Basqueing In Tapas

Michael Bauer / San Francisco Chronicle

Bocadillos captures the essence of casual small-plate dining

Born of a fad, most small-plates restaurants lack the authenticity that got the fad started in the first place. Most places merely offer a half portion of what would otherwise be a main course, charging about two-thirds the price. And too often the food lacks a reason to be served on a small plate.

When a restaurant gets it right – as Bocadillos does – one realizes what pretenders the other places are. Bocadillos knows that small plates means much more than the size of the portion, that the concept is also a style and a mood. It's an approach wherein diners feel free to drop by for a quick bite because it's not a big production, and they don't have to lay down a lot of money. If they spend time lingering with friends, they still feel welcome. A place like Bocadillos is flexible, able to accommodate many scenarios.

Many new small-plate restauranteurs say they want their places to be like this, relaxed, where patrons can just drop in. But it rarely happens, for a variety of reasons. Mainly it's because the restaurants can't resist the aura of fine-dining, with its high prices and rhythm that isn't right for small plates.

Bocadillos, which in Spanish means little sandwiches, is designed for spontaneity, from the vibrant tangerine walls decorated with what looks like dozens of electrified candles to the long communal table, set with chrome Eames chairs that line the center of the narrow room. Bar-height wood tables trimmed in blue steel and set with dark wood stools border the painted brick walls. More bar seating is available at a counter back by the kitchen and at the bar.

The design masterminded by Elmer Lin of Consortium Architects successfully blends traditional finishes, such as the stone-tile floow, with modern touches, including the chairs, light fixtures and ebonized slat-fronted bar and columns

Prices makes sense and portions are often generous. Most plates cost $3 to $10, with only a few of the meat and seafood selections breaking the $10 barrier. These include lamb chops with mango and peach chutney ($12), and flatiron steak with chimichurri sauce ($12), which had at least 10 generous slices of rare meat fanned on a rectangular plate. The vivid green sauce on the top is thick with herbs barely moistened with oil, adding concentrated flavor to the meant.

Bocadillos is owned by Gerald Hirigoyen, who became a local celebrity at Frigale, which he bowed out of a few month ago so he could concentrate on his native Basque cuisine at Piperade. In July he and his wide, Cameron Hirigoyen, opened Bocadillos, on Montgomery and Washington streets next door to the Bubble Lounge.

Together they have created the most captivating and authentic-feeling Spanish tapas-style restaurant in the city. Not that it's all about Spain; Hirigoyen throws in a few Basque and California twists as well. But the point is that he and chef de cuisine Robert Petzold understand tapas.

Bar None

Sarah Deseran / 7 × 7 Magazine

Since Gerald Hirigoyen opened his rustic Basque-inspired restaurant Piperade, it's been at the top of our most recommended list. But in August, along came Bocadillos, his chic tapas spin-off. Now we're going to have to choose between the two. At Bocadillos, the sleek design is almost Japanese: Blonde lacquered wood makes up a curvaceous bar, and a brick wall is painted burnt orange. Perch yourself on a stool and order from the minimalist menu. Squid, served with romesco sauce, is fried to a delicate crunch, while braised cabbage with apples and bacon is perfect with quail crusted with Moorish spices. The smart wine list offers 21 wines by the glass. Try the Alberdi Rioja. Heck, get a bottle. At the best tapas bars, as this is set to be, the food is easy and the wine flows freely.

Back on Tapas

Josh Sens / San Francisco Magazine

Gerald Hirigoyen's new restaurant on the lip of North Beach relies heavily by day on its namesake Bocadillos, diminutive but generously filled sandwiches with personalities twice their size. They range from smoky Serrano ham with tomato rub to puck-shaped Catalan sausage with manchego and arugula, and they rank among the best lunchtime deals around. At night, options expand to smartly executed marinated seafood, grilled meats, sautéed vegetables, and more. Like Hirigoyen's Piperade, Bocadillos is distinctly Basque in character, which is to say there are plenty of red peppers, sheep's milk cheese, and pig parts to go around. Standouts include a mellow, melting tripe Basquaise, a lighter, sweeter cousin of beef stew. Desserts sparkle, especially the Arm of a Gypsy, a hazelnut butter-cream filled cake. The casual dining room has red-brick walls, a long communal table, and a sleek geometric design – an improved take on Ikea, Iberian-style. In much of the city, small plates have grown weary. At Bocadillos, tapas return to life.