On my way to San Francisco, my friends insisted that we stop at this restaurant in Milpitas called Pepper Lunch. With over 70 locations in Japan and a handful just beyond the island nation, this is the only location here in the US. Normally my allergies have kept me from enjoying 90% of the Asian foods I’ve come across, but in the grand tradition of finding out what was and wasn’t safe for me to eat by trail and error, I went for it.
Arriving just minutes after opening, we were immediately and gracefully seated, by one of the waiters. The waiter and waitress were dressed casually, they were well groomed and neatly dressed. It was a small restaurant which only seated around thirty people. While both my friends ordered the Beef Pepper Rice, one of the restaurant’s signature plates, I ordered cut Steak with rice. That’s when I the waitress asked me if I wanted Garlic Butter or Teriyaki sauce, both of which I’m allergic to. Taking my chances, I ordered a light serving of Teriyaki sauce.
The waitress came back with the food rather quickly to my surprise, and that’s when it really donned on me that the beef was brought to me on a hot skillet intentionally raw. Apparently the meat is cooked at your table, much like a Galbi House or Yakiniku except without the grill. In a way I was relieved since grilling would mean anything I was allergic to would be thoroughly cooked. As I continued to cook the meat and sauce, I enjoyed my serving of sweet corn and rice. When all was said and done, I was the first to finish everything off of my plate.
If you are going to be in the San Francisco area or just around San Jose, I do recommend you give Pepper Lunch a try. It has friendly service, a nice atmosphere, and good food delivered to your table in a hurry. A few words of advice, if you do plan to go be sure to arrive early. As we were in the middle of eating, lunch hour rush arrived and a line began to develop outside the doorway. Pepper Lunch also closes during the middle of the day so you be sure that you check ahead before going. And finally be sure to pick up their frequent meal card. Pepper Lunch located just south of where the 237 and 880 meet. It’s official address is: 408 Barber Lane, Milpitas, CA 95035.
Resources and further reading: Milpitas Square Website, Wikipedia (Pepper Lunch)
