Prepared in two different styles, either sautéed with garlic, peppers, mushrooms and onions or prepared in a red wine and mushroom sauce.

SWEETBREADS

ZAZPIAK BAT

Basque Beer

BLACK ANGUS BEEF FILET MIGNON*

Two 8oz. Colorado lamb porterhouse chops cooked to order on our charbroil grill.

LAMB CHOPS*

10 OZ. TOP SIRLOIN STEAK*

J Vineyards, Pinot Gris

Rodney Strong

Layer Cake

CHARDONNAY

CABERNET SAUVIGNON

Served with sautéed mushrooms in a white wine and caper sauce.

SAUTEED SHRIMP

One hearty pork chop cooked to order on our charbroil grill. Add sautéed garlic & peppers for $2.00

12 OZ PORK CHOP

A generous portion of slow roasted leg of lamb served in its own sauce.

ROAST LEG OF LAMB

Cooked to order on our charbroil grill. Add sautéed garlic for $2.00 or garlic butter for $3.00

7 OZ TOP SIRLOIN STEAK

NO ENTREE LUNCH

THE PICON PUNCH

Louis famous garlic fries covered with sweetbreads in a red wine mushroom sauce & goat cheese crumbles

LOUIS FRIES

THE BASQUE BURGER

CHORIZO BURGER

LOUIS' BURGER

THE LAMB DIP

CHORIZO SANDWICH

CHICKEN SANDWICH

Rinse the sweetbreads under cold water. Trim away excess membrane, fat and any connective tissue; separate into even-size pieces. Place sweetbreads in a medium saucepan and cover with cold water and 2 tbsp white vinegar. Bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat and poach for 8–10 minutes (until just firm). Remove from heat and immediately transfer to a bowl of ice water to stop cooking. Chill 10 minutes, then drain and gently press between paper towels to remove excess moisture.

Clean and blanch sweetbreads

Optional: place the cooled sweetbreads between two plates with a weight on top for 20–30 minutes to compress for better searing. After pressing, pat dry and cut larger pieces into 1–1½ inch pieces. Lightly dust all sides with 1–2 tbsp flour, shaking off excess.

Press and slice

In a large skillet over medium heat, melt 2 tbsp butter with 1 tbsp olive oil. Add sliced onion and cook 3–4 minutes until translucent. Add julienned red pepper and quartered mushrooms; cook 4–5 minutes until vegetables soften and mushrooms release moisture. Add sliced garlic and thyme and cook 30–45 seconds until aromatic. Season vegetables with ½ tsp salt and ½ tsp black pepper. Transfer vegetables to a bowl and keep warm.

Cook vegetables

Increase heat to medium-high and add a little more butter (if needed). Add the floured sweetbreads in a single layer, not crowding the pan. Sear 2–3 minutes per side until golden-brown and crisp on edges. Work in batches if necessary. Season with remaining ½ tsp salt and ½ tsp pepper while searing.

Sear sweetbreads

Return the vegetables to the pan with the sweetbreads, pour any accumulated juices from the vegetables back in, and toss gently to combine. Squeeze 1 tbsp lemon juice over the pan and add chopped parsley. Taste and adjust seasoning. Serve immediately.

Combine and finish

Rinse the sweetbreads under cold water and trim away membrane, fat and connective tissue. Place in a saucepan, cover with cold water and 2 tbsp white vinegar. Bring to a gentle simmer and poach 8–10 minutes until just firm. Transfer immediately to an ice bath and chill 10 minutes. Drain and pat dry.

Optional: press between plates with weight for 20–30 minutes to compact. Cut into 1–1½ inch pieces if large and dust lightly with 2 tbsp flour. In a heavy skillet, heat 1 tbsp olive oil and 1 tbsp butter over medium-high heat. Sear the sweetbreads 2–3 minutes per side until nicely browned. Remove and set aside.

Press, dust and sear

In the same skillet, reduce heat to medium and add remaining 1 tbsp butter. Add finely chopped shallots and cook 2–3 minutes until softened. Add minced garlic and sliced mushrooms; cook 5–7 minutes until mushrooms are golden and liquid has mostly evaporated. Stir in 1 tbsp tomato paste and cook 1 minute to caramelize.

Build sauce base

Pour in 1 cup dry red wine to deglaze, scraping any browned bits from the pan. Bring to a simmer and reduce by about half (6–8 minutes). Add 1 cup beef or veal stock, 1 bay leaf and 2 sprigs fresh thyme. Return the seared sweetbreads to the pan, reduce heat to low, cover partially and simmer gently 8–10 minutes to meld flavors.

