Wine is an important but not always the central part of dining at a restaurant. As wine enthusiasts who have become close friends through wine before eventually marrying each other, my wife Jun and I have always tried to incorporate wine into our culinary journey together, ordering wine pairing options or intriguing bottles whenever possible. Saint Urban in NYC, for that reason, really piqued my interest. Certainly, the proposition of the restaurant, a menu that changes every month along with the wine theme or region, sounded quite ambitious even in a crowded NYC dining scene. On our recent visit to NYC last month, we decided to check out Saint Urban with another couple. For June, the restaurant was showcasing a Spain-theme tasting menu and wine pairing options.

There was five- and seven-course options available for the dinner, along with three different types of Spanish wine pairing options (basic, “Reserva” and “Grand Reserva”). Our group opted for the five-course tasting menu with Reserva pairings ($190 per person and $172 per person for the food and wine, respectively). Each course also had two different options, so Jun and I ordered one each and shared the dishes together to get the full picture of the food. The dinner began with almond-themed dishes accompanied by Sherry. Both dishes, one with cucumber and razor clams in ajoblanco soup and the other with lubina lomo (Spanish sea bass), were delicious and led me to think the kitchen was on to something. My favorite part of the dinner was for the second course based on Bomba rice, accompanied by white Garnacha. The Arroz Negro dish with turbot and calamari was outstanding and would not have been out of place at an upscale restaurant somewhere in Spain, and the rich Arroz Caldoso with Maine lobster was also memorable.

For the third course, using rabbit as the central ingredient, I slightly preferred the braised rabbit leg with chorizo and saffron to the rabbit loin a la plancha which I thought was slightly dry in temperature (although Jun thought it was perfectly fine). The fourth course of cheese was somewhat forgettable, even with a pairing of a Rioja red from the legendary producer López de Heredia. The cherry-themed desserts in the fifth course, accompanied by a dessert wine from acclaimed producer made with a rare Muscat of Alexandria grape, were also generally fine. While the Basque flan with vanilla and cherries was not surprisingly delightful, I was looking for a bit more impact from the chocolate and cherry mousse.

Getting a reservation at Saint Urban is not particularly difficult to book, although the dining room was fairly packed during our dinner on Friday. Given its unique theme as a wine-centric restaurant, I thought it might’ve been a little bit more challenging to find a seat. The dining room felt a bit sedated and felt somewhat out of place for the theme of a country known for its energy and passion. In addition to the wine pairing options, of course there are by the glass and bottle options from Spain and elsewhere. In terms of the wine pairings we have done, I thought it was all fine but I guess I was looking for a bit more pleasant surprises from grape varieties or producers I haven’t tried before. Also, I would’ve loved to see a bit more explanations (and enthusiasm) from the sommelier team when they brought out the wines. Even though our experience at Saint Urban was by no means perfect, I thought the restaurant has some good potential for its unique philosophy. I would definitely love to return with Jun when the right theme comes with our favorite wine regions like Champagne or Burgundy.

KenScale: 8.0/10 (Jun’s Score: 8.0/10)

Address: 43 East 20th St, New York, NY 10003

Website: https://www.sainturbannyc.com/

Reservation via Resy