The gist: Spanish and French-inspired cuisine in a rustic, romantic space, cooked up by two-time James Beard Award nominee Ilma Lopez; her husband, Damian Sansonetti, who manned stoves as executive chef at Bar Boulud in NYC before the couple moved to Portland; and talented chef de cuisine, Kirby Sholl.The food: A menu made up of snacks, small plates, and larger dishes lets you mix and match. Warm olives, patatas bravas, and paper-thin plates of nutty Iberico ham are fun to pair with cocktails like the Martini Sec (London dry gin, extra dry vermut de reus, rancio sec, orange bitters, Spanish queen olive) or a glass of vermouth. You can stay in tapas territory or move on to bright seasonal salads and dishes like fideos (Spanish vermicelli noodles), tainted with squid ink, tossed with chorizo and piquillo peppers, and dolloped with green crab aioli; or Coq au Vin, a rich chicken, red wine, and bacon lardon braise, with heirloom carrots, mushrooms, potatoes and pearl onions.

On a charming residential street in Portland’s gorgeous West End, Chaval's Iberian-influenced menu offers snacks, small plates, and larger dishes, and you can build your meal in whatever fashion you like. Some favorite tapas include patatas bravas, served with spicy tomato sauce and aioli; deviled eggs with boquerones, queen olives with pimenton, and local wild mushrooms served with a lightly fried duck egg, crisped chorizo, and sherry vinegar. Seasonal salads and larger dishes might include Maine halibut with runner beans, spruce yogurt, and Iberian XO sauce.

Imagine Chaval as the restaurant version of a Donny and Marie song, where the menu has to navigate being “a little bit French” and simultaneously “a little bit Spanish,” while also utilizing local produce, meat and seafood. Chef Damian Sansonetti and pastry chef Ilma Lopez somehow make it all work, just as the married duo has since they debuted this West End gem back in 2017. Several varieties of sherry on tap, inventive cocktails, a terrific burger and world-class desserts are part of the recipe for success, as is the rambling charm of this cozy, converted residence.

The married team of Damian Sansonetti and two-time James Beard Award nominee Ilma Lopez operates this beloved brasserie off the beaten path in the West End, highlighting Spanish and French seasonal fare. Menu-wise, the selection varies daily, but everything from classic patatas bravas to coq au vin or roasted local monkfish is on the table (and served on the expansive patio with its heat lamps and fire pit). For the fullest experience, be sure to kick off the meal with an aperitif from the more-than-solid vermouth selection.

Piccolo might be gone, but Chaval – chefs Ilma Lopez and Damian Sansonetti’s sensational Spanish/French mashup – lives on. Portlanders are lucky that it does. Where else can you order Catalan “pan con tomate,” garlic-rubbed toasts smothered roughly in pulp from the summer’s freshest tomatoes ($8), and a side of squid ink fideos (short, toasted vermicelli, $23) that, thanks to its green crab aioli, also represents a clever and tasty way to battle an invasive species?.

Right around the corner from The Francis, Chaval serves French and Spanish influenced cuisine alongside delicious craft cocktails. Co-owner and pastry chef Ilma Lopez also has a reputation for inventive and incredible desserts to finish off your meal. The Spanish sundae is a favorite: smoky serrano ice cream served with chocolate cake, pork-fat caramel and vanilla and black pepper whipped cream.

Try your best not to fill up on the standout small plates (see: house-made morcilla, cured local bluefish on smoked onions) at Spanish-leaning Chaval, or you’ll risk being too full to try Ilma Lopez’s desserts. She’s one of the most talented pastry chefs in town, just as skilled with the simple (sticky and addictive maple pie) as the ornate (Paris-Brest with cacao sorbet).

Chaval is a brasserie and outdoor patio in Portland’s West End, featuring delicious dishes with a Spanish-French fusion inspiration. The restaurant prioritizes locally sourced ingredients and also features an extensive menu of craft beer, wine, and cocktails. When the weather is pleasant, you’ll find many diners enjoying a meal on the patio!

Join Sommelier Erica Archer and James Beard, Finalist, Best Chef Northeast, Chef Damian Sansonetti, Co-Owner of Chaval, for a delicious Virtual Wine Dinner centered on the cuisine and wines of Spain. All enjoyed from the comforts of home and the help of technology. And we’re delivering it all to your door on the afternoon of the event.

With its warm lighting and French- and Spanish-inspired cuisine, Chaval in Portland’s West End is a great date-night destination. Don’t miss the starters, like the simple pan con tomate or trumpet mushrooms with chorizo and duck egg. Entrees like swordfish a la plancha and coq au vin are hearty wintertime favorites.

Husband-and-wife chefs Damian Sansonetti and Ilma Lopez have pulled off a rare combination: Chaval is both a buzzy destination dining spot that makes “Where to Eat Now” lists and a cozy neighborhood brasserie where the staff recognizes the locals and regulars hold down barstools.

Chaval is first and foremost a French/Spanish small plates restaurant, but its small bar offers a cocktail menu that’s worth a visit on its own. It’s unsurprisingly heavy on sherry, gin, and aperitifs and offers a strong selection of French, Italian, and Spanish vermouths.

Offering seasonal French and Spanish cuisine, Chaval is a local favorite in the west end of Portland. Seasonal meal via Chaval. Chaval prides itself on using local ingredients to craft their mouth-watering creations.

The result is salty, smoky, sweet, and crunchy — and as the coda to a meal at Chaval, it nicely encapsulates how co-owners Lopez and chef Damian Sansonetti run a kitchen, minimizing waste and maximizing flavor.

Restaurants like The Honey Paw, Eventide, Chaval, Central Provisions, and Tipo plan to stay open throughout the cold, dark months to give us Portlanders a light at the end of the tunnel.

Best Chef: Northeast – Bowman Brown, Elda/Jackrabbit; Vien Dobui, Công Tử Bột; Ben Jackson, Magnus on Water; Courtney Loreg, Woodford Food & Beverage; Damian Sansonetti, Chaval.

West End's Chaval, located at 58 Pine St., is another top choice, with Yelpers giving the cocktail bar, Spanish and French spot 4.5 stars out of 97 reviews.

- Rating: 4.3/5 (263 reviews)- Price level: $$$- Address: 58 Pine St. Portland, Maine - Categories: Spanish, French, Cocktail Bars- Read more on Yelp