Deglaze and simmer

Remove bay leaf and thyme sprigs. If you want a richer sauce, stir in 2 tbsp heavy cream and simmer 1–2 minutes to warm. Taste and season with 1 tsp kosher salt and 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper (adjust to taste). If sauce is too thin, increase heat and reduce briefly until slightly thickened.

Finish sauce

Spoon sweetbreads and mushrooms onto warm plates and spoon sauce over. Sprinkle with 1 tbsp chopped parsley and serve immediately with crusty bread, mashed potatoes or polenta.

Plate and garnish

calf or lamb sweetbreads (thymus), trimmed

cold water

white vinegar

unsalted butter

olive oil

garlic cloves, thinly sliced

yellow or sweet onion, thinly sliced

red bell pepper, julienned

cremini or button mushrooms, quartered

fresh thyme leaves

kosher salt

black pepper, freshly ground

lemon juice

flat-leaf parsley, chopped

shallots, finely chopped

garlic cloves, minced

cremini or button mushrooms, sliced

dry red wine (Merlot or Pinot Noir)

low-sodium beef or veal stock

tomato paste

bay leaf

fresh thyme sprigs

heavy cream (optional, for finishing)

flour (for dusting)

flat-leaf parsley, chopped (for garnish)

Preheat oven to 210°C (410°F). Place a rack in the middle of the oven. Line a 9-inch (23 cm) springform pan or a 9-inch cake pan with high sides with a layer of parchment paper that comes up at least 5 cm above the rim on all sides; crumple and smooth the paper so it fits snugly. Butter the inside of the pan lightly so the parchment sticks.

Preheat and prepare

In a large mixing bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the room-temperature cream cheese and granulated sugar together on medium speed until very smooth and free of lumps, about 2–3 minutes. Scrape down the bowl once or twice.

Beat cream cheese and sugar

Add the eggs one at a time, mixing just until each is incorporated. Mix gently — avoid overbeating to prevent excess air in the batter (which can cause big cracks). After all eggs are added, scrape the bowl.

Add eggs

With the mixer on low speed, slowly pour in the heavy cream and add the vanilla extract and salt. Sprinkle the flour over the batter and mix only until the flour disappears and the batter is smooth. The batter will be loose and somewhat pourable.

Incorporate cream, flour, and flavor

Pour the batter into the prepared parchment-lined pan. Tap the pan gently on the counter to release any large air bubbles and to level the batter.

Transfer to pan

Place the pan in the preheated oven and bake at 210°C (410°F) for 35–45 minutes. The top should become deeply golden to dark brown — the center will still be jiggly when you gently shake the pan. Darker browning is characteristic of Basque-style burnt cheesecake (Zazpiak Bat inspired). Start checking at 35 minutes to avoid overbaking.

Bake

Turn the oven off, open the oven door slightly, and let the cake sit in the oven for 30 minutes to cool gently (this helps prevent a big collapse). Then remove the pan and let the cake cool completely on a wire rack to room temperature. The cake will deflate slightly as it cools — that is normal.

Cool in oven

For a firmer texture and cleaner slices, chill the cheesecake, still in the pan, in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours or up to overnight. If you prefer a custard-like interior, serve at room temperature after cooling.

Chill (optional but recommended)

Run a thin knife around the edge of the cake if using a springform pan, remove the rim, and carefully peel away the parchment paper. Transfer to a serving plate. Dust lightly with powdered sugar if desired. Slice with a hot, dry knife for clean cuts.

Unmold and serve

cream cheese (room temperature)

granulated sugar

large eggs

heavy cream

all-purpose flour

vanilla extract

fine sea salt

unsalted butter (for pan)

parchment paper (to line pan)

powdered sugar (optional, for dusting)

Sanitize all equipment that will contact wort (fermenter, spoons, funnel, thermometer, hydrometer) using the no-rinse sanitizer per the manufacturer's directions. Rinse only if required by your sanitizer.

Sanitize and prepare

Heat 4 liters of clean water in a large pot to about 65–70°C (150–158°F). If using malt extract only, bring to 65°C to help dissolve extract; if steeping specialty grains, place the crystal/caramel malt in a mesh bag and steep in the water at 65°C for 20–30 minutes, then remove and rinse the grains with a little hot water.

If using liquid or dry malt extract, remove the pot from heat and stir in the pale ale malt extract until fully dissolved. Return to a gentle boil, keeping an eye to avoid boilovers.

Top up with additional water to reach roughly 5 liters total pre-boil volume (accounting for evaporation), leaving headspace in the pot.

Once the wort reaches a rolling boil, start a 60-minute timer. Add the bittering hops (10 g) at the start of the 60-minute boil for primary bitterness.

With 15 minutes left in the boil, add Irish moss or whirlfloc (0.5 tsp) if using to help clarity.

With 5–10 minutes left in the boil, add the aroma hops (8 g) to preserve volatile hop aromas.

