http://www.gitanerestaurant.com/

Had a lovely dinner with Shirley & Patrick at Gitane Restaurant. The restaurant is hidden away and may be a bit difficult to find but it’s worth the search. It was our first time trying cuisine from the Basque region.

Photos courtesy of Patrick.

For appetizers, we tried the Bastilla: sweet & savory, crispy pastry with duck, chicken, raisins, almonds, moroccan spices, orange gastrique.

and the bacon bon bons: sauteed prunes stuffed with goat cheese, wrapped in smoked bacon, anise and cinnamon port sauce. Highly recommended, not just for the concept, but also for the flavor (especially if you like prunes and goat cheese).

For drinks, I tried the Gitane Cobbler: amontillado sherry, triple sec,
lemon juice, diced peach & apricot, cinnamon. Really tasted like a stone fruit cobbler, that little bit of cinnamon made it something special.

We ordered three entrees to share, first, the sea bass: pan seared, arroz negro, grilled asparagus, parmesan tuile, romesco sauce

Next, Cataplana: portuguese fish stew, monkfish, baynes clams, hot chorizo, fingerling potatoes, bell pepper, lobster bisque

Lastly, Cordero: pan roasted domestic lamb noisette, rolled & stuffed with herb mousseline, tapenade, pisto manchego, baked polenta

Side order of choux: sauteed savoy cabbage julienne & smoked bacon

We shared two desserts, pan con chocolate: toasted baguette, spanish olive oil, vairhona chocolate ganache, vanilla fleur de sel. The olive oil gave it an interesting twist and the salt made it extra sweet.

Quatre Quart: tempranillo braised seckel pear, carmelized vanilla pound cake, carmelized almonds, citrus whipped cream. Yummy pears and cake and everything!

Looking forward to our next dinner in a few months!

Gitane Restaurant
6 Claude Lane
San Francisco