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South Bay Accent - Feb/Mar 2016

200 DINING HOT SPOTS THE GRAPEVINE Is there ever a need for an excuse to drink wine? If so, raise a glass to National Drink Wine Day on Feb. 18 and toast the South Bay’s eclectic lineup of events for local wine-lovers. Coming up on the day itself, Feb. 18, is Wine Stroll for the American Heart Association at Santana Row, from 6 to 9 p.m. Tickets are $40, entitling each guest to wine and light bites, as well as discounts at Santana Row shops and restaurants, and a signature wine glass. Tickets are available online (santanarow.com/ events) or from the Santana Row Concierge Center (377 Santana Row). Sundance The Steakhouse 102 South Bay Accent East Coast Alice, 14560 Big Basin Way, Saratoga, 408/867-1639. Long-time Saratoga restaurateur Alice Walsh is bringing her East Coast Italian-Irish family’s recipes, handed down from generation to generation, to Big Basin Way. Using locally sourced, sustainable and organic ingredients, Alice’s menu includes satisfying comfort foods, like the house made pastas and hearty casserole entrees. There’s also a big selection of hoagie sandwiches, featuring the one-of-a-kind Cheeseburger Submarine. Alice’s goal is to provide a friendly neighborhood hangout spot like the ones she experienced growing up in upstate New York, so she created a cozy, comfortable bar where craft cocktails, wines and draft beers are served. Live music is featured on Friday and Saturday evenings, and brunch is served on weekends. $$ Fleming’s Prime Steakhouse & Wine Bar, 180 El Camino Real, Palo Alto. 650/329-8457. A meat lovers paradise that serves up prime cuts in a modern setting. $$$ Gott’s Roadside, Town & Country Plaza, Palo Alto, 650/326-1000. Enjoy mouth-watering comfort food made from the freshest local ingredients in a warm, family-run kitchen. $ Grandview, 15005 Mt. Hamilton Road, San Jose. 408/251-8909. Steaks, seafood and pastas featuring fresh, quality ingredients, impeccable service and spectacular views of Santa Clara Valley. $$$ The Grill on the Alley, (The Fairmont), 172 S. Market Street, San Jose. 408/294-2244. A classic American steakhouse, complete with martini hour. $$$ Hangar Steak, 1800 Old Bayshore Highway, Burlingame. 650/552-3505. Part of the Marriott, this standout New American steakhouse offers delightful dining by the bay. $$ Hults, 165 Los Gatos Saratoga Road, Los Gatos. 408/354-3434. Fine dining and a romantic ambience accompany farm-to-table, seasonal fare and an impressive wine list. $$$ John Bentley’s, 2915 El Camino Real, Redwood City. 650/365-7777. Sophisticated but comfortable, John Bentley’s is a favorite among diners who come from miles around to enjoy the highly touted contemporary seasonal American cuisine. Guests enjoy entrees such as peppercorn crusted Ahi with soba noodle salad and exquisite meat courses including grilled marinated rib-eye with Gorgonzola Cabernet demi-glace. Desserts, like the sticky toffee pudding cake with caramel gelato and almond nougatine, are a must. A fun and lively spot, with a full bar and ample room for private dining, John Bentley’s combines warmth and elegance with outstanding service and food. $$ Justin’s, 1285 Homestead Road, Santa Clara. 408/638-5300. A seasonally rotating menu of classic American cuisine with a tantalizing twist. $$$ The Loft Bar & Bistro, 90 S. Second St., San Jose. 408/291-0677. Contemporary and casual restaurant 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. $$ Madera, 2825 Sand Hill Road, Menlo Park. 650/ 561-1540. Signature restaurant of Rosewood Sand Hill Hotel features wood-burning grill to produce artful seafood and meats. $$$ Bay Area. The hamburger has its beginnings with the Mongols, who on their 13th-century rides into battle would stash meat patties between their saddles and their horse and eat the meat raw after it had been tenderized. But at The Counter, the hamburger is the opposite of an afterthought. Here is a much-needed update to the burger joint, with fresh, antibiotic- and hormone-free humanely handled beef that— along with other all-natural chicken, turkey, vegan and seafood options; cheeses, toppings, sauces and an assortment of buns (including gluten-free) and bowls—make for a build-your-own checklist menu that can produce more than a million combinations. The Counter also offers business lunch catering. $ Crepevine, Mountain View, 650/969-6878; Palo Alto, 650/323- 3900; San Jose, 408/ 297-1100. This popular spot specializes in breakfast and lunch comfort food served up in a family-friendly atmosphere. $$ Dry Creek Grill, 1580 Hamilton Ave., San Jose. 408/264-2011. Serving up succulent meats and fresh, locally sourced seafood in a lively, spirited atmosphere. $$$ J. Lohr Vineyards and Wines kicks off February weekends with its Wine and Cheese Perfect Pairings, every Friday from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. at its after-hours wine bar (1000 Lenzen Ave., San Jose). The winery pairs a flight of four wines with four gourmet cheeses. Tickets are $15 in advance; walkins are welcome, but seating is not guaranteed. Bargetto Winery’s Music in the Cellar offers a great variety of live music every Friday evening throughout February and March in historic cellars (3535 N. Main St., Soquel). Admission is free, wine is sold by the glass and food is available for purchase. The music includes soul, funk, blues, R&B, and classic rock. And although the wine and music will warm your insides, the cellars are a little chilly, so dress warmly. And back by popular demand is the 26th Annual Great Taste of PG at the Inn at Spanish Bay in Pebble Beach on March 6, from 4 to 7 p.m. The fundraiser for Pacific Grove schools brings together top Monterey Peninsula chefs and some of the best vintages from local wineries, like Bernardus Winery and Pisoni and Lucia Vineyards. Tickets are $60 per person. For more information, visit www.supportpgpride.com. A two-part seminar, “Tour of Italy,” hosted by Testarossa Winery will explore the wines, regions and many varietals of the country. Focus will be on northern Italy on Wednesday, March 2, and on southern Italy the following Wednesday, March 9.  Both events begin at 6 p.m. with a 30-minute reception and light appetizers, followed by classes from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. To register, call 408/354-6150, ext. 31. — Pam Marino Cascal


South Bay Accent - Feb/Mar 2016
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