Dan Penkauskas We went to Emre at The Ava Hotel for the first time last night, New Years Eve, and had an outstanding experience. All four of us loved everything. (Background note: Both couples moved to Paso over ten years ago specifically for its rural location and the wine country vibe, so this type of restaurant is right in our wheelhouse).
Firstly, the hotel and restaurant are beautiful in a elegant and spare style, not fussy or ostentatiously ornate. The large lobby was packed with folks out on the town for New Years Eve - too bad the rain put a damper on the bonfire in the park.
We were quickly seated and our drinks arrived in only moments. We had both a server and an assistant server wait on us. Both were charming and very knowledgeable about the food choices and the amount to order. This was helpful due to the abundance small plates and food for the table that may have otherwise been confusing.
Between the four of us we ordered the lamb kefka, the charred octopus, Moroccan carrots, crispy potatoes, whole branzino, and the Souvlakis with beef and prawn skewers. The only thing I didnt personally try was the branzino, but was assured by our friends that it was excellent too.
The kefka, octopus, carrots, branzino, and Souvlakis were all grilled over a wood fire giving them a smoky charred flavor.
All the items I ate were spicy in both senses of meaning - highly seasoned with wonderful complex Middle Eastern flavors and fairly hot spicy too. This was surprising as I had not experienced hot spicy in Middle Eastern food before. I love how the chef made this rather bold choice in seasoning and hope this trend continues in the future should the menu evolve over time.
The background noise and lighting were both spot on. Even though there are lots of hard surfaces to reflect noise, you could describe it as lively and not excessive. All four of us could converse easily. The lighting was similarly dialed in properly - subdued, but no one felt the need to light up a menu with a phone.
Emre is an excellent destination for fine dining. Certainly unique in Paso Robles, Im pretty sure nothing quite like it (food-wise) is available in either San Francisco or LA. If you like different assertive flavors, this is the place for you.
