Duck Club

100 El Camino Rl

Menlo Park

650-969-8968

One of a few places where I liked every course of the meal (and I had many courses...). The French Onion Soup was about the best I have ever had, not too salty and you can actually taste the caramelized onions, topped with some fried onions. The roast duck breast was moist and flavorful. You can actually taste the keylime in the Keylime Pie. Likewise, you won't mistake the Espresso Napoleon for a chocolate napoleon. Went back there and had filet mignon and poached pears. Didn't like either all that much.

Spago

Lytton

Palo Alto

650-833-1000

Liked the food. Good house-greens served with spicy walnuts and caramelized apples. The bouillabaisse was good and unusual in that it had sherry and was more bisque-like than the usual stew. Angel hair pasta with porcini was on the greasy side; pink squab (and I do mean pink!) was served with a beautifully done red-wine risotto, and the seared ahi came with a sesame-lime vinaigrette. We had the dessert sampler which included a passion-fruit creme brulee (yum), and a chocolate truffle cake (yawn) among others. The restaurant was more casual and noisy than I had expected. Service was snooty and spotty -- lovely combination! Went there again in a party of 10 and all 10 of us did not like the food. Rack of lamb that was supposed to come out rare came out raw, and the stuffing in a quail stunk. I had decided not to ever go back there again until a work-related free dinner was offered there. Since it was free, I had to go. The food the third time deserved a 7. I am assuming the second dinner there was just a fluke.

Viognier

222 4th Street

San Mateo

650-685-3727

I went there a long time ago and a friend pointed out to me one day that I don't have the review anywhere in my website. I vaguely remember getting a mushroom bisque for soup, and I believe the leg of lamb for entree. I wasn't unhappy with the meal as far as I can remember.

Wild Hare

1029 El Camino Rl

Menlo Park

650-327-4273

The restaurant was brought to my attention because its executive chef Joey Altman, is the host of some cooking show on Bay TV, and of course, once I saw its menu, I just had to try it. Appetizers I have tried (the numbers in parenthesis indicate how much I liked it): Thai Sticks of wild boar, rock shrimp and shitake (6), Foie Gras with carmelized pears and ginger (7), Ginger Steamed Scallop and Shrimp Dumplings (7), Bison Carpaccio with roasted chili salsa and cilantro aioli (5), Ostrich Satay (5), and Asparagus Veloute with crab brandade (5). Entrees: Oven Roasted Squab with Truffle Mashed Potatoes, Chanterelles and Apple Smoked Bacon (7, loved the sides), Wild Hare Pot Pie (6, didn't like the crust but the hare was amazingly tender), Bison Steak Au Poivre (5, the flavor was pretty good but I had asked for it rare and it came medium-rare), Grilled Natural Veal Chop (7, it was incredibly flavorful and moist), Chicken Saltimbocca (5, didn't much care for that), and Shellfish Clay Pot with Thai Coconut Red Curry (5, bland for my taste). Desserts: Oozing chocolate cake (7, when it oozed it was good; otherwise, mediocre).

Blue Chalk Cafe

630 Ramona Street

Palo Alto

650-326-1020

I liked the red snapper on crawfish & bacon mashed potatoes. The pecan pie wasn't anywhere as interesting.

Kincaid's Bay House

60 Bayview Place

Burlingame

415-400-9844

Not exactly cheap prices for unexciting seafood. Went to the one at Jack London Square recently and I liked the buffalo wings and crab cakes fine.

Scott's Seafood Grill & Bar

Palo Alto, San Jose

Mediocre seafood at not-too-horrible prices. It wasn't that the seafood wasn't fresh but the way it was prepared was certainly on the bland and dull side.

Nieman Marcus Restaurant

Stanford Shopping Center

Palo Alto

Didn't care much for their sandwiches. Your waiter will bring you a small cup of chicken broth and a buttery popover when you are first seated which is kind of nice.

Caffe Verona

326 Hamilton

Palo Alto

650-326-9942

Liked the scones. The croissants smelled buttery! I was told the muffins are pretty good. The pastas and salads didn't look too appetizing however.

