98 South Bay Accent Cetrella, 845 Main St., Half Moon Bay. 650/726-4090. 400 Main St., Los Altos. 650/948-0400. Upscale Mediterranean-Rim dining and California coastal cuisine with a variety of venue options—indoor, outdoor and private. $$$ Citrus (Hotel Valencia), 355 Santana Row, San Jose. 408/551- 0010. Spanish influence is featured with the use of innovative spice rubs for delicious meat and seafood entrees. $$-$$$ Fahrenheit Lounge & Restaurant, 99 E. San Fernando St., San Jose, 408/998-9998. The inventive menu of flavorful modern global cuisine is as captivating as its chic atmosphere. $$-$$$ The Farmer’s Union, 151 W. Santa Clara St., San Jose. 408/277-0545. This updated incarnation of a rustic American tavern boasts a refreshing array of local brews, craft cocktails and hearty yet sophisticated farm-to-table fare. $ Flea Street Cafe, 3607 Alameda de las Pulgas, Menlo Park. 650/854-1226. An ever-changing menu of continental and California dishes. $$ The Lexington House, 40 N. Santa Cruz Ave., Los Gatos. 408/354-1600. Unique Northern California dishes made with local, organic and sustainable ingredients. $$ Lure+Till (The Epiphany Hotel), 180 Hamilton Ave., Palo Alto. 650/666-3320. Providing the seasonal flavors of the region using the freshest local ingredients served in a rustic, casual setting. $$-$$$ Parkside Grille, 884 Portola Road, Portola Valley. 650/529-9007. Tucked among the redwoods, rustic but elegant setting serves up California comfort food with fresh local ingredients. $$ Piacere Restaurant, 727 Laurel St., San Carlos. 650/592-3536. Piacere serves fresh, locally sourced fare along with a wide selection of Italian and California wines. $$$ Quattro (Four Seasons Hotel), 2050 University Ave., East Palo Alto, 650/470-2889. Well-prepared California cuisine with an Italian twist. $$$ Tarragon, 140 S. Murphy Avenue, Sunnyvale. 408/737-8003. Tarragon impresses with a seasonal, locally-sourced menu that places an emphasis on fresh, organic, sustainable ingredients. $-$$ 31st Union, 5 S. Ellsworth Avenue, San Mateo. 650/458-0049. A popular locavore eatery featuring artisanal California food and drink with seasonally changing plates. $-$$ Verge (Toll House Hotel), 140 South Santa Cruz Ave., Los Gatos. 408/884-1054. California at-heart cuisine featuring a fresh and unique combination of cultural regions and styles of preparation. $$-$$$ Village Pub, 2967 Woodside Road, Woodside. 650/851-9888. Local favorite features a gorgeous interior and a menu that shows a serious devotion to meat dishes. $$$ Viva, 15970 Los Gatos Boulevard., Los Gatos. 408/ 356-4902. Upscale neighborhood eatery fuses diverse Cali fornia and Mediterranean cuisine with comfortable family style dining. $$ Vivace, 1910 Ralston Ave., Belmont. 650/637- 0611. Translated as “lively,” Vivace celebrates TASTE TRIPS When Michelin announced its 2017 Bib Gourmand restaurants, meaning restaurants where patrons can enjoy two courses and a glass of wine or dessert for $40 or less (not including tax and tip), four San Francisco restaurants received the honor for the first time. An excellent excuse to visit The City and check out these acclaimed eateries. ‘āina (900 22nd St.), bills itself as a modern Hawaiian food concept greeting customers in the warm “Aloha” tradition. The word ‘āina translates into “the land which feeds us,” and the restaurant stays true to the word using local ingredients from the land, and in season, adding in some ingredients imported from Hawaii. ‘āina serves dinner six days a week and brunch five days a week. The brunch features malasadas, Portuguesestyle doughnuts sprinked with coconut sugar and filled with guava custard. The Kalbi Loco Moco spins the island classic by adding a smoked honshimeji mushroom jus and heats of palm pico de gallo to the braised short rib, rice, and eggs. Fans of the Lai Hong Lounge (1416 Powell St.) rave about the dim sum—some even proclaim it’s better than dim sum they’ve had in China and other parts of Asia. Beside the delicious authentic food, the prices are not steep, which makes it a perfect choice for the Bib Gourmand. An extensive menu includes dishes like whole abalone, Peking duck, and variations of pan fried noodles. Also on the menu are clay pots ranging from beef stew and red wine ox tail, to sea cucumber duck feet and oyster. Rising star Nopalito (306 Broderick St. and 1224 9th Ave.) features sustainable seasonal organic Mexican food at two locations, serving lunch and dinner. Authentic masa for tortillas and tamales is ground in-house using organic corn, and other ingredients, like the chorizo and queso fresco are also made in-house. Dishes worth of the Bib Gourmand status include the Panuchos de Pollo al Pibil, which are black bean stuffed corn tortillas with citrus-achiote chicken, topped with pickled red onions and habanero salsa. Another is the Empanada de Pato Confitado, which is an amazing combination of duck confit and refried pinquito beans inside fried masa pastry. Okane Sushi (669 Townsend St.) continues to delight patrons with outstanding sushi and other Japanese ippin ryori entrees at affordable prices, combined with exceptional service. The sushi bar offers enticing choices both nigiri and sashimi, like the salmon, amberjack and halibut; several sushi choices are only served nigiri, like the freshwater eel, salmon roe and sea urchin. The a la carte ippin entrees include stewed hijiki seaweed, grilled shitake mushroom, assorted chicken skewers, beef skewers, and Jidori Egg Chawanmushi with shrimp and bok choy. —Pam Marino 200 DINING HOT SPOTS Noelani’s Cascal
South Bay Accent - Feb/Mar 2017
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