BEST BITES The Basin locally brewed beers and craft cocktails add spirit to the friendly atmosphere—replete with a welcoming wraparound bar, and patio dining around glass fire tables. Popular with the locals are Hult’s Sunday brunch and a lively happy hour. $$ John Bentley’s, 2915 El Camino Real, Redwood City. 650/365-7777. A fun and lively spot, John Bentley’s combines warmth and elegance with outstanding service and an appetizing menu. $$ The Loft Bar & Bistro, 90 S. Second St., San Jose. 408/291-0677. Contemporary and casual restaurant 88 South Bay Accent in a historic downtown building, featuring great appetizers, tapas style. $ Los Altos Grill, 233 Third St., Los Altos. 650/948-3524. Dinner spot features tasty dishes, including rotisserie pork chops and a spicy tuna burger. $$ Madera, 2825 Sand Hill Road, Menlo Park. 650/ 561-1540. Signature restaurant of Rosewood Sand Hill Hotel features wood-burning grill to produce artful seafood and meats. $$$ Menlo Grill Bistro & Bar (Stanford Park Hotel), 100 El Camino Real, Menlo Park. 650/330-2790. Innovative take on classic American dishes that are made with fresh, sustainable ingredients. $$-$$$ Moss Beach Distillery, 140 Beach Way, Moss Beach. 650/728-5595. Historic tavern offers breathtaking Pacific Ocean views and a menu of all-natural meats, wild-caught seafood and organic produce, along with select wines and cocktails. $$ Nola, 535 Ramona St., Palo Alto. 650/ 328-2722. This funky, popular spot brings New Orleans style to the South Bay. $$ Orchard City Kitchen, 1875 S. Bascom Ave., Suite 190 (The Pruneyard) Campbell. 408/340- 5285. Led by Michelin-recognized Executive Chef Jeffrey Stout, OCK offers inventive, seasonal dishes along with a wide variety of beer, wine and spirits. $$ Parcel 104, 2700 Mission College Blvd., Santa Clara. 408/ 970-6104. Seasonal menu from acclaimed chefs Bradley Ogden and Jonathan Hall combines freshness and sophistication. $$$ Park Station Hashery, 1701 Park Ave, San Jose. 408/320-1711. Thanks to deep roots in the San Jose culinary scene, this homey spot elevates the neighborhood restaurant concept. $-$$ Paul Martin’s, Mountain View, 650/917-9941; San Mateo, 650/212-7400. Wide-ranging selection of tasty seafood, beef and poultry dishes served in a relaxed, contemporary setting. $$ Roots + Rye, 3055 Olin Ave., San Jose. 408/429- 2909. Buzzing with energy, this lively “new American” restaurant specializes in handcrafted signature cocktails and contemporary comfort cuisine. The open concept layout adds to the airy, refreshing vibe of the space, inviting guests to socialize and mingle. Crave-worthy dishes include pan-seared salmon with truffled gnocchi, mac and cheese crowned with crispy bacon, garlic bread crumbs and fine herbs, and shrimp and grits with prosciutto-wrapped prawns, polenta cakes and lobster jus. With a bustling atmosphere and one of the largest selections of rare whiskey and scotch in the Bay Area, this is a popular destination with the Silicon Valley single set, while the friendly, casual ambiance appeals to families and couples in the market for a lively date night. $$ Scratch, 401 Castro St., Mountain View. 650/237-3132. This sleek eatery combines upscale American comfort food with an impressive drinks menu. $$$ Spencer’s for Steaks and Chops (Doubletree Hotel), 2050 Gateway Place, San Jose. 408/437-2170. Spencer’s delivers simple but exquisite prime beef dishes. $$$ Sundance The Steakhouse, 1921 El Camino Real, Palo Alto. 650/321-6798. This upscale steakhouse, familyowned and operated for over 40 years, features hand-cut, USDA prime-graded beef. Enjoy slowroasted prime rib, specially aged New York strip loin and tender filet mignon in the candlelit mahogany dining room. In addition to the award-wining beef, Sundance prides itself on serving the freshest seafood and shellfish available. Favorites include grilled Pacific swordfish, ahi tuna sashimi and jumbo cold-water lobster tail. To complete your dining experience, the menu is supported by a nationally recognized THE GRAPEVINE Spring in the vineyards is a special time of renewal and hope. New tender vines emerge during what’s known as bud break, followed by flowering, when tiny bunches of flowers mean grapes are not far behind. It’s also the perfect season to enjoy some great wine events! Get ready for the spring/summer entertaining season by learning how to create perfect pairings at the J. Lohr Vineyards and Wines (1000 Lenzen Ave., San Jose) Wine and Appetizer Pairing Seminar, 6:30 to 9 p.m., Saturday, April. 8. Chef Bruce Finch will introduce participants to pairing guidelines and choosing the right wines for any menu. Enjoy five bite-sized appetizers and five wines. Tickets are $50 per person. Enjoy springtime in the mountains along with some delicious wines during Santa Cruz Mountains Passport Day, Saturday, April 15. Passports purchased for $55 are good for up to two years, to be used during any Passport Day, held four times a year. More than 50 wineries participate in these special days. Some of the participating wineries include Big Basin Vineyards, Cooper-Garrod Estate Vineyards and Silver Mountain Vineyards. See scmwa.com to purchase passports. In just 10 years, the Pebble Beach Food and Wine Festival has established itself as one of the premiere “epicurean lifestyle” events on the west coast. This year it’s taking place April 20-23, and as usual it will be chock full of wine seminars and tasting events featuring some of the best wines from around the world (and lots of sumptuous food, too). Be prepared for some sightings of celebrity chefs and stars of the wine world. Tickets available at pbfw.com. Another premier event is the Silicon Valley Wine Auction, which encourages guests to “raise your glass and fund the future,” is taking place Saturday and Sunday, May 20-21 at the beautiful Runnymede Sculpture Farm (980 Runnymede Rd., Woodside). The event brings together 100 winemakers and growers from the Santa Cruz Mountains with guests to raise money for the Silicon Valley Education Foundation and STEM Leadership Institute. The Wine Dinner and Live Auction takes place from 4 to 9:30 p.m., on Saturday. The Grand Wine Tasting takes place 12 to 4 p.m., on Sunday. Tickets are available through sliconvalleywineauction.org. —Pam Marino Straits
South Bay Accent - Apr/May 2017
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