BEST BITES TASTE TRIPS It’s time for a summer road trip to enjoy all the bounty that our great state has to offer. Food and Wine Magazine has a list of its favorite Napa Valley restaurants, and listed as a “Best Value,” isn’t a restaurant at all, but the very popular Oxbow Public Market (610 and 644 First Street, Napa): 40,000 square feet dedicated to all the best food and wine the valley has to offer. A healthier taco served up fast is one of the hallmarks of C Casa, 100 South Bay Accent where its chefs top fresh-made white corn tortillas with seasoned buffalo, grilled prawns or fresh crab, among many other choices, along with micro greens, goat cheese, chipotle aioli and salsa. C Casa also cooks up whole chickens and ducks on a rotisserie; order a whole or a half with a salad. Small plates include a fan favorite, the “Nachos Not!” with C Casa’s own housemade chips and white or black beans. Look for the chalkboard specials, and the monthly enchilada special. Start your day at C Casa with breakfast, served every day from 7:30 to 11:30 a.m., when you can get the restaurant’s take on huevos rancheros or scrambled egg tacos. Food and Wine Magazine listed local favorite Gott’s Roadside in St. Helena as one its favorites, too, and now you can savor the Gott’s experience in downtown Napa inside Oxbow. The eatery is famous for its California Burger, topped with a fried egg, Swiss cheese, bacon, arugula, balsamic onions and mayo. Or try the Kimchi Burger, which adds kimchi and gochujang mayo. Very popular are the crispy fries; the garlic fries are tossed with garlic butter and parsley, and the sweet potato fries offer a kick with chili spice. The onion rings are thick and dipped in a beer batter. Eiko’s Modern Japanese Cuisine has been a shining star for sushi in Napa since 2011; in 2014 the restaurant opened a satellite, Eiko’s at Oxbow. Diners can order some of the same delicious sushi, either at the bar or takeout. There are classic sushi rolls, along with specialty and seasonal sushi and sashimi offerings. Eiko’s also carries signature salads, bento boxes and noodle dishes. Fans of Eiko’s at Oxbow say they love how fresh the fish is whenever they visit. Favorites include the lion roll, made with avocado and salmon, and the uni, a sea urchin treat. While there are plenty of take-out opportunities in Oxbow, for a fullservice sit-down experience there’s Kitchen Door, created by Chef Todd Humphries. The open kitchen with a wood-fired rotisserie tempts diners as chefs whip up eclectic, global-inspired dishes using fresh, seasonal ingredients. Mushrooms are a favorite of Humphries, who regularly goes out foraging for unique wild varieties along with his team. Their finds go into the restaurant’s Cream of Mushroom Soup, Mushroom Pizza, and Mushroom Fried Rice Bowl. Other offerings include Pasta Primavera, Miso Ramen and Kitchen Door’s own take on the traditional American burger. —Pam Marino CARIBBEAN/CUBAN Cha Cha Cha Cuba, 112 S. B St., San Mateo. 650/347-2900. Authentic, zesty Cuban flavors are served up in a vibrant, friendly space. $$ Coconuts Caribbean Restaurant & Bar, 642 Ramona St., Palo Alto. 650/329-9533. Tropical cocktails, music and authentic Caribbean dishes quickly get diners in the island mood. $$ CHINESE Chef Chu’s, 1067 North San Antonio Road, Los Altos. 650/948-2696. Savor great food at this popular restaurant, such as the outstanding signature minced shrimp in lettuce cups. $$ Din Tai Fung, 2855 Stevens Creek Blvd. (Westfield Valley Fair), Santa Clara. With its ultra-chic interior and shareable plates, South Bay’s hottest dumpling house is a first-date destination. $$ Fey, 1368 El Camino Real, Menlo Park. 650/324- 8888. An expansive selection of traditional Chinese favorites as well as specialties featuring beef, lamb, chicken, duck and seafood. $-$$ Sino, 377 Santana Row #1000, San Jose. 408/247- 8880. Small plates that pack a flavorful punch along with large platters laden with house specialties keep Sino’s well-oiled kitchen buzzing with appetizing activity. The menu showcases innovative twists on modern Chinese cuisine alongside timeless Cantonese classics. Bite-sized delights entice the palate with the traditions of Dim Sum, which means “a little something from the heart.” Shareable classics such as mushu pork with stir fried vegetables, imperial vegetable egg rolls with glass noodles and lobster and crab pot- stickers pack in crowds of loyal locals and newcomers alike. The modern décor draws design inspiration from ancient imperial motifs, creating a supremely elegant atmosphere in which to indulge in expertly prepared Asian fare. $$ Tai-Pan, 560 Waverley St., Palo Alto. 650/329- 9168. Hong Kong-style Cantonese cuisine served up in an airy, upscale setting. $$ Wenzhou Fish, Noodles & More. 625 N. Sixth St., San Jose. 408/326-2910. Boasting a prime location Japantown location, this family-friendly eatery dishes out steaming bowls of noodles. $ CONTINENTAL Alexander’s Steakhouse, 19379 Stevens Creek Blvd., Cupertino. 408/446-2222. This upscale restaurant has redefined the traditional steakhouse experience by melding American and Japanese influences. $$$ LB Steak, 334 Santana Row, San Jose. 408/244- 1180. Sister restaurant of Left Bank Brasserie puts modern French twist on American steakhouse cuisine. Save room for luscious pastry desserts. $$$ Manresa, 320 Village Lane, Los Gatos. 408/354-4330. Chef David Kinch amazes diners with his creative, award-winning cuisine. $$$ Mosaic Restaurant and Lounge (Four Points Hotel), 211 S. First St., San Jose. 408/282-8888. This stylish bar and restaurant offers an American/ Asian twist on Continental cuisine. $$$ Viognier, 222 E. 4th Avenue, San Mateo. 650/ 685-3727. This Cal-French restaurant blends California’s bounty of fresh food with southern sensi- Flights Cafe Pro Bono
South Bay Accent - June/July 2017
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