dishes and award-winning 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, at-home 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 butcherblock
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 housemade
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. $$
THAI
Amarin, Mountain View, 650/ 988-9323; San Jose,
408/253-8424. Fresh, contemporary Thai menu
with traditional accents and vegetarian dishes. $
Thaiphoon Restaurant, 543 Emerson St., Palo
Alto, 650/323-7700. Well-appointed restaurant
with a mix of traditional and contemporary Thai
dishes and a tropical themed patio. $
VIETNAMESE
Pho Wagon, 1712 Meridian Ave., San Jose,
408/440-0105. Specializing in its perennially
popular namesake soup, this family-owned Willow
Glen eatery is as bright and cheerful as it is
conveniently located. In addition to its delicious
array of pho, the menu also features other Vietnamese
staples such as vermicelli bowls, grilled
rice plates and banh mi. There’s also a kids’ menu.
House specials include Pad Thai Prawns and Rock
n Roll Filet Mignon with bell peppers and onions.
If you’re in the mood for lighter fare, try the mango
or papaya salad. For a sweet treat, dive into pankocrusted
deep-fried banana with coconut pineapple
ice cream. $
Tamarine, 546 University Ave., Palo Alto. 650/
325-8500. Elegantly presented dishes, such as crab
wontons in a consommé of lime, coriander, lemongrass
and coconut milk served in a warm, inviting
atmosphere. $$
Xanh, 110 Castro St., Mountain View 650/964-
1888. Upscale restaurant featuring Vietnamese
cuisine that pleases both the eye and palate with
creative combinations. $–$$ n
PACIFIC ISLANDS
Banana Leaf, 182 Ranch Drive, Milpitas. 408/
719-9811. Comfortable, open kitchen-style cooking
and flavorful entrees like Mango Prawn. $–$$
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. $$
Steamer’s Grillhouse (in Old Town), 31 University
Ave., Los Gatos. 408/395-CRAB. Steamer’s
features a variety of steaks, chops, seafood and
Mediterranean-inspired dishes and more. $$
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. $$$
SINGAPOREAN
Shiok! Singapore Kitchen, 1137 Chestnut St.,
Menlo Park. 650/838-9448. An exciting fusion of
Malay, Chinese and Indian cuisine. $
Straits, 333 Santana Row, Suite 1110, San Jose.
408/246-6320. Serving up fine Singaporean cuisine,
this sleek and sophisticated spot is wellsuited
to its posh Santana Row locale. $$$
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.” $$
Iberia, 740 El Camino Real, Belmont.
650/325-8981. Mouth-watering Spanish
BEST BITES
The Blue Door. 1502 Saratoga Ave., San Jose.
408/866-4176. This sleek eatery evokes the ambiance,
traditions and flavors of the Mediterranean. $$
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. $$
MEXICAN
Andale, 6 N. Santa Cruz Ave., Los Gatos. 408/
395-4244. Mexican meets Southwestern, featuring
mesquite-grilled meats and fresh salsas. $
Consuelo Mexican Bistro, 377 Santana Row,
Suite 1125, San Jose. 408/260-7082. Authentic
flavors of old Mexico are thoughtfully blended in
creative dishes that are served tapas style. $$
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. $
Tacolicious, 632 Emerson St., Palo Alto. 650/838-
0500; 300 Santana Row, San Jose 415/649-6077.
Serving upscale Mexican food featuring a wide variety
of artisan tacos. $$
Zona Rosa, 1411 The Alameda, San Jose, 408/
275-1411. 81 W. Main St., Los Gatos, 408/ 884-
8268. Honoring the cookery of Mexico and featuring
hand-pressed tortillas and fresh, locally grown
ingredients. $$
MOROCCAN
Chelokababi, 1236 Wolfe Road, Sunnyvale.
408/737-1222. Come enjoy home-style Persian
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. $$
Alexander’s
Steakhouse
The Basin