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!