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South Bay Accent - Feb/Mar 2016

ZEPPOLE Sweet fried dough had to appear somewhere on a South Bay food lover’s guide, and here it is: zepolle, the Italian version of doughnut holes or fritters. Find these warm orbs at East Coast Alice in downtown Saratoga, where they serve the zepolle with small bowls of Nutella and strawberry jam, or at Tootsies at the Stanford Barn in Palo Alto. n February/March 2016 99 YAKITORI The tantalizing aroma of sizzling meats cooked over hot coals consistently lures diners into the valley’s Japanese yakitori restaurants, especially Gaku Japanese Charcoal Grill in San Jose. Yakitori traditionally means skewered chicken, but it can also refer to authentic Japanese charcoal grills, used to cook different meats, seafood and vegetables. Gaku uses Binchotan charcoal, made from a special oak, imported from Japan. It doesn’t get more authentic than that. The Travel Channel’s Anthony Zimmerman named Gaku as one of his five favorite restaurants in the U.S. XACUTI CURRY It wasn’t easy, but we found a food that starts with “X”: Xacuti curry. This complex blend of spices, coconut and chilies usually accompanying chicken, comes from the state of Goa, on India’s west coast. It’s also known as “shakuti.” Around the South Bay you’ll most likely find it on Indian restaurant menus referred to as “Goan,” like the Goan Fish made with coconut paste and served with rice at Rangoli India Restaurant in San Jose. WINE BARS Cocktails and craft beers may be hip right now, but vino will always be king in this region. Wine bars are proliferating in the South Bay, and that’s especially true in Cupertino where soon there will be three. Longtime favorite Flight Wine and Food was joined last year by Cooper- Vino, which is charming guests with a large selection, delicious small plates, and live jazz. The popular Los Gatos wine bar and Santa Cruz Mountain wine specialist Rootstock opens another store in the brand new Main Street Cupertino development this spring. East Coast Alice Rootstock CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: SHUTTERSTOCK; COURTESY OF ROOTSTOCK; CHRIS SCHMAUCH


South Bay Accent - Feb/Mar 2016
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