BEST BITES
9966 SSoouutthh BBaayy AAcccceenntt
porean cuisine, this sleek and sophisticated spot is
well-suited to its posh Santana Row locale. $$$
SPANISH
Cascal, 400 Castro St., Mountain View. 650/940-
9500. Spanning the globe with spectacular dishes
from Spain and South America, Cascal serves up
a menu of “spirited Latin cuisine.” $$
Iberia, 740 El Camino Real, Belmont. 650/325-
8981. Mouth-watering Spanish dishes and awardwinning
wines served in a luxurious setting. $$$
Joya, 339 University Ave., Palo Alto. 650/853-
9800. The hip modern décor mixes well with the
contemporary Spanish and Latin tapas and the
tasty variety of new age cocktails. $$$
Picasso’s, 62 W. Santa Clara St., San Jose. 408/298-
4400. Authentic Spanish cuisine made from the
freshest ingredients and served in a relaxed, athome
atmosphere. $$
SOUTHEAST ASIAN
Ginger Café, Sunnyvale, 408/ 736-2828. Gilroy,
408/847-2625. Comfortable, family-run restaurants
that feature a flavorful fusion of Chinese
favorites with a Southeast Asian influences. $
Mint Leaf Cuisine, 14420 Big Basin Way,
Saratoga. 408/872-3763. Eatery features fusion
cuisine including soft-shell crabs with peanut sauce
and curry scallops. $$
SPANISH/CALIFORNIAN
Asa, 242 State St., Los Altos. 650/935-2372. Generations
of Italian and Spanish heritage inspire the
seasonal California cuisine at this intimate new
dining spot. The 60-seat restaurant’s open kitchen,
black steel beams, and candlelit butcher-block
tables create a casual yet elegant ambiance. Sustainably
sourced and delectably prepared fish is served
fresh daily. Guests enjoy fresh, handmade pasta,
local, organic produce, and grass-fed beef. Artisanal
cocktails, a robust wine list and house-made ice
cream complete the menu. The building’s façade,
designed by award-winning architect Tom Kundig,
features an eye-catching wall of windows that crank
open to reveal the street. $$
THAI
Amarin, Mountain View, 650/ 988-9323; San Jose,
408/253-8424. Fresh, contemporary Thai menu
with traditional accents and vegetarian dishes. $
Thaiphoon Restaurant, 543 Emerson St., Palo
Alto, 650/323-7700. Well-appointed restaurant
with a mix of traditional and contemporary Thai
dishes and a tropical themed patio. $
VIETNAMESE
Pho Wagon, 1712 Meridian Ave., San Jose,
408/440-0105. Specializing in its perennially
popular namesake soup, this family-owned Willow
Glen eatery is as bright and cheerful as it is conveniently
located. $
Tamarine, 546 University Ave., Palo Alto. 650/
325-8500. Elegantly presented dishes, such as crab
wontons in a consommé of lime, coriander, lemongrass
and coconut milk served in a warm, inviting
atmosphere. $$
Three Seasons, 518 Bryant St., Palo Alto. 650/838-
0353. This stylish, chic restaurant and bar offers a
fresh new take on traditional Vietnamese flavors. $$
Xanh, 110 Castro St., Mountain View 650/964-
1888. Upscale restaurant featuring Vietnamese
cuisine that pleases both the eye and palate with
creative combinations. $–$$ n
cooking, great kebabs and a unique rice cooked for
17 hours. $
Menara Moroccan, 41 E. Gish Road, San Jose.
408/453-1983. Delicious, authentic Moroccan
cuisine, complemented by exotic cocktails and
belly dancing nightly. $$
PACIFIC ISLANDS
Banana Leaf, 182 Ranch Drive, Milpitas. 408/
719-9811. Comfortable, open kitchen-style cooking
and flavorful entrees like Mango Prawn. $–$$
PORTUGUESE
Adega, 1614 Alum Rock Ave., San Jose, 408/926-
9075. Translated as “wine cellar,” Adega puts a chic,
modern spin on Portuguese cuisine, including seafood
and meat dishes. $$$
SEAFOOD
Billy’s Boston Chowder House, 29 E. Main St.
