potatoes and grilled asparagus spears. Grilled salmon is a large portion, not overcooked so it’s still juicy inside and stacked with a variety of seasonal vegetables. Seared ahi comes over saut & #233;ed spinach.
Dessert is usually about three items. The cr & #269;me br & #369;l & #233;e is silky and made fresh daily. A velvety chocolate cake is great and the extra tart or ice cream on hand just adds more smiles.
Reservations are highly recommended.
AT A GLANCE: Caf & #233; 207
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Address: 207 S. El Camino Real
San Clemente
Phone: (949) 369-6304
Hours: From 5 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday
Prices: Appetizers from $6 to $13; entrees from $14 to $31
