Yes the first wave settlers after genocide were in fact the farmers in Fresno. They remained
fitting for the topic is the sound of my people
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Interesting. Bunch of places on Yelp.
There’s a big Armenian community around Oakland but no restaurant or bakery.
We’re driving up to Yosemite soon. Recs appreciated, especially for Fresno.
This site has some options we’re considering. 12 Must-Try Fresno Restaurants In CA - Updated 2022 | Trip101. The Annex Kitchen looks the most promising. Then, Diana’s (for the poster above asking about Armenian).
(We’ve already been to Punjabi Dhaba in Bakersfield, BTW. We liked it, but we’ll have guests so it’s out of the question.)
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Stopped at Ararat Market in Clovis last time through that way, picked up a couple pretty nice wraps - shish and lula. Looked like a good selection of pantry stuff and a meat case, but didn’t inspect too closely since we were on the way home. Not mind blowing, but very solid, and I’d like to try more and maybe explore some of their marinated meats for the grill - might be nice if you’re staying at housekeeping/camp 4 or someplace with a kitchen.
ARARAT MARKET AND GRILL
497 N Clovis Ave #205, Clovis, CA 93611
(559) 324-9999
https://goo.gl/maps/bZi1efRh8rvsRjWP7
Thanks, I appreciate it. That is a good idea.
Noriega’s in Bakersfield closed and has now reopened in a new location with new owners.
Is this new version of Noriega’s still worth a stop? If not Noreiga, any other suggestions for Bakersfield?
And, I was looking at the menus at some of the other Basque restaurants in Bakersfield.
But, other than tongue dishes, what exactly is Basque in those menus? I’m seeing dishes like garlic spaghetti, new york steak, fried chicken, etc…
Traditional Basque is family-style. You pick your entree (often there’s a special for every day of the week) and the rest (the “set-up”) is the same for everyone. Some places have modernized to a greater or lesser extent, the set-up might be optional, or they might have an a la carte menu in addition to the traditional family-style. Some have dropped family-style entirely.
I can’t find a menu for the new Noriega’s, but reportedly they’re still serving family-style.
I love the Wool Growers in Los Baños. Haven’t been to the one in Bakersfield, or any of the Basque places there.
http://woolgrowers.net/menu/
Chalet Basque:
http://www.basquerestaurantbakersfield.com/menu/
Can’t find a web menu for Pyrenees, which is probably a good sign.
So, if I went to restaurants in the Basque region in Europe, they’d be serving it with this family style set-up? Or, is this family style set-up an Basque-American thing that arose in America from these boarding hotels serving their boarders?
So, are they still serving Basque dishes but the menu description doesn’t convey that?
And, even if the restaurants still continue to serve it family-style, are they still a Basque restaurant if their dishes aren’t really Basque dishes anymore? Would a Chinese restaurant still be a Chinese restaurant if it served its food family-style but the dishes were garlic spaghetti, fish n’ chips, shrimp scampi, etc…
It’s an American variation of Basque food for sure. Some of the dishes are more Basque than others, like lamb chops and oxtail stew. It’s not a meal you’re going to get anywhere but at a Basque place.
My understanding is that US tradition of family-style Basque restaurants evolved from boarding houses for Basque shepherds and sailors. One of the four or five family-style Basque restaurants that remained in SF in the 70s was a residential hotel with a bunch of old Basque guys living upstairs, and they’d be in the dining room along with other customers like us.
I think the closest equivalent in Basque country are private dining clubs.
I do not recall seeing such family-style formats during my past trips to San Sebastian / Donostia. Well, not at the restaurant level at least…
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Even at a Basque sidreria everything is plated
I went to a sidreria outside Donostia where dishes were served family style. Can’t remember the name. It was one of the most memorable meals of my life—even with all the sidra.
Sample size of 1, though.
Edit: Found it! It’s called Petritegi.
http://www.petritegi.eus/
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Really like those Petritegi ciders! You are probably aware but they’re available locally in bottles. Super cool stuff, glad to hear the tasting is fun
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Where i went we sat communally but were served individually but the same courses at the same time
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Yeah! Saw it at Sunset Beer once and thought I was hallucinating. Great oaky, dry, slightly funky cider!
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Bump. Heading to Merced soon. Any updates? We stopped at the ital joint last time in Clovis/Fresno that’s always on Kong Thao’s thread, but that was prob not worth the detour.
Bumping again. Driving up to Fresno in March from the OC. I’ve never been to Fresno. Are there any good farms that we can get strawberries or other fruits?
Would also take recommendations for lunch and dinner in Fresno. Will be there from Friday to Sunday. Have the whole family and might be with larger groups.
Ofelia’s, which I reported on above, is now Esperanza’s, but some reports on Yelp say the food’s the same. I’d go back. Not the place if you’re in any hurry.
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I wasn’t sure if that was for Bakersfield or Fresno. Went on Yelp and first review in the preview on Google search says not the place if you’re in a hurry. Our meal took us 1.5 hours. I swear Google just reads everything off my phone and we’re all living in a simulation.
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