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. $$
PintxoPote, 424 N. Santa Cruz Ave., Los Gatos.
408/797-8688. This lively tapas bar showcases the
range of the traditional flavors of Northern Spain’s
Basque country. $$
SOUTHEAST ASIAN
Ginger Café, Sunnyvale, 408/736-2828; Gilroy,
408/847-2625. Comfortable, family-run restaurants
that feature a flavorful fusion of classic
Chinese favorites with seasonal 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. $$
SPANISH/
CALIFORNIAN
Asa, 242 State St., Los Altos.
650/935-2372. Generations
of Italian and Spanish heritage
inspire the sustainably sourced
seasonal California cuisine at this
intimate dining spot. $$
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. $$
Three Seasons, 518 Bryant St., Palo Alto. 650/838-
0353. This stylish, chic restaurant and bar offers a
fresh new take on traditional Vietnamese flavors. $$
Xanh, 110 Castro St., Mountain View 650/964-
1888. Upscale restaurant featuring Vietnamese
cuisine that pleases both the eye and palate with
creative combinations. $–$$ n
and a bounty of cooked options grace the Asian-
California menu at this new spot. $$–$$$
Fish Market, Palo Alto, 650/493-8862; Santa
Clara, 408/246-3474; San Mateo 650/349-3474;
San Jose, 408/269-3474. Fresh, high-quality seafood
comes from the restaurant’s fishery and partnering
seafood farms. $$
Forthright Oyster Bar, 1700 W Campbell Ave.,
Campbell. 408/628-0683. With Chef-restaurateur
Jim Stump at the helm, Forthright is a bustling
place for oysters, seafood dishes and drinks in stylish
surroundings with a patio. $$$
McCormick & Schmick’s Seafood Restaurant,
170 S. Market St., San Jose. 408/283-7200.
More than 30 species of fresh seafood are on a
menu that changes daily. $$
Old Port Lobster Shack, 3130 Alpine Road,
Portola Valley, 650/561-9500; 20 Woodside Plaza,
Redwood City, 650/366-2400. Fresh
lobster dishes and other seafood
selections served in a New England
style lobster shack. $$
Pacific Catch Fresh Fish
Grill (The Pruneyard),
Campbell, 408/ 879-
9091; Mountain View,
650/941-1810. Fresh fish
prepared with a combination
of local ingredients
and spices and sauces of
Southeast Asia, Japan and
Latin America. $$
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 seafood-centric
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. $$$
Steamer’s Grillhouse (in Old Town), 31 University
Ave., Los Gatos. 408/395-CRAB. Steamer’s
features a variety of steaks, chops, seafood and
Mediterranean-inspired dishes and more. $$
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 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
BEST BITES
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. $$
Vive Sol, 2020 W. El Camino Real, Mountain
View. 650/938-2020. Mountain View boasts this
popular spot that showcases the heady moles indigenous
to the Puebla region. $$
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. $$
MOROCCAN
Chelokababi, 1236 Wolfe Road, Sunnyvale.
408/737-1222. Come enjoy home-style Persian
cooking, great kebabs and a unique rice cooked for
17 hours. $
Menara Moroccan, 41 E. Gish Road, San Jose.
408/453-1983. Delicious, authentic Moroccan
cuisine, complemented by exotic cocktails and
belly dancing nightly. $$
PACIFIC ISLANDS
Banana Leaf, 182 Ranch Drive, Milpitas. 408/
719-9811. Comfortable, open kitchen-style cooking
and flavorful entrees like Mango Prawn. $–$$
The Palms, 115 N. Santa Cruz Ave., Los Gatos.
408/402-3811. Located in the historic Coggeshall
Victorian Mansion, this island-inspired eatery celebrates
the cuisine of the Pacific Rim. $$$
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,
Sundance
The Steakhouse
Porta Blu