Pippa's Cafe — Restaurant in Concord

Tldr: Don't eat here. You could get better food from the local 7-11. Additionally, the automatic gratuity was labeled 20% on the bill - however, if you do the math, it's not actually 20% of your bill, it's closer to 25/26%.

Ordered the pulled chicken nachos - arrived cold and inedible (cold queso is never good). Ordered blackened salmon for dinner - got overcooked jerky with no seasoning. It was so far from "blackened" that I swear nobody ever even uttered the word "blackened" near it. Ordered Mac n cheese as a side - it's par cooked pasta with shredded cheese dropped on top.

You served us inedible food, overcharged us, AND we waited over 45min after placing our orders to actually receive them. It's on me though, I should have known better. When there's a menu item that offers the guest the option to "cover it in sauce" you already know it's gonna be overcooked.

It's weird to pay $90+ for two entrees that you could make at home (better) for 20-25$ max. Also if any of the staff reads this - it takes 10-15 min tops (especially when there are tons of empty tables) to cook blackened salmon. Any more than that and you're just playing with it.

You know what? Actually, here's how you cook blackened salmon. Hopefully this saves the next people that order it.

Ingredients:

Salmon fillets (preferably about 1-inch thick)

Blackening seasoning (a blend of spices like paprika, cayenne pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, thyme, oregano, salt, and black pepper)

Butter or oil for cooking

Instructions:

Prepare the Salmon:

Pat dry the salmon fillets with paper towels to remove excess moisture.

Generously coat both sides of each fillet with the blackening seasoning, pressing it into the flesh to ensure it adheres well.

Heat the Skillet:

Use a heavy-bottomed skillet, such as cast iron, for best results.

Place the skillet over medium-high to high heat.

Add about 1 to 2 tablespoons of butter or oil to the pan.

Allow the butter to melt and the skillet to become very hot; it should almost reach the point of smoking.

Cook the Salmon:

Carefully place the seasoned salmon fillets into the hot skillet.

Cook for 3 to 4 minutes on the first side. You should see a dark, crisp crust forming.

Gently flip the fillets using a spatula.

Cook for an additional 3 to 4 minutes on the other side.

Tip: For thicker fillets, you may need to reduce the heat slightly and cook for an extra minute or two on each side.

Check for Doneness:

The salmon is done when it flakes easily with a fork and has an opaque appearance throughout.

For precise cooking, use a meat thermometer; the internal temperature should reach 145°F (63°C).

Rest and Serve:

Remove the salmon from the skillet and let it rest for a couple of minutes before serving.

Serve with your choice of sides, such as rice, vegetables, or a fresh salad.

Total Estimated Time:

Preparation: 5 minutes

Cooking: 6 to 8 minutes

Resting: 2 minutes

Total: Approximately 13 to 15 minutes

Additional Tips:

Ventilation: Cooking blackened salmon can produce smoke due to the high heat. Ensure your kitchen is well-ventilated by turning on an exhaust fan or opening a window.

Oven Finish (Optional): If you're cooking particularly thick fillets, you can sear them in the skillet for 2 to 3 minutes per side and then transfer them to a preheated oven at 400°F (200°C) for an additional 5 to 7 minutes to...

*I'd highly discourage anyone with a food allergy from eating at Pippa's Cafe

I'll preface this by saying, I realize how difficult it is to wok in the service industry. I rarely, if ever, write bad reviews. However, in this instance I feel compelled to do so.

I've been a loyal customer of Pippa's off and on since 2016.

Background information - my lovely cousins flew into town this week for our annual family trip. On Weds (6/8) we were all starving after we left the Concord area - so of course I thought of Pippa's.

Admittedly, we were catching up on memories and laughing when we ordered our food so we were all a bit distracted.

One of my cousins has a severe lactose allergy and when her salad arrived we realized it came with Feta cheese. My cousin politely and discretely explained her lactose allergy to our server and asked if it would be possible to ask the chef to prepare a new salad without feta.

Despite the fact that my cousin's request for a new salad was solely based on a medical issue, our served refused to compromise or accommodate the request, aside from offering the two options below.

1)Eat the salad 2) Pay for a new salad

The rationale provided by our server was that if she replaced my cousin's salad, free of charge, she would have to "do it for everyone".

Needless to say, we were very disappointed with our server's demeanor, inflexibility, and her delivery.

I dine out fairly often and I've occasionally had to send food back. I can honestly say I've never had a restaurant employee balk at a request like this.

I'm deeply disappointed in our experience and the utter lack of customer service. I will not be dining at...

We were very disappointed. We are long time regulars. We have had my daughter in laws 30th party here and my Retirement party here. But it kills me to say this place has gone down hill fast. In the last 5 times we have been here we have been disappointed each time. My husband and I each ordered a salad with a protein, My husband ordered his with steak which was over cooked and I ordered Salmon which they forgot to bring, after 30 more minutes they finally brought the salmon and it was raw. Another visit my husband ordered Prime Rib it was Sirloin at best. They tried to keep telling us it was Prime Rib but it wasn't, Another time we went we waited about 20 minutes for a table which was no big deal but after being seated we waited 45 minutes for our food. That is unacceptable. The manager told us they were busy and we needed to understand the wait, Then we tried to give it one last try last night. My grand daughter ordered a hot dog with fries, her fries were not cooked through, (They never are even if you ask them to cook them crispy) My husband ordered a Fried Buffalo Chicken Sandwich, it came grilled and cold, they took it back and brought it back fried. I think they took the same piece of chicken and just dropped it in the fryer and then smothered it with sauce. It was gross. I ordered the Chicken Marsala my chicken was so over cooked I couldn't even get my knife through the ends of the chicken, the center was so dry. I took it home and fed it to my dog. Sadly we won't be regulars anymore. We have given them enough...