Piperade

Having been away from the evening restaurant hunt for a while now, lunchtimes are a new opportunity to discover those hidden and even the not so hidden gems. Last week, compliments of a new epicurious friend I was introduced to Piperade in the Advertising Gulch of the city just off Telegraph Hill. An inviting exterior lures you into a stylish living room with dark wood and splashes of red. All the staff sounded Spanish which was the first clue that this restaurant was indeed a Basque concoction, starting with its name which is also their signature dish. Piperade is a typical Basque dish coming from the word for pepper and also mirroring the colours of the Basque flag. Chef Hirigoyen adds an egg on top of the onions, peppers and tomatoes to make a perfect hearty lunchtime meal. I am already looking forward to coming back and exploring more of the menu. This place is definitely one of San Francisco's places to check out as a visitor or a local. Enjoy!