After 60 minutes total boil, turn off the heat and cool the wort as quickly as possible (see next section).

Place the pot in an ice bath or use a wort chiller to cool the wort to around 18–22°C (64–72°F). Rapid cooling reduces the chance of off-flavors and infection.

Once cooled, pour or siphon the wort into the sanitized fermenter, leaving behind as much hop/ trub sediment as possible. Top up with sanitized water to reach approximately 4.5–5 liters total if needed, taking gravity into account.

Take an original gravity (OG) reading with a hydrometer or refractometer and record it. Typical target OG for a Basque-style (ifre) session ale interpretation: around 1.040–1.048.

Rehydrate dry yeast per the manufacturer's instructions (typically in 20–30 ml of sterile water at around 35–40°C for 15 minutes) or sprinkle directly on cooled wort if recommended by the strain. Pitch the yeast into the fermenter and gently aerate the wort by shaking or using a sanitized spoon/oxygenation tool.

Seal the fermenter with an airlock and place in a dark, temperature-stable location maintaining 18–22°C (64–72°F). Primary fermentation should begin within 12–48 hours.

Allow fermentation to proceed for 5–10 days until activity slows. Check gravity after day 5; target final gravity (FG) around 1.010–1.014 depending on yeast attenuation.

If you prefer a clearer beer, cold-crash the fermenter at 2–4°C for 24–48 hours after fermentation is complete to help yeast and particulate drop out.

Sanitize bottles, caps, and any bottling equipment thoroughly. Boil the priming sugar (3 tbs corn sugar) in about 250 ml of water for 2–3 minutes, cool and add to a sanitized bottling bucket or directly to the bottling line to evenly dissolve and distribute for carbonation.

Transfer the beer gently from the fermenter to the bottling bucket, avoiding drawing up sediment. Fill bottles, leaving about 2–3 cm (3/4 inch) of headspace, cap them, and store at 18–22°C for 1–2 weeks to carbonate.

After carbonation, chill bottles for 24 hours, then sample. Condition bottles for an additional 1–2 weeks for improved flavor if desired.

Kegging option: if kegging, transfer to sanitized keg, purge with CO2, and carbonate by force or set to serving pressure and allow to carbonate at refrigeration temperature for 1–3 days.

pale ale malt (or light liquid malt extract)

crystal/caramel malt (40–60L)

corn sugar (dextrose) — priming

water (brewing)

bittering hops (e.g., Nugget, Magnum)

aroma hops (e.g., East Kent Goldings, Saaz)

ale yeast (dry, e.g., Safale US-05 or a neutral ale strain)

Irish moss or whirlfloc (optional, for clarity)

wort sanitizer (no-rinse) or sanitizer solution

bottles or kegs (cleaned)

bottle caps or keg fittings

Remove the filet mignons from the refrigerator 30–45 minutes before cooking to come to near room temperature. Pat them dry on all sides with paper towels.

Prepare steaks

Season both sides generously with kosher salt (about 3/4 tsp per side) and freshly ground black pepper. Lightly sprinkle garlic powder if using. Press seasoning into the meat so it adheres.

Preheat a heavy skillet (preferably cast iron) over medium-high heat until very hot, about 3–5 minutes. Add the vegetable oil and heat until shimmering but not smoking.

Preheat pan

Place the filets in the hot pan, leaving space between them. Sear without moving for 2.5–3 minutes to develop a deep brown crust.

Sear steaks

Flip the filets and add the unsalted butter, smashed garlic cloves, and thyme sprigs to the pan.

Tilt the pan slightly and use a spoon to continuously baste the steaks with the melted butter and aromatics for 2–3 minutes while cooking the second side. For a 1.5–2 inch filet, this generally yields medium-rare (internal temperature 125–130°F / 52–54°C). Adjust time: shorter for rare, longer for medium.

Baste with butter

If your filets are very thick (over 2 inches) or you prefer more even doneness, transfer the skillet to a preheated 400°F (204°C) oven for 4–6 minutes after searing and basting. Use an instant-read thermometer to check for desired doneness.

Transfer the steaks to a warm plate and tent loosely with foil. Rest for 5–7 minutes so juices redistribute. During resting the temperature will rise ~5°F (3°C).

Rest

After removing steaks, keep pan over medium heat. If excess fat is large, spoon out all but about 1 tablespoon. Add the minced shallot and sauté 30–45 seconds until softened.

Make sauce

Add 1/4 cup dry red wine (or skip wine and deglaze with 1/4 cup beef stock). Scrape up browned bits from the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon. Let the liquid reduce by half, about 1–2 minutes.

If using wine, add beef stock and simmer until sauce reduces to desired consistency, about 2–3 minutes. Turn off heat and swirl in the cold diced butter to finish the sauce, emulsifying until glossy. Stir in chopped parsley if desired and season to taste with salt and pepper.