University Coffee Cafe

University Ave

Palo Alto

Enjoyed the really, really, rich chocolate decadent cake.

La Baguette

Stanford Shopping Center

Palo Alto

650-321-0535

To-die-for tiramisu covered with semisweet chocolate; good savory croissants (especially if you have them reheated), and mediocre chocolate croissants.

Marjolaine

134 Main Street

Los Altos

650-949-2226

I like the place mostly for its service and atmosphere. Big cafe with lots of tables and chess sets lying around. The cakes look gorgeous and they taste alright. I am not a big fan of icing or buttercream.

Prolific Oven

550 Waverly

Palo Alto

650-326-8485

Liked the eclair with chocolate cream. Didn't care for the Grand Marnier/Rum Ball.

Palo Alto Baking Company

381 California Ave

Palo Alto

650-321-3234

A very appealing selection of desserts and I was tempted to get a few too many things. I refrained and I was glad. The desserts were a little too sweet and otherwise, unremarkable.

Just Desserts

Bryant

Palo Alto

Amazingly enough, I went in there and was not in the least bit tempted by any of the cakes/pastries. I guess that means I really should not give a review on this but I would discourage you from making a trip there just for desserts.

Madame Paulette

Stanford Shopping Center

Palo Alto

Only had a scone there and all I could taste was the baking soda within the scone.

Hong Kong Chinese Bakery

211 Castro Street

Mountain View

650-969-3153

Okay, so this rating may not be fair to the bakery. I have only taken a small bite of an almond cookie that someone else bought there. Nothing, absolutely nothing in the bakery looked appetizing to me.

Hong Kong Flower Lounge Restaurant

1699 El Camino Rl

Millbrae

650-962-6666

Common place for Chinese weddings. Excellent Cantonese banquet food. Dimsum is also pretty decent. A new branch has opened in Palo Alto.

Hunan Gourmet

102 Castro St

Mountain View

650-948-3524

Almost like good home-cooking. I liked everything I have had there. I have heard the Mountain View Branch has a new chef now and that I should avoid the restaurant.

Fook Yuen Restaurant

195 El Camino Rl

Millbrae

650-962-8600

A friend calls it "another Hong Kong Flower Lounge" and she's right. I have not had the typical banquet dishes there but the items off the menu are typically Cantonese. Very good food in general.

Koi Palace

365 Gellert Blvd

Daly City

650-992-9000

Known for having good dimsum but we were there for dinner, and we had the Peking Duck set menu. Decent and not particularly impressive. I went back there for a Cantonese banquet dinner and it was better. Service was attentive as ever.

Garden Fresh

1245 W El Camino Real

Mountain View

650-961-7795

I think this is my favorite vegetarian restaurant in the Bay Area. I didn't try any of the dishes that were supposed to simulate meat (I usually don't like them), and I did like all the typical vegetarian dishes I tried. We started with the Basil Moo-shu rolls and Fried Season Vegetable Dumplings, and had the Green Boat and Stuffed Fried Tofu for entrees. It wasn't all that healthy a meal because everything was fried, but they tasted great!

Silver House

2224 S El Camino Rl

San Mateo

415-599-1298

I am not quite sure what kind of cuisine this serves. It has seemingly pretty generic Chinese dishes with no noticeable regional emphasis. Excellent sauteed eggplant (and I hate eggplant) and pretty good tofu claypot.

Shang Hai Taste Delight

855 W El Camino Rl

Mountain View

650-988-8820

Small hole-in-the-wall place that really didn't look that impressive. My impression of Shanghainese food has been that it is bland but that certainly wasn't the case at Shanghai Taste. Each dish was delightfully flavorful and came with its unique sauce.

Chef Ding

2214 S El Camino Rl

San Mateo

415-570-7918

A relatively small restaurant specializing in Szechuan and Hunan cuisine. Liked everything I had.

ABC Seafood Restaurant

973 E Hillsdale Blvd B-5

Foster City

415-328-2288

I was told the dimsum is good, and it was pretty good. I didn't care for the rice and noodle dishes we had as much.

