A Glorious
Rerun
90 South Bay Accent
REVIEW B y S u s a n H a t h a w a y
Sleepy Los Altos with its affluent
citizenry and cute-as-a-button
downtown has long beckoned
restaurateurs, but the surprising
failure rate over the years seems
out of line considering the potential. Fortunately
for South Bay diners, this didn’t
deter Andrew Welch, whose modern reinvention
of his venerable The Basin in
nearby Saratoga has been triumphant on
tree-studded State Street. Opened in 2017,
ASA, named for his baby son, is perennially
packed, firmly occupying the happy role of
the hottest restaurant in Los Altos.
While the soaring, contemporary architecture
of this sliver of a dining spot sets
it apart from the conventional suburban
buildings nearby, Welch didn’t stray too far
from the winning formula that
has made The Basin a hit since
its opening in 1999. At ASA, the
people-pleasing cuisine with The
Basin’s strong Spanish and Italian
influences remains, but notched
up and modernized by executive
chef Steven Vu, who has long run
the Saratoga kitchen.
The succulent McFarland
Springs trout, velvety Iberian
ham, luscious pastas, paella, juicy
clams and some other mainstays
from The Basin’s menu have been
given new treatments at ASA.
Also transported is enthusiastic,
attentive, thoughtful service.
Hardly an absentee owner, Welch
is on hand, as always, to greet
guests and keep a sharp eye on the
floor. If diners don’t like a dish, it’s
often removed from the tab in this
customer-focused establishment.
But nobody is sending back
the brilliantly conceived vegetarian
paella starter, which has the
heavenly broth of traditional paella but with
a crusty small sphere of rice and veggies in
a whisper-light iteration. A seafood version
with miniscule pieces of chorizo and three
little shrimp is also popular, but like most of
the starters, it’s served in very wee portions.
Meanwhile, an ASA original—roasted leek
“marrow”—replaces the oily beef rendition
with an inspired combo of sweet leeks,
almonds and fruity balsamic with a silky,
guilt-free texture.
The Basin’s popular anchovy toast can be
had here as lobster toast, with the shellfish
enhanced by a creamy, slightly piquant
sauce spread onto brioche, although anchovy
“bread” is available and beckons to
serious Italian food nuts who swoon over
this assertive little fish. Don’t miss the raw
T h e D i s h o n H o t L o c a l E a t e r i e s
COURTESY OF ASA
ASA Elevates the Alluring
Cuisine from Saratoga’s
The Basin