Portland, Maine | Charming French x Spanish Restaurant Chaval ✨

Recently, I drove from Boston to Portland and checked out several of the city's most famous restaurants. However, it was at Chaval that I discovered Portland's understated, romantic charm. Tucked away in a residential area of Portland, the ambiance is incredibly romantic, with every detail exuding a laid-back yet sophisticated vibe ❤️ 🥂 Here's what we ordered: 🥖 Saucisson Sec De Canard Air-dried duck sausage with rich, aromatic spices – savory and perfect for whetting the appetite. 🍄 “Sauvage” Wild mushrooms with grapes and pistachios – an amazingly unique flavor! The smoky aroma of the mushrooms intertwined with the sweet and tangy fruit notes created an incredible layers of taste. 🥗 Persimmon Salad (Daily Special) Persimmon salad with a sweet and tangy dressing mixed with minced beef cheek – fresh, light, and not greasy at all. 🐟 Grouper (Daily Special) Grouper with delicate, tender flesh, paired with parsnip purée and the creamy, nutty flavor of hazelnuts – a super sophisticated combination. Several tables around us ordered this too. 🍗 Coq Au Vin A signature dish you MUST order‼️‼️‼️ The classic red wine-braised chicken is executed flawlessly. It comes with large bacon lardons, potatoes, carrots, shiitake mushrooms, pearl onions, and a rich, silky red wine sauce. The chicken is incredibly tender, falling apart and soaked in flavor. It's absolutely heavenly dipped with the accompanying toasted bread!! The drinks were also impressive: 🌰 Torcedor Soda: A sparkling drink made with sweet potato, tamarind, and lemon – refreshingly sweet and tart with a tropical vibe. 🍯 Té Español: Iced black tea infused with cardamom, juniper, and honey – the aromas unfold layer by layer. I loved this one even more! 🍷 The wine list is also thoughtfully curated. The Partida Creus “TN” (Daily Special) and Huguet Can Feixes paired perfectly with the dishes – just the right level of tipsy. 🍮 We were too full after all this, so we skipped dessert ~ but we saw the ice cream and desserts ordered by the neighboring tables, and they all looked incredibly distinctive! Overall, the dining experience at Chaval was masterful! Every dish found a perfect balance through fusion, carrying the soul of French and Spanish cuisines while embodying Portland's creativity and wildness. ✨ Romantic ambiance, stunning food, unique cocktails – I highly recommend it for a date night or a gathering with friends. 📍 Chaval #PortlandMaineFood #RestaurantVibes #PortlandEats #Boston #Maine #PortlandFoodDiscovery #RestaurantRecommendations #SpanishCuisine #BostonLife #HiddenGemRestaurants