It’s hard to imagine a lovelier setting in Pasadena to enjoy a great dinner than under the European-inspired strings of lights illuminating the courtyard of the historic Pasadena Playhouse.
Chef Dominique Crisp has fashioned a new home at Saso (a rough Basque play on words for “the sea”), combining so many elements of his born-to-be-a-chef life—like livestock, fishing, and harvesting.
The restaurant’s superior relationships with food purveyors shows in his wide ranging, Basque-influenced seafood.
Crisp recalled speaking directly on the phone last week to a Ventura fisherman who said the sea was too rough for fishing that day. No blind “Take whatever you have” fish shopping for Crisp.
“I want coastal cuisine from Baja to Alaska to shine by showcasing farmers, fishermen and butchers we work with,” said Chef Crisp in the restaurant’s opening announcement.
“We need to reconnect with food as much as we need to reconnect with each other.”
Despite being raised in France and living in Spain, Saso is not entirely a “Basque restaurant,” as there are a host of local whole fish options, oysters, dramatic porron pours, flaming Spanish coffees, and a global wine list.
As Crisp described his upbringing, “I trained in Southern France. I’m a quarter French and I really liked the kind of rustic vibe, I guess you would say, Provençal-style cooking — but on the whole, France doesn’t really cook like that. That’s very specific to that region.”
Traveling through Spain in 2019 with his wife, Crisp reconnected with a childhood friend who had ended up moving there and was dating a Basque woman.
“He took me up to the mountains to see famous restaurants like El Cid,” Crisp continued, “and I got to really experience this quintessential ‘taverna,’ is what they call it. It’s a tavern essentially, but with that kind of experience of the mountains. It was big glasses of cider, really great, like wholesome cooking, very simple, but lots of it, brought out by the woman who ran it and she was proud of all of her food. I got very inspired by that.”
Meanwhile, at Saso, a charcoal Josper oven imported from Barcelona fires up the Navarra-style Bone-in Wagyu Tomahawk and Alaskan Mussels with fennel, charred leek, and chistorra. The oven features a unique enclosed-bbq design, for varied levels of heat and char for a wood-fired flavor without sacrificing moisture.
The dinner menu features pintxos, a crudo bar, and larger format dishes, such as: Jamon Iberico Sandwich with maple butter, jicama, and handmade white bread; Txangurro Tortas / Dungeness crab cakes with queso Navarra, hot peppers, avocado crema; Pasta Saso with handmade duck egg-yolk pasta, shellfish, finfish, prawns, and ginger.
We opted for an assortment of traditional tapas, which included tiger shrimp, Kroketas, King Crab legs, a seared Ora King Salmon, and the Goa Solomoa Australian Angus strip with caramelized onions, a demi-glace and fries.
Everything was cooked to perfection and under the lights of the Playhouse courtyard, the only thing missing was you. Perhaps this spring?
Saso is definitely a “special occasion” spot. Along with the romantic courtyard, a redesigned dining room and lounge could greet guests as early as next week.
Bring someone special. It can get pricey. It will be worth it.
Saso is at 37 S El Molino Ave Pasadena, CA 91101, at the Pasadena Playhouse. (626) 808-4976