Spoon sauce over rested steaks and serve immediately.

Black Angus beef filet mignon (center-cut)

Kosher salt

Freshly ground black pepper

Garlic powder (optional)

Unsalted butter

Vegetable oil or canola oil

Fresh garlic cloves, smashed

Fresh thyme sprigs

Shallot, minced

Dry red wine or beef stock

Beef stock (if using wine)

Cold unsalted butter (for finishing, diced)

Fresh parsley, chopped (optional)

Remove lamb chops from refrigerator 30–45 minutes before cooking so they come toward room temperature. Pat both sides dry with paper towels. Trim any excess fat if desired, leaving some fat for flavor.

Trim and bring to temperature

Brush both sides of the chops lightly with the extra-virgin olive oil. Combine the kosher salt, black pepper, chopped rosemary, and minced garlic; sprinkle evenly on both sides of the chops and gently press so seasoning adheres.

Season

Preheat a charbroil grill or heavy cast-iron grill pan to high heat (about 450–500°F / 230–260°C). Oil the grill grates lightly to prevent sticking.

Preheat grill

Place the chops on the hot grill. For 1–1.25 inch thick chops (about 8 oz each): cook 3–4 minutes per side for medium-rare (internal temp 125–130°F / 52–54°C), 4–5 minutes per side for medium (135°F / 57°C). For thicker chops adjust time by 1–2 minutes per side. Flip only once for best sear.

Sear and cook

During the last 30–60 seconds of cooking, place 1/2 tablespoon of butter on each chop to melt and baste, or remove chops to a warm plate and melt butter in a small pan with any grill juices, spooning it over the chops.

Finish with butter

Transfer chops to a cutting board or plate and tent loosely with foil. Rest for 5–7 minutes to allow juices to redistribute; the internal temperature will rise a few degrees during resting.

After resting, spoon any accumulated juices and melted butter over the chops. Sprinkle chopped parsley and serve with lemon wedges on the side for squeezing. Serve immediately.

bone-in porterhouse lamb chops (about 8 oz each)

freshly ground black pepper

extra-virgin olive oil

fresh rosemary, finely chopped

garlic, minced

lemon wedges

fresh parsley, chopped

Remove the 10 oz. top sirloin from refrigeration 30–45 minutes before cooking so it reaches near room temperature. Pat both sides dry with paper towels to promote even browning.

Bring to temperature

Lightly brush or rub both sides of the steak with 1 tablespoon neutral oil. Evenly season both sides with 1 teaspoon kosher salt, 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, and 1 teaspoon garlic powder. Press the seasoning into the meat so it adheres.

Preheat your charbroil grill (or gas grill) to high heat — target grate temperature about 500–550°F (260–290°C). Clean and oil the grates to prevent sticking.

Place the steak on the hottest part of the grill. Sear for 3–4 minutes without moving to develop a good crust. Rotate 45 degrees halfway through this sear (after about 1.5–2 minutes) if you want crosshatch grill marks.

Sear on high heat

Flip the steak and sear the second side for 3–4 minutes for medium-rare (internal temp about 130–135°F / 54–57°C). For medium, cook 4–5 minutes per side (140–145°F / 60–63°C). Adjust times if your steak is thicker or thinner.

Flip and finish

During the last 1–2 minutes of cooking, add 1 tablespoon unsalted butter and the rosemary and thyme sprigs to the hot grate or in a small cast-iron pan placed on the grill. Spoon melted butter over the top of the steak repeatedly to baste and add flavor.

Optional butter-baste

Remove the steak from the grill when it reaches your target internal temperature. Tent loosely with foil and rest for 5–7 minutes to allow juices to redistribute. Internal temperature will rise a few degrees while resting.

Slice against the grain if serving sliced. Serve whole or sliced with 2 tablespoons steak sauce or chimichurri and a lemon wedge if desired.

Slice and serve

If using chimichurri or steak sauce, spoon over the sliced steak or serve on the side. A squeeze of lemon can brighten the flavor just before eating.

Sweetbreads

Zazpiak Bat

Basque Beer

Black Angus Beef Filet Mignon*

Lamb Chops*

10 Oz. Top Sirloin Steak*

J Vineyards, Pinot Gris

Rodney Strong

Layer Cake

Chardonnay

Cabernet Sauvignon

Sauteed Shrimp

12 Oz Pork Chop

Roast Leg Of Lamb

7 Oz Top Sirloin Steak

No Entree Lunch

The Picon Punch

Louis Fries

The Basque Burger

Chorizo Burger

Louis' Burger

The Lamb Dip

Chorizo Sandwich

Chicken Sandwich