BEST BITES 106 South Bay Accent Half Moon Bay Brewing Co., 390 Capistrano Road, Half Moon Bay, 650/728-2739. This casually charming restaurant and brewpub offers breathtaking views and an equally enticing menu. $$ Original Gravity Public House, 66 S. First St., San Jose. 408/915-2337. Awardwinning sausages, gourmet grilled cheese and duck fat fries complement an array of craft beers. $$ The Oxford, 195 S. Murphy Ave., Sunnyvale, 408/245-8503. Locally sourced, seasonal, free-range ingredients put a gourmet spin on Londoninspired street food at this vibrant new addition to Sunnyvale’s restaurant row. $ Relish Gastro Lounge, 14583 Big Basin Way, Saratoga. 408/867-3110. Former Sent Sovi restauranteurs Josiah Slone and Khin Khin deliver a gastropub vibe with craft beers and a mix of edible accompaniments. $$ Rosie McCann’s Irish Pub & Restaurant, San Jose (Santana Row), 408/247-1706; Santa Cruz, 831/426-9930. Lively eatery with tasty bites and fine beverages. $ Steins Beer Garden, 895 Villa St., Mountain View. 650/963-9568. The hearty home-style cooking here is complemented by a variety of the choicest craft beers from around the world. $$ BURMESE Rangoon Ruby, 445 Emerson Street, Palo Alto. 650/323-6543. Two talented chefs from Burma Superstar restaurants create an outrageously traditional Burmese menu influenced by Indian, Thai and Chinese cooking. $ Sweet Mango, 1040 Willow Street, San Jose. 408/ 293-2268. Innovative menu blurs the line between Burmese and Chinese cuisine, and has become a local favorite in Willow Glen. $ CALIFORNIA Calafia (Town & Country Village), 855 El Camino Real, Palo Alto. 650/322-9200. Charlie Ayers, Google’s first-ever on-campus chef, turned his long-term vision into reality when he opened this popular eatery, which offers fine California cuisine made with local, organic ingredients and served in a modern, casual setting. Whether it’s brunch, lunch or dinner, Calafia has something for diners of all tastes—from pizza, tacos and burgers to curry chicken, grilled hanger steak and mahogany salmon. A full vegetarian menu also is available, along with an extensive wine list, choice microbrews and quality craft spirits sourced locally. Order from the Market-A-Go-Go menu to take home more of Ayers’ tasty treats. $$ California Cafe, 50 University Ave., Los Gatos. 408/354-8118. Wonderful fish, shellfish and innovative pastas served in a casual setting. $ Cascade Bar & Grill at Costanoa Resort, 2001 Rossi Road at Highway 1, Pescadero. 650/879-1100. The California coastal menu features sustainable, local seafood and fresh organic produce, served in a beautiful resort setting. $$ Cetrella, 845 Main St., Half Moon Bay. 650/726- 4090. 400 Main St., Los Altos. 650/948-0400. It’s been a little over two years since a 6.0 earthquake rocked the Napa Valley to its core, but the good news is rebuilding efforts are succeeding, and the restaurant scene is as hot as ever with several new eateries generating lots of buzz. Heritage Eats (3828 Bel Aire Plaza, Napa) attracted a lot of attention when it opened last year as a “fast-fine” restaurant in downtown Napa. Its focus on international cuisines is reflected in one of Heritage Eats’ mottos, “from Napa to Mumbai,” and is evident in its sandwiches, wraps and salads. You’ll eat your way through founder Ben Koenig IV’s travels with offerings like the Bahn Mi Dutch Crunch made with grilled lemongrass pork and topped with Asian pickled vegetables, the Jamaican Bao, made with Jamaican jerk chicken, or the Chicken Tikka Masala Wrap. Ca’ Momi Osteria (1141 First St., Napa) opened just one year ago, a spin off of the original Ca’ Momi Enoteca in Napa’s Oxbow Public Market. Owners like to say Ca’ Momi Osteria is “obsessively Italian,” and the attention to authenticity is why it’s one of the few restaurants in the country—and only restaurant in Napa—that serves Neapolitan-style pizza certified by three official Italian organizations. Besides pizza, Ca’ Momi Osteria’s menu includes tasty dishes like the Gnocchi Allo Zafferano con le Cozze, delicate saffron potato gnocchi served with mussels and cherry tomatoes. Miminashi (821 Combs St., Napa), burst on Napa’s scene in May as the area’s only izakaya-style (a type of informal Japanese pub food) restaurant. You’ll find lots of great yakitori to choose from, plus rice and noodle dishes. A unique feature of the restaurant is its “Soft Cream,” a Japanese soft ice cream, made from local honey, cashew milk and matcha green tea; toppings include sesame honeycomb candy and other tempting treats. Miminashi stands out not only for its menu, but also for its décor which is unlike any other Napa eatery, with high peaked ceilings invoking Buddhist and Shinto temples, and an open yakitori grill and an omakase-style chef’s counter. La Taberna (815 Main St.) opened within months of the earthquake much to the delight of locals who welcomed the casual and fun tapas bar featuring moderately priced dishes. Inspired by the classic taverns of northern Spain, La Taberna offers a place to get a cocktail and quick bite, or a full meal. The chalkboard menu changes daily. One recent menu included plates of meats including imported ham, lamb tartare, and crispy pigs ears. It also included seafood plates, including smoked trout and squid, and a few vegetable dishes. The drink menu is impressive and includes wines by the glass or bottle, cocktails, beers and ciders. —Pam Marino TASTE TRIPS The Basin Sundance the Steakhouse
South Bay Accent - Oct/Nov 2016
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