Basque Boulangerie - Bakery/Cafe, Sonoma

460 1st Street West, Sonoma, CA 95476
(707) 935-7687
Parking: street parking

Last Visited: June 14, 2003

Food: 3 stars, 5 star pastries
Atmosphere: 3 stars
Service: 3 stars
Price: $ to $$

First, let’s remind ourselves that this is a café, so when I talk about service, you’re really talking to someone behind a counter to order and then you hear your name when your food is ready. We’re not talking about a full service operation. You will even need to get your own silverware should you need any. Now that this is out of the way, we can officially begin.

Basque Boulangerie is a café bakery. There is a bar and small tables near the walls and windows as well as several tables outside. It’s a great place to go on a lazy Saturday morning for pastries and it’s excellent anytime for French bread. The menus are above the counters and the place reminds me of small cafes in Berkeley, but with a French twist. You’ll find locals and tourists alike in this place. The glass display counters show a variety of fresh pastries, both savory and sweet, and of course, cakes are available too. They also have a fine wine selection with the bottles on the wine rack above the bar.

The story behind Basque – once upon a time, the Sonoma French Bakery (SFB) was the place to go to get your French bread. It was well known by all, and tourists still as where it went. Well, back in the late 90s, SFB sold to another owner, and with it, they also sold the recipe for their great bread. An agreement was made that the previous owner would not open near that place for x amount of years, and just past that agreement date, Basque Boulangerie opened several doors down from SFB. Ah, the saga begins. Of course, the locals knew which place had the original owner, and the original owner of SFB was able to realize their dream of opening a café bakery.

There is a lot of variety available – soups, sandwiches, salads, pastries. There are always daily specials which include unique items. Daily soups, salads, quiches, sandwiches, etc are listed on a white board above the counter.

- Bread – Get any of their breads. They’re soft on the inside, and crusty on the outside. Great for parties too. They are available in many sizes and varieties – sourdough, sweet French, bague, baguette, seeded, etc. They’re so popular that Basque also sells its products to local supermarkets, baked fresh daily.

- Pastries/Cookies – You really can’t go wrong here. I love the pastries. Not much to say – they’re excellent.

- Sandwiches – Basque makes great sandwiches, especially the corned beef sandwich with sauerkraut. The roast pork sandwich can be a little on the dry side for my taste, but the prosciutto and brie is also great. Their chicken salad sandwich can be really nice too.

- Soup – The soup comes in those huge coffee cups. They’re great. Always hearty – be daring and try a soup that you might not normally go for. I haven’t been disappointed yet. They make a great chicken noodle soup.

My only bad experience here
- Salad – all in all, this was my only bad experience. Salad comes with bread. Nothing wrong with that. Most of the time, their mixed green salad with champagne vinaigrette is terrific. One time, it was like the greens weren’t washed and all I could taste was sand/dirt. You could feel that crunchy feeling in your mouth that isn’t supposed to be there. You could even scrape the plate with a fork and hear the granules. Gross. Aside from this, all the other items I have tried are without fault.

What café/bakery is without coffee. Everything that is brewed smells great. I usually go for the soup, so you’ll have to judge the coffee yourself. The hot chocolate is good though.

This is a terrific place to go to get a feel for Sonoma. When I’m at the Sonoma Plaza, I always try to stop off at Basque for lunch. They have such great bread – everyone loves it. It’s quaint charm is inviting, and it will continue to serve Sonoma for a long time to come. If you’re bored, go outside and sit at one of those tables. You’ll enjoy watching the people strolling the plaza. This place is a must try.

Basque Cultural Center - South San Francisco

599 Railroad Avenue, South San Francisco, CA 94080
(650) 583-8091
Parking: in parking lot
Hours: Lunch Tues-Fri 11:30am - 2:30pm, Dinner Tues-Sat 5:30pm to 9:30pm, Sun 5pm-9pm, Closed Mondays
http://www.basqueculturalcenter.com/

Last Visited: December 19, 2010

Food: 3 to 4 stars
Atmosphere: 3 stars
Service: 3 stars
Price: $$ to $$$

Alan and Sandy brought us to the Basque Cultural Center (BCC) about a year ago. After watching the television show Check Please, they were excited to go check out BCC and share the experience with us.

