We were recently in San Francisco for a concert and as we meandered back toward home we stopped in Saratoga for a little wine tasting and dinner. I’ll cover the wine tasting in another post, this one will be dedicated to the restaurant we were referred to, The Basin.
As per our usual, we sat at the bar. Our buddy Sean was with us to help scour the menu for the good stuff. Here’s what we found:
Fresh Shucked Oysters – with a Galician caper-olive oyster relish – $3.25 ea (We got 6)
Roasted Cauliflower – with calabrian chili, sicilian fennel seeds, garlic, puree of feta cheese, lemon preserve oil $12
Croquetas – Spanish jamon serrano, chicken, onion bechamel, rolled in bread crumbs, lightly fried, served over a tangy tomato sauce, with a hint of garlic, e.v.o.o, arbol chile $11
Scallops of the Sea – large sustainably harvested beauties, silky smooth smashed potatoes, jalapeño beurre blanc, crispy leeks $39
Truffle Fries – crispy thin cut with perigord black truffle salt $8
Paella Pequeña – La bomba arroz, shrimp-vegetable stock, saffron, smoked paprika, chorizo, shrimp $15
The food was insanely good. The scallops, for me, were the most amazing but each dish was fantastic. If I had to pick a couple of other favorites, behind the scallops, I’d have to go with the paella and the croquetas.
Dushan, the guy that worked at the wine tasting room we visited, recommended The Basin as a local favorite. We were not disappointed. Not having been there before I’d describe the vibe as relaxed, especially at the bar, but I could see a more “fine dining” element as well. The two guys behind the bar were really good. I’d have to put this experience up there with other “favorite restaurant experiences”.
If you’re ever up in the Saratoga area, be sure to go check them out…and let me know what you think.
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