Four Restaurants in the Bay Area
One of the little pleasures of travelling for work is that I get to sample different foods. This week, here are the four restaurants I’ve visited for dinner. It’s my first time in each.
First was the Korean Gaesung House of Tofu at 2089 El Camino Real, Santa Clara. It was a quiet restaurant which served lots of tofu-based spicy soup. Their meals are accompanied by a generous selection of Korean side dishes - I had 8 small dishes that accompanied my rice served in a stainless steel bowl. Great for tofu lovers!
Next was the Italian Mio Vicino at 1290 Benton St, Santa Clara. A small establishment set in an unpretentious area. The food was good, but I struggled to identify the exceptional. I had the fusilli with portobello mushrooms, which was excellent. But then again, I’ve always loved pasta.
Yesterday I ate at Ariake Sushi Boat, 5190 Stevens Creek Blvd, San Jose. It was a busy sushi bar near the junction of Lawrence Expressway. The bento set with teriyaki beef was good, although the tempura consisted of overly large vegetable portions (perhaps I’m used to smaller pieces of tempura?). I still can’t get over salads with miso dressing.
Today was the most exotic of choices. Zeni’s Ethiopian Restaurant lies at 1320 Saratoga Ave, San Jose, and the place feels different the minute I stepped in. I was served upon by lanky African waitresses with tight curls, and the clientele looked equally exotic. The menu was filled with unpronouncable dishes and the food was served in a large dish meant to be shared by everyone at the table. Unleaven bread (injera) was served in spongy flat pieces which is meant to be eaten with the spicy stew-like wot dishes. Very interesting experience.
My normal source of new places is the San Jose Mercury, which has a good list of restaurants around the Bay Area. I feel that my tastes are not in line with their critics, but it’s a great lead to new places to eat.