Sunday Lunch
While BCC is not officially open to the public on Sundays during lunch, we were invited to join the regular BCC members for their family style lunch. Upon our arrival in the dining room, we noticed that all the tables were set together to make several long tables for 20 to 30 people. A small loaf of French bread had been set out at each seat and the meal was about to begin. The noise level in the room was high as the regular members were enjoying telling stories and fellowshipping with one another. We sat across from Lucian (shown here in his cute beret), a regular, and his family and neighbors and learned about how the Basque members purchased the site and built the building on their own in the early 1980s. The BCC currently has about 500 members. Each Sunday, a number of them gather in the dining room for lunch – one of the men referred to the BCC as his church :) and his family.

Unlike meals that are open to the public, these Sunday lunches have a set menu served family style for 6 to 8 people. The meal begins with the aforementioned French bread (no butter, unless you’re not Basque and you ask for it), and starts with a soup served in a large stainless bowl. The soup is divided amongst patrons of the immediate table and we enjoyed a hearty vegetable soup with zucchini, potatoes, carrots, and more. Next, the first course comes. Today, the first course was stewed pig’s feet. The whole dish was so incredibly tender that many asked for seconds. Next up was the second course – chicken thighs braised in onions and tomatoes until tender. This came in a large casserole and the flavors melded together wonderfully – a little sweet, and the meat fell off the bone. Saffron rice and French fries are served on big plates alongside the chicken. And the French fries at BCC are really good. Everyone passes the plates around and serves one another. Lucian explained to me that the French have their salad first. The Basque however end their meals with salad. This fresh salad of mixed greens had a creamy dressing and like everything else, it was also served family style in a large bowl. If that weren’t enough, a cheese plate follows – each person enjoys a big slice of Basque cheese. If you go to Costco or Trader Joe’s, you’ll find Petit Basque cheese which is pretty close to what we had – it’s soft and has delicate flavors, but served just below room temperature, it’s quite good. Lastly, we enjoyed individual cakes that were filled with a lot of liquor, and those whom were interested were served liquor as well. This is in addition to the wine on the table throughout the meal. The quality of the food was wonderful! And they definitely know how to have a good time!

Since this experience, I have been to the BCC at least three more times. Regular dining is equally good when it comes to food, but there is really something special about the camaraderie shared during the Sunday lunch. The people are incredibly warm and inviting. During the meal, people told stories and jokes, asked us where we were from and how we came to know about the restaurant, and we enjoyed great conversation. Bowls and dishes are removed frequently and the servers are really on top of things, including joining in on the great conversation.

All of my recent dining experiences at BCC have been for dinner. Reservations are recommended because there are some occasions when the center closes for special events and other times when you might find yourself waiting a long time for a table. Each time, the hostess and waiters have been the same. The staff know their individual jobs well, and while you see that they have the makings to be a well-oiled machine, service can fall short when the restaurant is crowded. I prefer to eat dinner early to avoid the crowds and have a better experience.

All entrees are served with soup or salad. One of the Basque gentlemen from lunch shared that when he first arrived in this country, he went to a restaurant and asked if he wanted a soup OR a salad. He said he was disappointed because in Basque culture, it’s always soup AND salad. And with that, the BCC is successful in giving you a true Basque experience. The waiters are happy to answer any questions for you, but as mentioned earlier, there are times when they miss a beat or are slower than preferred.

At my most recent visit, we had a party of five. Upon our arrival, we were given two loaves of bread. Their bread is quite delicious and you can keep going back for more. I initially thought that the quantity they gave us was too much, but after seeing how everyone went back for a second piece of bread, clearly, they know what they’re doing.

The salads are served in cold plates with a creamy house dressing made with tarragon. The vegetables are fresh and served very cold too. Topped with a little bit of red cabbage, the presentation is simple and the dressing has a nice flavor. The soups are always served in a large stainless bowl and the server usually serves you the first bowl. Almost always, there is plenty for seconds. So far, we’ve had vegetable soup a few times and a pureed squash soup for the rest. I find the soup to be flavorful, but a touch saltier than what I would make at home. The salt in their soups have seemingly been consistently saltier than that of other restaurants, but equally as salty as other Basque places, so maybe Basque tastes prefer saltier soups – this question remains unanswered.