Little Sichuan

168 E 4th Ave

San Mateo

650-345-9168

This place came highly recommended by some friends of mine so the rating actually takes their esteemed opinion into account. We started with Sichuan Cold Noodles which happens to be one of my favorite dishes and I enjoyed that. Then we had some braised fish which was flavorful. I decided to try another of my favorites -- spicy wontons -- which I didn't particularly care for -- not the best I have had -- not even close. I would probably have rated this restaurant 6 except for the rave reviews I have gotten from friends. Went back there and had the lunch specials. Most were pretty good. I have decided I really like Hunan Smoked Pork.

Hangen Szechuan Restaurant

134 Castro Street

Mountain View

The first time I went there, I wasn't impressed and I gave the restaurant a 5. I don't remember what I ordered there however. I did go back later and had the Hangen beef. It is good. I tried some of the other dishes too and liked several of them, so the rating has changed to reflect that.

Mei Long

867 E El Camino Rl

Mountain View

650-961-4030

I wasn't quite so impressed with this very highly rated Shanghainese restaurant. This is an unusual restaurant in that dishes aren't served family style and they are usually paired with wines. The chef is trained at CIA in New York. We had the recommended braised duck and scallops served in a wonton bowl. The wonton was crispy and the scallops cooked well. The food was just a little heavy for Chinese fusion cuisine.

Ming's Villa

1700 Embacadero Rd

Palo Alto

650-856-7700

The food that you commonly find in a somewhat Americanized-Chinese restaurant is pretty good here. Some of the more traditional chinese dishes aren't quite so authentic. Went there once for their banquet and I thoroughly enjoyed the shark's fin soup and the abalone. Whole pieces of abalone.... very satisfying.

Hunan Garden

3345 El Camino Rl

Palo Alto

650-565-8818

An upscale spinoff of Hunan Homes, I actually like the food here better, but that could be because we had very generic house recommendations. A friend of mine asked to be "surprised" and we were presented with 5 dishes and one appetizer. There were 4 of us. I enjoyed all the dishes though. We started with deep fried tofu with special house sauce, followed by whole prawns with spicy salt stir fried in the shell (I have never seen prawns with this much roe), hunan smoked pork, beef with orange peel, assorted vegetables with sliced chicken, and crab with black bean sauce. Very flavorful food. Went back there a couple of times since then and noticed that most of their sauces are very similar and many of the other dishes aren't so great. I am hovering between a 6 and a 7.

China Village

600 Ralston Ave

Belmont

650-593-1831

The dimsum was a lot better than I had expected. I had never heard of the restaurant and nobody has ever recommended it to me so I figured it must be not-great. The selection was good too.

Kirin

485 Castro Street

Mountain View

650-965-1059

The soup was mediocre, and the entrees were bland, but nothing actually tasted offensive.

Golden Wok

570 S Norfolk St

San Mateo

650-347-1228

The food was quite unspectacular but the cost was exceptionally affordable.

Szechuan Garden

124 Castro St

Mountain View

650-969-5614

Right next to Hangen and the dishes look quite similar, except that it does not have anything like Hangen beef, which is my favorite dish at Hangen.

Hunan Homes

4880 El Camino Rl

Los Altos

650-965-8888

Some people I know really like this place and some really don't. I liked the majority of the things I tried, and I liked the fish soup and the complementary dessert.

Ambassador

826 5th Avenue

Redwood City

650-261-1688

Most of my coworkers aren't too fond of this place, but I am okay with the rice and noodle dishes that I have gotten there.

Queen House

273 Castro St

Mountain View

650-960-0580

Pretty good Taiwanese food.

Chef Chu's

124 Castro Street

Mountain View

650-969-5614

I am not sure I have not been in this restaurant before this but the food isn't all that memorable anyway. The dishes were on the sweet side which is my only complaint about the food and the restaurant is awfully dark for a chinese restaurant.

