I have been wanting to try The Tasting Room for ages. I have heard a lot of really good things about it and nothing bad. I knew that it is partnered with Opus 39 another high quality restaurant that I am dying to try, so with all of these pros, I thought there was no time like the present to enjoy some fine dining in Saint Augustine.

We have been trying to work our way around some of the local restaurants, and I am sad to say that it has been a while since we had a truly inspired meal. I do have my favorites here in the Oldest City, but I wanted to get more well rounded and try some other places, before getting stuck in a routine. But each time we tried a new place, we were starting to feel like we just wasted some money on a mediocre meal. So I figured that we needed to have a meal to really get us excited about dining out again, and really get our money’s worth, not only in the food, but the ambiance and the staff. All of these needs were met at The Tasting Room.

The Tasting Room is a small restaurant with a small outdoor eating area. But I suggest that if you really want to experience the ambiance, eat inside. The day we went ( weeknight) it was not crowded at all, so we were able to enjoy a nice table in the back with a tall back sofa to sit in. It was the perfect location for a romantic dinner.

Immediately we felt excited about the prospects. As we began to peruse their extensive wine list, our very informed server, Ryan, was willing to offer suggestions. Roberto has been into beer lately so he went for the one Spanish beer they had on the list – Estrella (although there is a lot of beers from all over the world to chose from). It had a nice hoppy flavor to it. I had never tried a Spanish Rioja before, and I had always wanted to, so I asked Ryan to suggest one to me from their list. So I ordered a Vina Salceda Reserva 2001. It was a dark rich color, kind of like a Merlot, and in the first sip I noticed a lot of complexity – it was dryer than reds I usually imbibe, but in a nice way, there was a nice punch of fruit at the end as well – maybe blackberries. At The Tasting Room you can order wine in 3 different sizes and you can also order a suggested paired wine (3 oz size) with each Tapas you order.

Ah, yes, Tapas…that is what we came for, right? They have a nice selection of hot and cold Tapas as well as Spanish meat platter and then also a nice list of entrees including Paella. We will certainly have to go back and try that sometime.

First we ordered the daily trio this is the chef’s daily choice called a Tasting Flight.

This is a single platter featuring three different Chef Daily Design Tapas and Pinchos . The day we went it was a chilled seafood salad chock full of shrimp and bay scallops in a nice light dressing. Next to that was a mustard encrusted pork tenderloin with a roasted red pepper sauce. Finally there was a panko encrusted piece of Mahi Mahi. Each small dish was packed with intense delicious flavor. We both loved each and every bite.

Then we ordered a few a la carte tapas:

Marinated Manchego with Dried Cherries

Basque Fries with sea salt, anchovies, and rosemary with a Romesco Sauce

Sauteed Calamari with Olives in a White Wine Sauce

Again, we loved each plate. All was a perfect symphony of complimentary flavors. We savored each bite and relished the quality of the food we were eating!

When Ryan asked us if we wanted dessert, we couldn’t say no. Everything had been outstanding so far, we didn’t want to miss out on anything.

We took his recommendation again – Chocolate Truffle Cake with Ancho-Cinnamon Ice Cream. It was certainly not to be missed. For Roberto there was the rich chocolate cake and for me, the amazing chili infused ice cream. It was the perfect size and a wonderful end to our amazing dinner.

I thought that The Tasting Room was going to be a really expensive night out. But when I looked at the quality of food and drink, the experience and the knowledge it was worth every penny. Not only that, it honestly was not much more than other meals we have eaten out – that were certainly not worth the price. Plus to sweeten the deal we had cut out a coupon from one of those mailers, so one of our Tapas was free!

On Fridays and Saturday night The Tasting Room also offers entertainment – there is usually a band – Latin jazz or Spanish music as well as a magician. So The Tasting Room would also be a nice place for an evening drink and a snack while enjoying the show.