It's a fairly common practice for established restaurants to launch retail components. Celebrity chefs like Wolfgang Puck and Emeril Lagasse have made a living out of capitalizing on the success of their restaurants and related food businesses.

Sabor of Spain in San Rafael, however, took a backward approach. It opened almost two years ago as a shop selling Spanish items, including books, ceramic dishware, gourmet foods and a vast selection of the country's wines. The plan was to open a restaurant as well, but it wasn't until earlier this year that Sabor's dining extension, Vinoteca, opened for business.

The restaurant certainly has a lot working in its favor.

With the room's sleek lines and stylish decor, there is a big-city appeal here that is absent in most San Rafael spots. There can be a wait for a table -- reservations are only accepted for parties of four or more -- but browsing in Sabor's retail shop next door is the perfect time killer.

An expansive, granite-topped bar stretches the length of one wall, under a series of small hanging spotlights. Here, up to 12 diners can perch on one of the high-backed wooden stools to order from the dinner menu and the all-Spanish wine list, complete with sherry and cava.

The rest of the space is understated and elegant, with honey-colored walls, dark tables, and a few backlit paintings to provide a splash of color along the back wall.

A team of chefs created an "alta cocina" (haute cuisine) tapas menu, good for sharing over a pitcher of sangria. What's resulted is Spanish fusion, often using local and seasonal ingredients to enhance traditional tapas, but it's the traditional Spanish dishes that emerge as favorites.

To start, diners can choose from plates of assorted Spanish hams, sausages or cheeses ($7.50-$15). It's a nice prelude to the rest of the meal, and good to keep on the table for nibbling throughout the night.

A bowl of gazpacho ($4.50) is another fine starter, with bits of crunchy cucumber providing a nice textural contrast to the cumin-spiked, fresh tomato puree.

Salads don't fare as well. A Caesar manchego ($7.50) tried to integrate Spanish notes into the popular salad, but the dry manchego cheese ended up weighing down the lettuce. The ahi tuna salad ($12.50) also was disappointing, with soapy undertones. Diners at the neighboring table seemed to share the sentiment, and sent theirs back to the kitchen. Our server seemed concerned with the pattern, but took no steps to remove the dish from either of our checks.

The menu is much more focused when it comes to the hot tapas.

Albondigas ($8) for example, are tender and juicy. The meatballs sit on a bed of creamy mashed potatoes, perfect for sopping up the accompanying tomato-and-wine sauce.

Likewise, the tortilla patata ($7) is a delicious adaptation of the Spanish omelet, accompanied here by two dipping sauces. Served at room temperature, the eggs are moist and well seasoned. Mushrooms ($7.50), too, are especially satisfying with a heady mix of garlic and breadcrumbs.

Perhaps the best of the tapas are the stuffed piquillo peppers ($9.50). They taste nothing like the description, which advertises a seafood lobster sauce, but instead the tender peppers have a cheesy, smooth filling.

Judging from most of the entrees, it's a wise choice to stick to a tapas-heavy meal.

Pistachio-almond crusted Pil-pil ($19.50) snapper needed a dose of salt, while the sauce on the lamb chops ($24) was so overseasoned that it masked the meat. The only saving grace was the creamy garlic mashed potatoes underneath.

Filet mignon skewers ($25) stacked beef with artichoke hearts, onions and mushrooms. The vegetables were dry, but the beef was tender and paired well with the accompanying caramelized shallots.

The most exciting entree is the marisco del mar ($23), an enticing seafood medley of salty, briny shellfish with grilled scallop-and-shrimp skewers under a cloud of lemon foam sauce. Here, the kitchen's propensity to experiment is successful.

I was looking forward to trying the paella, which is advertised as a nightly special, but it was unavailable on all three of my visits. It's a dish that I'd hope would have a permanent home on a Spanish menu.

We liked the flan.

Drawing on seasonal ingredients, another dessert showcases fresh berries in a simple mascarpone cream ($5). The sauce lends a smooth element to the dish, allowing the fruit to shine.

With some focus on the menu, Sabor's Vinoteca should remain a hip spot for sharing tapas and sampling Spanish wines.

And the best part? You can grab a bottle of your favorite wine on the way out.