The Top 5 Things To Order At Piperade

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Photo of the “Piperade” courtesy of Piperade.

Named after a country stew, Piperade is a trip to the Pyrenees by way of San Francisco. The West Coast Basque restaurant, brought to you by Chef Gerald Hirigoyen, serves a menu true to his Basque roots. According to Michael Bauer, the North Beach locale has “a rustic, stylish appeal as inviting as the food.” The picon punch is flowing, now here’s what to order:

1.Piperade: The namesake of the restaurant, this pepper stew is a medley of slow cooked onion, peppers, peak of season tomatoes, ventrêche (French pancetta), and a poached egg. It’s the perfect hearty soup for a San Francisco summer.

2.Potato + Manchego Gratin: Comfort food is the name of the game. A rich combo of potatoes and buttery manchego cheese makes this dish a hot ticket item. Get it before the kitchen runs out.

3.Basque Rice “Gaxuxa”: A Basque take on risotto with sweet roasted corn, wild mushrooms, tomato, Ossau-Iraty (a Basque sheep’s milk cheese), and espelette peppers, this dish will transport you straight to San Sebastián.

4.Roasted Rack of Lamb: Execution is key and Chef Hirigoyen nails it with a juicy cut of meat. Support from the spicy Merguez, sweet Fennel, crispy roasted bread and date relish plays.

5.Orange Blossom Beignets: Save room for dessert. These are exactly what beignet dreams are made of- crispy on the outside, light as a feather on the inside, with a hint of sweet orange blossom.

Bonus. Gege’s Nightcap: How do you end an epic meal? With a cocktail nightcap. Wint & Lila gin, tonic, orange, peppercorn and star anise makes for one refreshing beverage. Topa!

Grab a seat today.