Review: Sangria and Paella at Sonora Grill

A fine meal engages all the senses. We see the bright colors, feel the textures, smell those mouth-watering aromas, and of course, taste.

But to engage our sense of hearing, we have to actively participate. We raise our glasses, clink them together, and say "Cheers!"

In Spain the say, "¡Salud!"

How appropriate, then, to say "¡Salud!" over the most Spanish meal you can get on Lake Street: paella and sangria at Sonora Grill.

A staple at the Midtown Global Market for four years, Sonora Grill opened their standalone brick and morter location on the corner of Lake and 33rd Avenue S in late 2013.

Serving Latin dishes and drinks from all corners of the Spanish-speaking world, Sonora captures Spanish sophistication with big communal tables, late-night specials and an atmosphere that straddles the line between classy and casual.

One of the many great things about paella and sangria is that they are what they say they are. "Paella" comes from the Catalan for pan -- precisely the vessel in which Sonora serves their overflowing version of this Spanish standard.

The paella comes out of the kitchen piping hot. Every time I dug down for another juicy shrimp or tangy chorizo slice, my spoon was met with great billows of steam -- even by the time dinner was over. At $20 per plate, it's a pricey dish, but one that fed me for two additional meals in leftovers.

"Sangria" comes from the K̶l̶i̶n̶g̶o̶n̶ Spanish for bleeding. And Sonora's sanguinous bloodwine sure looks good enough to drink on the battlefield.

Sweet and silky, Sonora's sangria comes with a bright trifecta of citrus slices, adding their own tang to the drink. Sangria is a drink for hot summer nights, so it's relatively low alcohol helps to wash down the richness of the paella. The only downside? It's served in a lowball cosmo glass instead of a double, leaving you wanting at least one more.

Pairing: Complimentary

Price: $$

Post-dinner drunchies: Eggplant fries with chipotle aioli

Location:

Sonora Grill

3300 E Lake St

Minneapolis, MN 55406