The menu features regular entrees that are served with soup and salad and daily family style dinners that change with the season. The daily family style dinners feature a different pair of items each day of the week, and like the lunch, they have a first and second course. The first course is usually served in a smaller portion, similar to an appetizer, but more substantial. The second course is served smaller than what you might find at another restaurant, but still very sufficient. Examples of recent family style dinners include chicken roulade and boneless beef short ribs, braised oxtail stew and roasted pork shoulder, and salmon cake basquaise and roast leg of lamb. If you’re a vegetarian, this probably isn’t the best place for you. Even their pasta dishes have meat, but perhaps they could accommodate you upon request. Entrees include cassoulet, duck legs confit, pepper steak with cognac sauce, and veal sweetbreads. There really should be no reason to go hungry when you go to the BCC. Family style dinners also offer a choice of ice cream – vanilla, chocolate, or spumoni. If you still have room, there are a number of desserts available for reasonable prices – all of the desserts are under $6. There is a cheese plate, crème brulee, frozen almond nougat, and port wine sabayon glacee amongst other offerings.

- Roast Rack of Lamb - BCC's roast rack of lamb is super generous. The bones are frenched, the outside of the lamb has been seared until it develops a little crust, and the meat is tender and delicious. This is one of the best and most generous roast rack of lamb dishes that I have ever had. There were seven bones in this rack, and the flavor was terrific. The dish is accompanied by pan-roasted potatoes that are crisp on the outside and tender inside. There is also a side of fresh vegetables including green and yellow string beans, broccoli, zucchini and carrots that have been sautéed with some finely chopped garlic. I was really pleased with the dish and the portion. I would definitely order the roast rack of lamb again! Excellent! $26.95

- Fresh Salmon of the Day with Beets and Potatoes - The salmon is pan roasted and finished in the oven. While the presentation was a bit unusual with the beets spread out on the bottom of the plate, they were just the right texture and tasted good. The potatoes are shaped like quenelles which made me think they might be made from mashed potatoes, but they’re just like a sliced potato in texture, but bigger. Another large portion that is sure to fill you up. Good. I've forgotten the price, but it was probably around $20.

- Sunday Dinner - Lamb Stew & Roast Prime Rib - I ate the stew before taking a picture of it. Chunks of lamb cooked in a brown gravy came in a small casserole dish. The flavor was rich without any gaminess and the lamb pieces were very tender. They melted in your mouth. The prime rib was sliced thin – a little more than a quarter inch. It was also covered in brown gravy, a different one than the lamb though. While I prefer prime rib cooked in au jus, this was good. The same side dishes that came with the roast rack of lamb were also included with the prime rib except the broccoli had been replaced with brussel sprouts. Since a thick gravy covered the meat, it cooked more on the plate and was not quite as medium as I would have liked. I would probably order it medium rare in the future. I tried the spumoni ice cream for dessert and as characteristic of BCC, the helping was generous.
$21.95

Service varies with the evening. On busy evenings, they may not come back as frequently to check on you throughout the meal and they may not come back to ask if you would like fresh ground black pepper on your salad. On a good day, they will. On a bad day, you’re waiting to be seated after your reservation time has come and gone. On a good day, you’re seated immediately. In general, service is still good.

While the restaurant décor is very traditional – you could be stepping into the 1980s, the food is hearty and tastes like what you might get at grandma’s house. One other item to note, depending on the time you go, you may find the crowd to be mostly comprised of senior citizens. During my recent visits, I’ve seen a variety of patrons – sometimes very old, but mostly, lots of families of various ethnicities. Either way, it’s a great bargain for the variety and quality and I will certainly be back.

Chalet Basque - San Rafael

405 N San Pedro Rd, San Rafael CA 94903
(415) 479-1070
Parking: in parking lot, street parking
Hours: Tues-Fri Lunch 11:30am-2pm, Dinner 5pm-9pm; Sat - Sun 4pm-9pm; Bar open all day
http://www.chaletbasque.com/

Last Visited: August 15, 2010

Food: 3 stars
Atmosphere: 3 stars
Service: 2 to 3 stars
Price: $$ to $$$

I first heard about Chalet Basque after trying out a Basque restaurant in South San Francisco. The recommendation came from a Basque native, so of course, I had to listen and take note.

Chalet Basque offers a wide selection of dishes including duck, sweet breads, rabbit, tripe, seafood, and steak. All dinners include soup and salad (that's a Basque tradition). And for an additional $4, you can also get the pate maison and a choice of dessert (rice pudding or ice cream) to complete your meal. They also offer daily specials, and on Sundays, there is a five course menu available for only $22.

One thing is for sure, there is no reason you should go away from a Basque restaurant hungry. I've now been to Chalet Basque twice. While I struggled with deciding to rank the food a solid three or in between three and four star range, it's definitely a good value and you're in for a hearty treat.

