Thea - Mediterranean (Santana Row, San Jose)

Unassuming from the outside, this restaurant has an amazing ambience on the inside! With high ceilings & moroccan-style lamps and chandeliers hanging low, you feel like you've just stepped into a Mediterranean paradise. Sadly, the snobby Hostess (closer to London-standards!) and dazed waiting staff lend little to the service offered. Luckily the menu makes up for that with a delightful mix of vegetarian specialities and non-veg mezzes. Perfectly combined with the cocktails on offer, this place is a great way to kick-start an evening at San Jose's Santana Row.

Rehoboth – Ethiopian Café

Authentic Ethiopian food, served with true Ethiopian hospitality and grace.
Located in an unassuming part of San Jose (655 N. 6th Street) – I would never have ventured to had it not been on a friend’s recommendation, similar to the sentiments posed in a recent Metro-Active article. I have been to this restaurant twice & plan to go again and again and again! The food is freshly prepared and the service is unbelievably personal as the owner, Kay, comes out to chat to all the patrons to ensure your needs are met to the nth degree! I am making it a mission to recommend this restaurant to as many people as I can, to make sure this hidden gem is tried out by people who would really appreciate authentic Ethiopian food with incredible flavours and indelible service. This is a chilled out restaurant that serves small and large groups alike, just make sure to try it!

Osha – Thai

Great Thai food in the heart of San Francisco.
Once again, had to find an alternative restaurant from the initial choice, which is starting to become a routine when dining on a Saturday night in San Francisco!! This time, we were headed to the infamous Betelnut restaurant on Union St. Despite having a reservation, the traffic & lack of parking spots made us late (again), so we decided to look around for an alternative. Right opposite was a funky little place called OSHA. The welcome cool of the greenery filled entrance is enticing enough to draw you closer to find out what more there is to see inside. We were seated within minutes, even though the place was so packed. Not great for a romantic dinner or a family dinner for that matter (as I was on) as it’s hard to hear over the din of the diners and the loud music from the club-like atmosphere inside. Will definitely go back to kick-start a night out on the town, as the drinks are fantastic (try the Lychee Martini) and the portions are just the right size. We tried the ribs & chicken satay to start with, followed by the Red/Green Curried Sea Bass (amazing), Pad Thai and Chilli Prawns & Calamari. The food was incredible… too bad their dessert menu wasn’t as exciting, but we were too full in any case.

Forge in the Forest

My first trip to Carmel-by-the-sea, a beautiful seaside town, was a total success thanks to the co-operation of the weather & the opportunity to dine outside in the Spring sunshine. Despite the traffic passing along the streets beside you, Forge in the Forest has done a fantastic job of creating a mini-oasis – with outdoor seating nestled amongst herbs and greenery, umbrella heaters (just in case) and enough privacy that even the birds enjoy wandering over for a visit! The staff could be more attentive… we had to wait more than 20mins before being served, even though there were 3 or more servers hanging about not doing much! Still, once our orders were taken the wait was definitely worth it. Recommend starting with the San Francisco Fondue and the Balsamic Grilled Artichoke served with lemon and wholegrain mustard dip… followed by grilled Ahi Tuna or the Grilled Eggplant sandwich (favourite amongst vegetarians). If you prefer meat, definitely try the exquisitely tender Half Rack of Baby Back Pork Ribs! Sadly the only bad part was the lack of alcohol in the cocktails, which were filled to the brim with ice chips (typical for America). Recommend the lemonade to designated drivers (as I was) – which is really refreshing on a hot sunny day.

Sudachi – Sushi

Funky, fun & a true hidden gem in a crazy part of San Francisco!
We were driving around, looking for parking, with a reservation at Sushi Groove on Hyde St (which I am yet to try)! Fortunately, neither my blind date nor I were able to find parking anywhere close enough, so we decided to drive down to the hustle and bustle on Polk St. Finally found parking down a tiny side (Fern) street off Polk. Using my GPS I was able to locate an alternative sushi restaurant closeby… and so we came upon SUDACHI. Unassuming from the outside, this little restaurant is a feast for the eyes & great for a first date (attentive staff & great cocktails help). The menu was not extraordinary nor were the ‘special’ rolls… yet, the stills from Japanese movies being projected on the back wall provide an added ambience & sampling the ‘Asian tapas’ whilst sipping hot sake was a perfect combination. However stuffed you are by the end of your meal definitely order the Key Lime Ice-cream which is truly the most incredible dessert I have ever had… sweet, yet tantalizingly sour!

San Jose - FUEL - Simply Vietnamese

There's absolutely nothing 'Simple' or 'Vietnamese' about this funky new joint at 385 S.Winchester Blvd. Perhaps being so close to Santana Row they felt compelled to have a chic, NYC-bar like ambience with contemporary art around the main restaurant area. The decor is fab & the music is perfectly in line with the mood they are trying to achieve. I was just a bit miffed as I was expecting something entirely different... still, we stayed & gave it a chance.

