Epi's A Basque Restaurant

Had the chance to go to Epi's recently for the first time. The food was excellent and the service was on point. The menu had many great choices. The calamari was cooked perfectly. The mashed potatoes had the perfect texture. The waiter was quite friendly and attentive. The atmosphere inside was crowded and quite loud. The prices for the main courses seemed high for some of the portions.

Five years after the shocking news that Epi's Basque Restaurant owners Chris Ansotegui and Gina Ansotegui Urquidi planned to retire and that the outstanding Meridian restaurant might close, I'm happy to report that seemingly little has changed from the restaurant named after the women's grandmother, who ran a Basque boarding house in Hailey.

Sure, Chris is no longer there to cheerfully greet guests and give them a hug coming and going. Likewise, sister Gina and longtime server Bridget Murphy have also retired. But the current staff is just as good and the food is still wonderful.

Erik McFarland, Chris and Gina's nephew -- and Epi's great-grandson, now owns the restaurant and is head chef. He had already worked at the restaurant for 20 years when he bought it and is a graduate of Boise State's culinary program.

Friends of ours from Reno drove to Boise over the weekend and after treating them to the Greek Festival on Friday, we decided to take them to Epi's A Basque Restaurant the following night.

Early Saturday morning I texted their phone number and asked if they had a table available for that evening. The restaurant doesn't take online reservations, but you can call or text.

Within a few minutes I received a reply back listing their open slots and I was able to confirm our reservation. Upon arrival, Erik greeted us and from memory he knew they had a table for four for us.

We ordered a calamari appetizer along with one ai don't remember from past visits, Brussels sprouts in a sauce with chorizo. They were both excellent.

I ordered the pork chops with pimento for an entree. My companions chose the leg of lamb, beef medallions and roasted garlic chicken.

Dinners come with sliced baguettes (my only complaint is the bread isn't served warm), soup (cream of mushroom and red bean were the choices that night) and salad.

The mushroom soup is one of my favorites and it was just as rich and tasty as ever.

The entrees come with two side dishes that change nightly. Each of us received a serving of a yellow rice with chorizo along with a shared plate of homemade French fries.

While restaurants of different cuisines offer a flavored rice dish, many times it's a throwaway dish lacking a depth of flavor. Epi's rice is really good.

I love Epi's lamb chops, so it's always tough choosing between them, the leg of lamb and the pork chops. I usually switch off and sometimes order one of their fish specials.

The pork chops are flavorful and come with a small laye4 of fat along the edge. So much of the pork chops available in grocery stores have the fat bred out, leaving them dry and tasteless.

When I buy pork chops to cook at home, I get them from Boise's Carniceria Coalcoman. They buy whole hogs from a local farmer and butcher them themselves. The chops are like those available in stores 30 years ago.

Everything we ate that night at Epi's was excellent. Pro tip: If you order the medallions, ask for extra brandy peppercorn cream sauce on the side. It's addicting. I might ask for some next time with the lamb chops or pork chops.

Why do they only reserve 16 hours a week?
Quality!
We had 4 appetizers soup salad entrees and desserts!
Teagan kept the glasses full and the food coming
Look at the photos… need I say more!

Absolutely brilliant restaurant! From the friendly staff, to the warm ambiance and the incredible food. We enjoyed every dish. The croquettes are heavenly and the halibut was probably our favorite item. Will be back 100%

When I found out Boise had such a large basque population I wanted to find authentic food. Based on Epi’s reviews we decided to eat here. It DID NOT disappoint! Dinner was so flavorful and delicious! You get a soup, salad, house vegetable and fries to share. It was just fantastic! I’d highly recommend - but get a reservation to guarantee you can get in! Our server, Riley was awesome!