What are your Favorite Restaurants?

Eating out is something I really enjoy doing and I'm always game to check out a new place to eat as long as it's not going to cost a car payment for dinner. My favorite spots to eat are quirky places, dives, and little known secret spots. Unfortunately, a lot of these types of places quickly die out because they never catch on.

Here's a few of my current favorites.

Vietnamese: Quoc Te'
It's in Sunnyvale (I think). I've tried a lot of different Pho restaurants and this one remains my personal reigning champion of anything I've tried around here or in Boston. They're cheap too. The only reason I know about it is because a friend of mine once lived across the street from it.

Mexican-Sorta: Chicken Salsa
This is an old time favorite in Saratoga that I've liked going back to high school. They serve one main thing, herbed roasted chicken in tacos, burritos, etc.

Chinese: Sunny-Hu (??):
This one's not really a favorite, but they're new in town and they deserve mention because they're cheap and the food is surprisingly good for the price. Unfortunately they replaced my favorite noodle house, Noodle King. Right now $15 gets you a three item dinner with soup. Their normal prices aren't much higher anyway. They do a good HK style pan-fried Noodle. They're in Campbell on the corner of Winchester and Budd.

Dim Sum: Canton Delights
They're a little on the pricier side and are located in Cupertino next to Marina Foods in Cupertino on Stevens Creek. Excellent Dim Sum and seafood dishes. Their HK style pan fried noodles are the best I've had around here.

Well... do you have any local favs or even just some interesting places you've tried lately?

If you like quirky and unusual dining, try Ciao Bella in Ben Lomond. Best when experienced with a group of 8 or more.

The food is "OK" Italian. The bread, garlic and olive oil, and salads are great! The steak specials are also quite good. The place is a bizzarre not-for-prudes mix of artisitc eclectic, and the staff periodically performs song and dance numbers while you eat. Not professional quality, but humorous and interesting.

There's a French-Vietnamese restaurant in Milpitas calls Chez Christina. It has the best mushroom steak around town. Whoever I took there would want to come back. The cost is like $15 but it's definitely worth it.

I love Luigi's Pizzeria, located in the plaza at the corner of Bascom and Budd. Their pizza is fantastic, and the lasagna is made fresh every week by the owner's mother.

I think Luigi's is on Budd and Winchester, next to that Sunny Hu place. I love their slogan... Ferrari Taste as Hyundai price.


Oh man, and speaking of characterful pizza places, how could I forget ANGELINO'S in San Jose off of Winchester! We have to get a group of people for a little Angelino's outing sometime. The food's decent, but the pipe organ with the volume knob turned to 11 is just plain bizarre. Really really quirky and fun place.

Pete's Family Restaurant on Snell in South San Jose has your average greasy-spoon menu with a couple of homestyle Greek dishes thrown in for good measure. Low prices, huge portions and friendly service make this place ideal for those of us who love breakfast anytime of day.

The Cardinal (Hillsdale & Meridian) is another favorite of mine just for their cheesey decor, divey lounge/bar, nightowl clientele, and 24/7 hours of operation.

One of my favorites it "The Afghani House" in Sunnyvale/Santa Clara. It's on El Camino between Lawrence and Wolf- great food, nice atmostphere and very consistent in terms of quality and service. They have lamb, beef, chicken, and vegetarian (I think). The kabobs are awesome!

It's a good place to bring a date, or even your SO's parents - we tooks David's Mom and Step Dad there - she is very "meat and potatoes" and she loved it.

Another one of my favorites is "Thai Orchid" in San Jose at North First street and Trimble (in the little shopping center with Carls Jr.)

This post has been edited by Kathleen on Jul 7 2004, 05:08 PM

Oooh oooh! For awesome Thai food try Bangkok Cuisine in downtown Saratoga. It's a small, exotic looking restaurant with the best Thai food I've ever had. The only deal is that the portions aren't that big and it's moderately pricey.

If you like their decor, you'll love their food. I highly recommend their Yellow Chicken Curry.

Pete's Hmmm... never even seen that one, but speaking of family style hole in the walls, I've always been really curious of the family restaurant on Saratoga Ave and Moorpark that looks like one of them Wienerschnitzel huts and it just has the letters
R E S T A U R A N T

on it's side. It looks a little scary, but the curosity factor may get the best of me eventually.

Actually, the Thai restaurant you're thinking of is Bangkok Palace, 14515 Big Basin Way, in Saratoga. I always get the name mixed up, too.

I throw my vote in with Sheldon's. Bangkok Palace is truly the best Thai food I've ever had. In fact, it's some of the best food I've ever had at all. It's a great place, reasonably priced, and the atmosphere is lovely - perfect for a romantic dinner for two, or a great place to bring your best friend and sit chatting for ages (thankfully, unlike many places, they're not dying to shoo you out the door the minute you finish your meal).

Izzy's Steaks and Chops-San Francisco
Mountain Mikes Pizza-Belmont
Jeffrey's Hamburger's-San Mateo
Bistro Burger-San Francisco
Hola's-Belmont
Celia's-San Mateo
ABC Restaurant-Foster City
Siamese Kitchen-San Carlos
Pasta Pomodoro-San Mateo

ooh, I forgot to mention Fresca, on W. Portal Ave. in San Francisco...not quite as local as the others, but it's my favorite Peruvian food in the Bay Area. coming from a Peruvian girl, that should be praise enough

Great list of restaraunts many of which I have not been too. Thanks all!

For ribs and delicious sandwiches try Adam's Apple Bar and Grill on 923 W Hamilton Ave. Service is warm and friendly, ribs are yummy, sandwiches/burgers are excellent (their pork sandwich is great!).

Cheers,
Lucy

My list of fav restaurants:

Crepes: Savor in Noe Valley

Tapas and mojitos: Cascal on Castro St. in Mtn. View

Cambodian: Chez Sovan on Bascom in San Jose

New York-style pizza: Amici's, in Mtn View or San Mateo

Anything with ginger, including
homemade ginger ale (the best here!) Ginger Island in
Berkeley

Sangria and Mexican Food: Fiesta del Mar on Shoreline
in Mountain View

Napa: Cole's Chop House