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June/July 2018 101
scooped onto tender lettuce leaves is a
light-tasting textural treasure. Even more
sumptuous are the soft-shell sliders in
which the delicate, soy-glazed crab is piled
into fluffy, toasted brioche buns. The tasty
fennel slaw in this dish also shows up in
delectable fish tacos made with grilled
white fish or shrimp dressed with tartar
sauce and layered atop teensy soft tortillas.
The financial downside is that the starter
servings are often so miniscule that guests
often reorder.
We must talk about the renowned uni
pasta, which should have its own Facebook
page given how many EMC fans
discuss it rapturously online. Tender,
thin noodles are generously plied with a
buttery, creamy sauce, dusted with tiny
fish roe and delicately crowned with two
little blobs of uni (sea urchin). The almost
overwhelming decadence has some
devotees begging for more, while less hedonistic
fans of the dish find themselves
vanquished after three bites.
Also rich and popular are the truffle
crab garlic noodles. Swoon-worthy for
garlic fans and generously endowed with
crab, this tasty mélange of carb and shellfish
is usually garnished with a crab shell.
Cajun shrimp is another hit, a peel-ityourself
variation of the crayfish boil so
popular in New Orleans.
The massive menu features a few meat
dishes, a lavish assortment of sides and a
few desserts, the best being key lime pie.
Service is usually attentive and friendly,
even when grumbling guests have to endure
long waits due to the no-reservations
policy. But the quality of the seafood and
the near certainty of finding something
appealing on this gargantuan menu make
the meal worthy of the wait.
The actual restaurant isn’t particularly
large, alas, but there’s a tented outdoor
section along one side that cuts the noise
volume and provides some privacy. And
given how focused diners will be over the
deliciousness in their mouth, conversation
might be limited.
EMC SEAFOOD, 378 Santana Row, San Jose;
(408) 296-6048. www.emcseafood.com/
santana-row
HOURS: 11–11, Sunday–Thursday; Friday–Saturday
until midnight. No reservations.
PRICES: Starters/small plates: $8–26; mains:
$18–69; desserts: $7. n
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