Los Gatos, 408/827-4005. This popular “chowda”
house serves wicked good New England seafood in
a cozy English-style red brick building. $$
Blue Water Seafood & Crab, 860 Willow St.,
San Jose. 408/289-8879. East Coast–style crab
house with a wide selection of seafood specialties as
well as plenty of choices for land lovers. $
EMC Seafood & Raw Bar, 378 Santana Row,
Ste. 1100, San Jose. 408/296-6048. Oysters, uni,
and a bounty of cooked options grace the Asian-
California menu at this new spot. $$-$$$
Fish Market, Palo Alto, 650/493-8862; Santa
Clara, 408/246-3474; San Mateo 650/349-3474;
San Jose, 408/269-3474. Fresh, high-quality seafood
comes from the restaurant’s fishery and partnering
seafood farms. $$
McCormick & Schmick’s Seafood Restaurant,
170 S. Market St., San Jose. 408/283-7200.
More than 30 species of fresh seafood are on a
menu that changes daily. $$
Pacific Catch Fresh Fish Grill (The Pruneyard),
Campbell, 408/ 879-9091; Mountain View,
650/941-1810. Fresh fish prepared with a combination
of local ingredients and spices and sauces of
Southeast Asia, Japan and Latin America. $$
Steamer’s Grillhouse (in Old Town), 31 University
Ave., Los Gatos. 408/395-CRAB. Steamer’s
features a variety of steaks, chops, seafood and
Mediterranean-inspired dishes and more. $$
The Sea by Alexander’s Steakhouse, 4269 El
Camino Real, Palo Alto, 650/213-1111. Talented
Chef Yu Min Lin infuses contemporary cuisine
with Japanese sensibilities at this premier seafoodcentric
dining destination as he transforms fresh,
wild, and sustainably harvested ingredients into
works of art. Delicacies refined enough to satisfy
even the most discerning epicure include the foie
gras tortellini with lobster, broccolini, tomato and
onions, grilled lobster with leek, shiitake mushroom
and spinach, and acorn-fed Iberico ham with
tomato compote, shiitake mushroom and olives.
Pastry chef Dan Huynh’s transcendent artisanal
desserts are a fitting finale to an extraordinary
dining experience. Suitable for special occasions,
business dining and private events. $$$
SINGAPOREAN
Shiok! Singapore Kitchen, 1137
Chestnut St., Menlo Park. 650/838-9448.
An exciting fusion of Malay, Chinese and
Indian cuisine. $
Straits, 333 Santana Row, Suite 1110, San
Jose. 408/246-6320. Serving up fine Singa-
LV Mar, 2042 Broadway St., Redwood City.
650/241-3111. A casual modern restaurant with a
contemporary take on classic Latin cuisine. $$
MEDITERRANEAN
Arya Global Cuisine, 19930 Stevens Creek Blvd,
Cupertino, 408/996-9606. Enjoy Mediterranean,
Italian and Persian tastes as well as belly dancing
on weekends. $$
The Blue Door. 1502 Saratoga Ave., San Jose.
408/866-4176. Swinging onto the San Jose culinary
scene, this sleek new eatery evokes the ambiance,
traditions and flavors of the Mediterranean. $$
Cin-Cin Wine Bar and Restaurant, 368 Village
Lane, Los Gatos. 408/354-8006. This tastefully
appointed bistro offers bold flavors using organic
and sustainable ingredients. $$
Odeum, 17500 Depot St., Morgan Hill. 408/782-
5151. Combines Greek and Roman cuisine with
Spanish influences served in a warm and welcoming
atmosphere. $$$
MEXICAN
Consuelo Mexican Bistro, 377 Santana Row,
Suite 1125, San Jose. 408/260-7082. Authentic
flavors of old Mexico are thoughtfully blended in
creative dishes that are served tapas style. $$
Milagros Cantina, 1099 Middlefield Road, Redwood
City. 650/369-4730. Showcasing fresh seafood,
authentic Mexican cuisine and hand-crafted
cocktails made with organic juices. $
Olla Cocina, 17 N San Pedro St, San Jose.
408/606-7999. This highbrow bistro for Cal-
Mexican entrees serves shared plates and drinks in
bright, cheerful environs. $–$$
Reposado, 236 Hamilton Ave., Palo Alto. 650/
833-3151. A chic backdrop is well served by such
popular Mexican culinary favorites as adobo marinade
steak and tortilla soup. $$
Sancho’s Taqueria, 491 Lytton Ave., Palo Alto
650/322-8226; Midtown Palo Alto 650/324-8226;
Redwood City 650/364-8226. Adam Torres, formerly
with Village Pub, serves up an assortment
of veggie, meat, and seafood burritos, plus other
Mexican favorites. $
Zona Rosa, 1411 The Alameda, San Jose, 408/
275-1411. 81 W. Main St., Los Gatos, 408/ 884-
8268. Honoring the cookery of Mexico and featuring
hand-pressed tortillas and fresh, locally grown
ingredients. $$
MOROCCAN
Chelokababi, 1236 Wolfe Road, Sunnyvale.
408/737-1222. Come enjoy home-style Persian
Sundance the
Steakhouse