200 DINING HOT SPOTS
spot prepares pastas, pies and handcrafted cocktails
with stylish ease. $$
Enoteca La Storia, 416 N. Santa Cruz Ave., Los
Gatos. 408/ 625-7272. Italian wine bar featuring
traditional small plates along with an extensive
selection of fine wines. $$
Enzo’s Italian, 21275 Stevens Creek Blvd., Cupertino,
408/255-2686. With an all-Italian crew at
110 South Bay Accent
the helm, this eatery dishes
up authenticity—including fresh
gnocchi and seafood ravioli—in a fast-paced, modern
setting. $$
ll Fornaio, Santa Clara, 408/217-8844; San Jose.
408/271-3366; Palo Alto. 650/853-3888. Il Fornaio
stays true to authentic Italian recipes and timehonored
cooking methods. $$$
Italico, 341 California Ave., Palo Alto. 650/473-
9616. This pasta-centric bistro is popular for
meatballs and other classic dishes along with its
extensive variety of Italian wines. $$
Pasta Moon, 315 Main St., Half Moon Bay. 650/
726-5125. Charming eatery serves only local, sustainable
ingredients, fresh from the first bite of
focaccia to the last spoonful of an artisan dessert. $$
Ristorante Don Giovanni, 235 Castro St.,
Mountain View. 650/961-9749. Relaxed atmosphere
and large Italian menu ranges from charcoal
broiled steaks to assorted pastas. $$
Spalti Ristorante, 417 California Ave., Palo Alto.
650/327-9390. Authentic Northern Italian cuisine,
featuring well-prepared fresh pasta, seafood, chicken
and veal in a casual setting. $$
Tigelleria Organic Restaurant, 76 E. Campbell
Ave., Campbell. 408/884-3808. Serving traditional
Northern Italian dishes prepared organically. Also
an extensive choice of a la carte antipasto. $$$
Vesta, Redwood City, 650/362-5052. The art of
the slice is elevated with the infusion of Old World
mastery of wood-fired pizza preparation. Other
delicacies include burrata and gelato. $
Vin Santo, 1346 Lincoln Ave., San Jose, 408/920-
2508. Authentic Italian pastas, meats and seafood
dishes uniquely crafted and prepared to mouthwatering
perfection. $$$
Vivace Ristorante, 1910 Ralston Ave., Belmont.
650/637-0611. “Vivace” means lively, and Executive
Chef Scott Cinfio’s Northern Italian creations
live up to the restaurant’s name. $$
JAPANESE
Akane, 250 Third St., Los Altos. 650/941-8150.
Authentic Japanese cuisine featuring an extensive
selection of sushi, sashimi and tasty beef, chicken
and seafood dinner entrees. $$
Azuma Japanese Cuisine, 19645 Stevens Creek
Blvd., Cupertino. 408/257-4057. A Cupertino
institution, this family-friendly restaurant has a
menu with dishes that offers that everyone will be
able to enjoy. $$
Bluefin, 754 The Alameda, Suite 10, San Jose.
408/931-6875. Sushi, sashimi and more modern
fare, with unique fish imported imported at the
peak of its flavor from Japan. $$
Bushido, 156 Castro St., Mountain View. 650/
386-6821. Offering Japanese izakaya dining, where
people gather in a casual atmosphere to drink
and enjoy small, unique plates. $$
Hachi Ju Hachi, 14480 Big Basin Way,
Saratoga. 408/647-2258. Traditional
Japanese cuisine featuring pure, simple,
flavorful dishes. $$
Kaizen Japanese Bar & Grill, 330 E
Hamilton Ave #7, Campbell. 408/370-
1600. This modern spot features a wraparound
sushi bar and Japanese mains such
as teriyaki and bento. $–$$
Kappo Nami Nami, 240 Castro St.,
Mountain View. 650/964-6990. Cutting-edge,
kappo-style Japanese cuisine with fresh, seasonal
ingredients. $$
Kubota, 593 N. Fifth St., San Jose. 408/279-8440.
An excellent upscale pan-Pacific menu featuring
seasonal specials and year-round favorites. $–$$
Kumino, Mountain View, 650/964-3300. Highend
gourmet meets casual cuisine at this innovative
BARGAIN BITES
Last year celebrity chef Anthony Bourdain declared the
cuisine of the Philippines the next big food trend in the U.S., and soon other
tastemakers joined in on his prediction. The South Bay has long had
excellent Filipino restaurants to choose from, including a host
of budget-friendly options.
Filipinos craving authentic dishes from their homeland
make Pinoy Lechon BBQ & Grill (2011 Tully Road, San
Jose) a regular stop. The star of the show is lechón, a
slow roasted whole suckling pig, a national dish. The
casual restaurant also carries many other traditional
dishes: lumpia, Filipino spring rolls; ginataang hipon, or
shrimp cooked in coconut milk; sinigang, a slightly sour
soup served with rice; and sisig, a dish made from parts of
the pig’s head and liver. The family-owned business also carries
American-style barbecue.
“Filipino soul food” is how one patron describes Rene-Rose Island Cuisine (621
Caliente Drive, Sunnyvale). Others call the café “a hidden gem” with consistently
good food. They serve well-known Filipino dishes in combinations with rice and
complimentary soup. Dishes include menudo (unlike Mexican menudo made with
tripe and hominy, the Filipino version is a made with chunks of pork, potatoes,
calf’s liver and garbanzo beans), and bistek, flattened pieces of beef tenderloin
covered in breadcrumbs and fried.
A robust menu and hearty portion sizes keep customers coming back to Magic
Wok (734 S. Wolfe Road, Sunnyvale). The restaurant features dozens of satisfying
Filipino and Chinese items. They serve all the Filipino favorites, including a wide
selection of authentic noodle dishes. They also dish up popular Filipino breakfasts
(known as “tapislog”) all day, served with garlic rice and two eggs. The idea is to
combine salty meat with the rice and eggs. The saltiness and protein are thought
to help one wake up and energize.
Clarita’s Filipino Cuisine (905 E. Duane Ave., Sunnyvale) is always
busy at lunchtime. Grab a tray and choose a combination plate
served with rice. Some of the dishes to try here are the chicken
adobo, which is chicken marinated in vinegar, soy sauce and
spices then slow-simmered until tender; beef kaldereta, a version
of the traditional goat stew; and the beef steak, or bistek.
There is also a good variety of vegetable dishes. Make sure to
try the turon, or banana fritters, for dessert. —P. M.
ASA
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