Jeninni Kitchen + Wine Bar

From my first glance at the jennini kitchen + wine bar menu I could tell I was in for a treat. The layout is clean, one-sided and summons excitement with concise offerings in crisp lower case: fried chickpeas, bravas, kale + apple, molletes, filone.

A closer look confirms it. Exotic words – urfa, muhammara, and ras el hanout – appear, piquing interest but not confusion, as a glossary at the bottom tells me that they are smoky Turkish peppers, Middle Eastern tomato sauces and North African spices.

We jumped on salmon rillettes ($11) with manzanilla butter, as well as the sopa manchega ($9) made with sherry, jamón (ham) and egg. A bite of each and we were hooked. Next it was Brussels sprouts ($8), flash fried and finished in a pan with pickled raisin, freekeh (roasted wheat) and chorizo sauce, enough to change anyone’s mind about mini cabbage balls. These dishes were the beginning of a steady stream of evidence that this is a trailblazing new restaurant done the old-fashioned way: with experts in their field passionate about their product enjoying authentic culinary training.

Chef Jeffrey Weiss won the silver medal at the 1995 U.S. Figure Skating Championships, but really started pulling serious stunts in Cornell University’s hotel and hospitality program and through the ICEX (Spanish Institute for Foreign Trade) culinary scholarship, which gave him a year of intensive training in Spain. He went on to work under James Beard Award winning chef Jose Andres in D.C. and notable chef Adolfo Muñoz in Spain. His own Charcutería: The Soul of Spain cookbook arrives at my doorstep March 13, according to Amazon. His care and balance – with a hint of mystery and loads of attention to detail – has me dreaming of Jeninni, which happens to be their hashtag of choice (#idreamofjeninni).

Owner-GM Thamin Saleh is known as one of the most distinguished vets in the local hospitality industry, with years as sommelier, manager and director of food and beverage under his belt at places like Marinus and Pacific’s Edge. Jeninni is a person from Jenin, a Palestinian city located in the northern West Bank and also Thamin’s native land. It’s also the name of his own superb wine label.

Now back to the food. The bullfighter’s steak ($26) is topped with a mild tangy mojo verde (canarian herb plus anchovy sauce). I appreciate the grilled radicchio salad topped with a confit of piquillos (sweet spanish peppers) making this a balanced entree with different textures and a satisfying combo of bitterness, sweetness and acidity from the vinaigrette.

On our second visit, the “winter 2013” offerings included chicken liver pate ($8) concocted with caramel-like Pedro Ximenez sherry that works wonderfully with the crusty bread and pickled onions.

The market pickles ($8) included kohlrabi, greens in harissa and a mushroom escabeche. Sublime. As intended, all the plate hopping begs for lots of sharing and a glass of wine.

I always order the ham of the month. (He did write the book on charcuterie.) The Benton’s smoky mountain ham ($13), resourcefully sourced from Madisonville, Tenn., was served with grilled filone (Italian bread) and miel de cana butter, a Spanish molasses smear that has a mouthfeel approaching edible silk.

The crispy octopus ($14) – served with Calabrian chile for a little kick and lemon mermelada instead of a squeeze of lemon – was a highlight of my third visit. This time the the ham of the month ($16) was a peanut-fed Berkshire hog from Surry, Va., which is American-made charcuterie at its finest. The peanut diet helps break down amino acids for a melt-in-your-mouth experience and a buttery flavor. The pilav ($18) here is far from an ordinary rice dish, with toasted pumpkin seeds tossed with greens and yogurt crema and topped with fresh dungeness crab. I hope the steamed clams ($16) will be on the menu for a while, as they are prepared with gypsy toasted rice broth (or olla gitana), potatoes and chorizo. Much more fun than white wine, garlic and butter.

Desserts are mandatory, with a list as unique as the rest of the menu. Goat’s milk flan ($9) with cajeta (goat’s milk caramel) and brown butter-peanut dukkah (an Egyptian herb-nut mix) are flavor explosions, as was the arroz con leche ($9). On another occasion, the pumpkin sundae ($8) – served up with pistachio and sesame candy and pomegranate molasses – provided a mind-blowing combo, a true treat and testament to Weiss’ versatility.

Everyone I’ve taken there, including a lot of hospitality pros, enjoys it with utter excitement. That includes the wine, from one of the most adventurous and rewarding new lists in the area, stocked with affordable vinos and a wide variety from prosecco and cava by the glass to Pecorino ($7.50/glass, $27/bottle), a white wine by La Piuma from the eastern coast of Italy. Expect the unexpected when it comes to the wine.

And that’s the takeaway here: No same old, but an invigorating education for your palate, dished in an unintimidating atmosphere accompanied by professional service with no detail left unturned. Saleh and Weiss are an inspiring pair.

JENINNI KITCHEN + WINE BAR 542 Lighthouse Ave., Pacific Grove. • 5pm-close except Wednesdays. • 920-2662, www.jeninni.com.