Pulpo Restaurant and Wine Bar Opens in Burlingame

Pulpo Restaurant and Wine Bar just opened a few weeks ago in downtown Burlingame, offering sophisticated but unfussy fare and a unique international wine selection in a casually upscale atmosphere.

Just steps away from the Caltrain station, the restaurant at 1184 Broadway offers a selection of charcuterie, Spanish tapas, assorted flatbreads and entrees that go beyond Spain to capture the broader flavors of Mediterranean Europe and modern California cuisine. It’s a convenient spot for having a drink with friends and co-workers, dinner with the family or lunch dates. The wine list runs the gamut from everyday vintages to sought-after bottles like Opus One.

This is the fourth restaurant for owners Burak Gundogdu and Alican Uctepe, who previously opened two in San Mateo and one in San Francisco. They both met working at Cask Wine Bar in San Carlos. They’ve partnered with executive chef Waldemar Quiran Vargas, a Peninsula veteran of Cask, Martin’s West and Angelica’s in Redwood City, and other restaurants.

“This is a  place to have a nice wine and a nice meal,” said Uctepe.

Of course, “pulpo” means octopus in Spanish, and there’s no shortage of seafood on the menu. The already popular Pulpo sampler includes octopus along with grilled shrimp, empanadas, calamari, patatas bravas and caprese crostini. Uctepe also recommends the thin-sliced Jamon Iberico imported from Spain – “it melts in your mouth,” he said. For heartier fare, try the burgers, slow-braised short ribs or their traditional Spanish Paella Valencia: saffron Spanish rice, squid, mussels, chicken, prawns, salmon, chorizo, bell peppers, green peas and lemon zest.

One feature that really sets the restaurant apart is their selection of nearly 30 wines by the glass, making it a perfect place to taste intriguing selections – they have nine wine flights – or make select pairings with multiple courses.  They offer more than 100 bottles from Europe, California and South America, from Meiomi to Opus One and everything in between.

There’s nothing else like it in downtown Burlingame, and guests have noticed.

“We have one customer who’s been here four times already in these last few weeks,” observed Uctepe.

Right now the restaurant is also offering a 3-course lunch special for only $20 that includes a starter soup or salad, lunch entree and a scoop of gelato or sorbet.

Pulpo is open Sunday through Thursday from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. and closes at 11 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays. For more information, call (650) 699-1027 or go to  pulpotapasandwinebar.com.