SF restaurant review-Piperade

M2d · #1 07-20-2004, 05:12 PM

wow. Maybe it's because I like food in general, but have never had basque food before. maybe it was the company (my wife), or the occasion (our fifth anniversary). this place was spectacular.
She had a crab salad appetizer (that was recommended), and it lived up to expectations and more. I only got one taste before my fork was bannished to my own side of the table. I had a fried codfish croquette appetizer that was much better tasting than it sounds.
for dinner, she had, possibly, the best all-around steak dinner I've ever eaten in a restaurant (the sauteed portobellos kicked @$$). I had a wonderful seafood stew thing. sort of a basque rendition of paella, minus the chicken.

desert was great as well.

total bill, with tip, was in the 120 range, with wine, appetizer, main dish and desert for each of us (plus a cup of coffee for myself).

HDPM · #2 07-20-2004, 06:52 PM

Basque food kicks ass. There is a significant basque population around here so I have gotten to eat some good basque food. Those croquette things are good. There is a couple around here who sometimes cook for big events. The lamb and rice they do is excellent. As a matter of fact, I think the Basque festival might be this coming weekend. Maybe I will go to the feast on sunday. Lamb, rice, other sides, etc... All you can drink beer. Chorizos for dessert. Stupid human tricks like the carrying 110 pounds in each hand and seeing how far you can walk competition. Hmmm, I hope that wasn't last weekend. Anyway, Basque food can be great. Simple but tasty and goes well with a lot of red wine. [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

David Steele · #3 07-20-2004, 07:06 PM

It's probably not as good as the place you just went but you
may want to visit:

http://www.basqueculturalcenter.com/restaurant/

It is not bad and inexpensive.

D.

M2d · #4 07-20-2004, 07:44 PM

I went in with my eyes wide open. Never having eaten basque food before, I certainly didn't pick it just for the cuisine. it was more the write up in esquire and its selection as a top restaurant of 2003 that made me pick it.
that said, though, i'm hooked, and will actively seek out new basque horizons to gallop to. that one sounds great.