San Francisco: Laiola (May 2009)

My spouse and I dined at Laiola for dinner on a Friday in late May 2009 with another couple. The food was delicious, and we particularly remember an amazing Brussel sprout dish. Sitting at a window seat at Laiola feels like being in a set for a West Coast "Friends" reunion movie. The crowd is young and energetic, sucking down cocktails and beautifully prepared Spanish-inspired food at the 18-seat copper-topped bar, or at a few tables in the back of the restaurant. Laiola opened in mid-2007, and derives its name from an archaic Franco-Basque word that means a small gathering place. Everything on the menu is meant for sharing and served family style.

For serious gourmands, the prospect of eating at Laiola, the extraordinary new tapas bar in the Marina, can be scary. Located in the smallish former space of an Asian noodle bar, Laiola only seats at a shiny copper bar or at a handful of high tables with stools, and these places cannot be reserved. Yet, because chef Mark Denham’s cooking is so spot-on delectable, patrons are willing to wait their turn and scale the furniture. Laiola delivers a high-end experience in a casual format. The formula works. patrons wait in line; patrons eat at the bar; patrons come early; patrons pay the not-insignificant check. Laiola is worth it.