My next disappointment was discovering the state of the ladies room! I'm a big believer of - judging the class of an establishment by the way they maintain their restrooms. We had been informed that the restaurant was less than a week & a half old, so I was expecting to see a restroom that mirrored the brand new decor of the restaurant & bar. Unfortunately, there must have been some issues with the lighting and the moisture control, because of the two stalls in the ladies room, one was soaking wet (walls & floor) and the dingy lighting made it impossible to see where to tread. Not impressed!

My mood for the evening was set. The menu had to be AMAZING and the service even more so, for me to give these guys another chance! Sadly only one of those turned up trumps. The menu was indeed interesting, because of the lack of Vietnamese options & the plethora of Japanese variations. Plus there were no vietnamese noodle+soup bowls or dumplings in sight *shock*shock*horror*horror*!! Our server was fantastic however. Really well trained, he had the manners of a public school boy in England. Although his speech seemed very rehearsed and unnatural, the politeness did help to calm my nerves. On top of this, the management was very particular on checking on how things were going with the patrons (who were few & far between).

We ordered a soup (which turned out to have noodles - hooray), followed by broiled sea bass & some spicy chicken with onion thing. Really wasn't impressed with any of these dishes, especially considering the prices (main courses $17+). Still, the evening went off well and I'd probably go back there just to try out the bar area next time. I don't think I'd recommend it to too many people though, unless you want to be nice & help a start-up out. Give it a couple of months till they find their feet. I'm sure it'll be fab by then!

San Jose - SINO (Santana Row)

Have a mouth as sharp as a dagger, but a heart as soft as tofu
(well, that depends on how the tofu's gonna be cooked!)

There are plenty of Posh Nosh joints located along Santana Row, which will be covered in my future entries. This is a particular favourite of mine because it's adaptability to play host to a variety of different groups that I have taken there with me. For example, the time I was there for Happy Hour with 3 hot-blooded, male colleagues, who enjoyed the 'scenery' dotted by petit brunettes and tall, skinny blondes! The array of martinis kept me busy on that occassion, as sadly the hot-blooded females are cheated in this joint with a scarcity of good looking men (that are straight) to appraise. Don't go for the Lychee Sake Martini, there's a better alternative with the same name, available two doors up the road at Blow Fish (great for sushi). All other martinis are amazing... as my sister & I discovered on a different occassion.

In comparison, the restaurant in the back is a haven for private diners in comparison to the vibrantly loud front-of-house, where there's barely enough elbow room on a Friday night to raise your martini to your lips! Coming back to the restaurant... I dropped in one evening with my Dad, who only has soup for dinner, not sure we'd even get a table sans reservation. I needn't have worried, we got a table without a problem & were served almost immediately by a friendly server. Not to mention the menu had a long list of soup options with our favourite dumplings no less. We had to be careful, as my Dad's a heart patient, but the server helped us choose dishes that were not fried. Really enjoyed our meal & didn't even need to strain to hear each other, despite the the din from the bar area infront.

Palo Alto - Kan Zeman

This hidden Mediterranean gem (not connected in any way to Kan Zaman in San Francisco) is located in the heart of Palo Alto, CA. Longing for the 'authentic' shawermas from Edgware Road in London, I happened to visit Kan Zeman with a friend when I was still a FOB (Fresh-Off-the-Boat). Although I can't compare anything to the delicious perfection that can be devoured at Beirut Express in London after a crazy night out, the main meals here come close to satisfying the missing tastes from home.

For starters, go for the hummus and warm pita bread. All main courses come with soup or salad (try both if you're there with a couple of people) - but save room for the enormous (by Brit standards) main course! My favourite has to be the Biryani - which is very different from the Indian version with the same name. We've tried the Magluba as well, but I still prefer the former. The aroma of the spices & their subtle taste make the dish pure heaven!

I've only been to this joint for lunch, but I believe it's quite a popular destination in the evenings as well. Perhaps the belly dancer has something to do with it?! The desert-like interior has an interesting mix of Jordanian decor with middle-eastern music. The authenticity however does not extend to the staff or the choice of beverages (wine is on offer!). The service is unquestionably efficient & friendly, but I'm pretty sure they don't speak in Arabic. Still, the food tastes incredibly authentic, so the guys in the back have been trained well.

San Francisco - Squat & Gobble

Definitely my favourite (not a spelling mistake - I'm British!) for breakfast, brunch or lunch - or whenever you roll out of bed. Although there are several locations (as I found out by getting lost, so you wont!) this location is perfect (Market/Castro). The menu is delish, ample choice to read through while you wait in line. From crepes and croissants, to pasta, bagels, even soups & salads! Try the Eggs Benedict (you won't regret it) with chilled mimosas on the side. Grab a table on the porch (if the fog's lifted & you're lucky to see sunlight) and enjoy the grub while the gorgeous men and their poodles strut their stuff down Market to Castro. Finish off with The Whole Thing (nutella, bananas, walnuts, brown sugar & cinnamon) and steaming cups of coffee.

Frankly, I don't just go back to the Squat & Gobble for the consistently yummy food or the fun ambience. The best thing about this joint is the service! The gorgeous guys behind the bar are friendly & extremely efficient, not to mention the Management (in the pic between me & my Dad) is warm, welcoming & consistently goes above and beyond to make your visit enjoyable, every time!