Chalet Basque was first established in the 1960s. Passing by the area, you might never notice that there is even a restaurant amidst the residences. The current owner and executive chef first worked at Chalet Basque in the 1970s and later returned to purchase the restaurant during this past decade.

During our first visit, they were short staffed, and unfortunately, though our waitress tried her best to cover the lack of help, it was still noticeable. I wouldn't have penalized the service rating except that I overheard her tell the manager that she could handle it all and she refused additional help; yet, the amount to do was too much. Also, during our second visit, although we had made a reservation, the waiter still didn't realize that there were four in our party despite us telling them our names and that a reservation had been made. They almost took away place settings too since half of us came separately. This lack of detail brought down their service rating.

During each visit, upon our arrival, we were promptly brought glasses of ice water. Hot bread (love that) arrived in a basket - during the first visit, it came wrapped in a paper napkin and the second visit, in a cloth napkin. Two options of bread - french bread and garlic bread - were available.

The menu offers many choices. During my first visit, I tried the salmon and got a full meal, just for the experience. As mentioned above, the full meal starts with a pate maison - two slices of salami for each diner ordering a full meal and a slice of house made pate. Pickled peppers also accompany the plate. The salami and peppers are fairly standard. The pate maison tastes good, but the presentation of a dark ring on the outside and pink meat on the inside causes some patrons to hesitate. I ate the whole thing, but didn't feel the need to order it during my second visit. It didn't wow me, and I still don't know what's in it.

Served family style in a stainless bowl and then plated into individual bowls, the soup, during both visits, was a puree of vegetables. Both times, it came out very hot (love that too). I can't remember what I had the first time, but it was smooth. The second time, it was a watercress soup with a potato and onion base. The watercress left the soup with a slightly bitter aftertaste that was to be expected. Both times, the soup was a little on the salty side, but still tasty.

A fresh salad with your choice of dressing also is included with all meals. A lightly dressed spring mix and leaf lettuce salad with a slice of tomato is sprinkled with parsley. During both visits, the vegetables were very fresh and the salad was cold and refreshing.

- Salmon with Champagne Sauce - Served with a mound of rice and seasonal vegetables (zucchini, carrots, cabbage, and broccoli), the salmon is topped with a champagne sauce and mushrooms. Although the color of the sauce is a little more bright yellow than I expected, it was absolutely one of the best cooked salmon dishes I've ever had. It was tender on the inside, cooked just right and not even a little dry. The rice separates nicely from each other and everything is well-seasoned. Wonderful. Market Price

- Rack of Lamb du Chef - As you can see from the picture, the portion is quite large. Beautifully frenched, there is a lot of meat on these bones. Mashed potatoes and seasonal vegetables accompany this dish. While the quantity is large, I personally prefer to have less sauce cooked with my rack of lamb. Good flavor. $25.95

- Lamb Shank (Sheepherder style) with beans - The lamb shank is slow cooked until tender and falls off the bone. Beans are also cooked in the same sauce. This dish is also served with seasonal vegetables. While the meat is tender, I think there isn't quite enough sauce with this dish as the meat started to dry out near the end of the meal. The beans had changed the texture of the sauce and though very hearty, it was also very heavy. Although it states that it's cooked sheepherder's style, I didn't expect the presentation to look the way that it did. The first thing you see on the plate are the two bones. The flavor is good, but the dish is a bit hard to manage since the plate itself is small while the bones are rather large. Good. $22.95

Rice Pudding or Ice Cream are the choices available for the dessert that comes with the full meal. For the ice cream, you can choose between vanilla, chocolate, or spumoni. You can see that it's a healthy scoop. The rice pudding comes in a small bowl and is topped with cinnamon. Smooth and creamy, it was also a nice treat.

The meals at Chalet Basque are good, but service varies. The manager is visible and accommodating and the servers are friendly, but it seems that they are not as quick as they could be. For example, sometimes it took a long long time for dishes to be cleared and the check also took a long time to come.

The prices are very reasonable considering that every entree comes with soup and salad, and the daily specials are an even better deal. The value is great considering the quality and portions of the food - I would imagine they could even charge higher prices if the atmosphere, slightly dated, was improved. As far as what they could do better, I would ease up on the salt in the soup just a touch and also consider updating some of the menu items to offer a few additions that would better cater to a younger crowd while still remaining authentically Basque.

I also noticed that my visit lowered the average age of the dining patrons - many are older folk especially in the early dinner hours, but as the evening continued, younger folks arrived.

Chalet Basque offers solid value and great food in a traditional atmosphere. You won't walk away hungry.