2010 Jul 18 - Basque Cultural Center

2010 Jul 18 - Basque Cultural Center

Again this was not a Lunch Bunch function. But it is a food Blog. So since I own this Blog I will place it here. :-)

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Today one of my childhood friends and old college roommate, Ken is flying in to SFO from Adelaide, South Australia. He has lived and worked there for 29 years now. His brother, Wally and Wally's wife, Susan and I are going to pick him up at the airport. Then we are meeting another college roommate at our friend's home in San Bruno.
Parked in the Cell Phone lot where we will receive a call from a pay phone inside SFO saying that he has cleared Customs

The Cell Phone lot is free limited time, unattended parking way at the north end of SFO


It is a short drive from SFO to San Bruno and Gary's home.
Ken and Wally's wife Susan


Gary meets us at the door


Gary's wife Kathy saying hello to Ken


Nori from San Jose is a bit late he is the other roommate


Ken takes a shower after his long flight in from Auckland. He had taken a commuter from Adelaide to Auckland, NZ.

Then after visiting and such for a couple of hours it is time to go to dinner. Since I had emailed Ken and Gary about the Basque Cultural Center and Kathy had seen an episode about it on KQED's {S.F.'s PBS station} "Check Please Bay Area". Plus it was a little less than three miles from Gary's home. That is where we decided to go. Plus I had never eaten at this Basque restaurant.
Basque Cultural Center in South San Francisco

The Main Entrance

A model chuck wagon used by Basque shepherds

One of many displays inside the Center

Besides the other rooms in the Center a portion of the building is a white table cloth restaurant.
Not realizing that we really should have had a reservation, my sorrowful expression got us a table for eight. Also we arrived a little before their official opening time of 5:00 PM.
Susan, Wally, Gary and Kathy


Nori's wife Peggy, Ken, my empty seat and Nori


Gary took this of Ken and me. I think we looked a lot younger in 1967 and 1966 which were the years we respectively graduated from San Francisco State.

The dinner menu which you will need to click on to be able to read


We were too busy reminiscing that I took few food photos and most were unusable.
This is the duck's breast in a green peppercorn sauce which was delicious, but a poor quality photo. Magré de Canard au Poivre Vert


Grilled Prawns with Basil and Garlic Sauce


Cassoulet

"Cassoulet started life hundreds of years ago as a simple French peasant bean dish perhaps intended to stretch leftover scraps of meat or poultry into another meal. Mutton, duck, goose and or pork were a few of choices for constructing the dish, and of course some garlicky sausage (like Toulouse sausage) was also a welcome addition."


Ice cream for dessert


Wally had passed around the Creme Brulee for everyone to taste, but kept his Raspberry Sherbet for himself.

Nori and Peggy picked up the check for the entire party which was really not expected.
Thanks.

~end
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