Jing Jing

443 Emerson St

Palo Alto

650-328-6885

The spicyness level is good and the sauce is flavorful. I am not sure I like the flavor exactly and what's with the heavy use of water chestnuts in every dish?

Joy Restaurant

1495 Beach Park Blvd

Foster City

650-345-1762

Went there for a group lunch and I really liked one dish that was basically meat ball cooked with cabbage and some glass noodles in a claypot. The rest of the food was mediocre.

Royal Palace

4320 El Camino Rl

Los Altos

650-941-8818

Really cheap dimsum. Mediocre and acceptable.

Hon Lin Restaurant

500 San Mateo Ave

San Bruno

650-872-2288

This place was picked almost randomly because of its location. I had no expectations going into the restaurant and I was glad. Strictly speaking, it could have been worse. It really was acceptable food overall.

Chef Wang

212 Castro Street

Mountain View

415-969-4574

I actually don't remember much about the one meal I had there. It wasn't good enough for me to go back soon after and it wasn't bad enough for me to decide to never go back there.

Happy Cafe

250 S B Street

San Mateo

650-340-7138

Very affordable place serving pretty decent rice plates and noodles. A friend recommend the dumplings but they didn't do much for me.

Shanghai House Chinese Restaurant

210 Hope Street

Mountain View

650-961-3500

Not a big fan of Shanghainese cuisine, but I thought this restaurant was better than most as far as food goes. The service was chaotic at best. My cup of tea came close to being knocked over twice; the waiter took spoons from our table and gave them to the next table then brought us more spoons? The next table did not have any food on their table.

Su Hong

1045 El Camino Rl

Menlo Park

415-323-6852

Very popular among vegetarians and I found it mediocre. Worse than mediocre?

Chef Peking

515 Veterans Blvd

Redwood City

650-368-7815

The restaurant looks like a former Denny's and appears to cater to a similar croud. The lunch specials were okay flavor wise.

Fu Lam Mum

246 Castro St

Mountain View

650-967-1689

Has pretty good reviews in the SJ Mercury and I didn't like it. Who did that review anyway? Bland not well prepared dishes.

Mr Fong's Restaurant

1288 E Hillsdale Blvd

Foster City

415-573-9176

About the worst BBQ pork buns I have ever had. The rest of the stuff didn't look all that appetizing either. I went back there a year later and tried the regular items on the menu. They were mostly decent actually.

Tien Fu

176 Castro Street

Mountain View

650-968-6699

I have only had appetizers here which were not authentic and perhaps a little too greasy for my taste.

Beausejour

170 State Street

Los Altos

650-948-1382

I did really like the decor of the restaurant, which is set in a cozy inn, with dining tables in the library, breakfast room, dining room, etc. I started with a seafood soup with potatoes and leeks, followed by duck breast in Cabernet Sauvignon sauce, and finished the meal with a Grand Marnier souffle. The soup tasted great except possibly for a very slight seperation of the butter and cream. No complains about the duck, and the souffle may have tasted a tad "eggy", i.e. one yolk too many. Still, the ambience combined with the service and overall quality of food definitely makes this one of my favorites..... for a while anyhow. I have been back there once and the prices were good, and the food acceptable, and the rating has since been lowered.

Cafe Brioche

445 California St

Palo Alto

650-961-9004

The reviews all complimented this restaurant for serving authentic French cuisine and I did like the Bouillabaisse. It was served in a garlicy-wine fish broth, a tad salty but I enjoyed it very much nonetheless. I liked the Paella too; the rice wasn't undercooked. For dessert, I had a strawberry-peach crisp which was average. The chocolate mousse was good -- not overly sweet.

L'Amie Donia

530 Bryant Street

Palo Alto

650-323-7614

I actually don't remember much about this restaurant other than having been there once and not displeased with the food. I also do recall not finding any desserts there tempting and ending up going into Just Desserts right across the street.

Chez TJ

938 Villa St

Mountain View

650-964-7466

A friend really liked this place but I didn't care for it much. I had the Menu Moderne and selected yellow corn custard with sweet red pepper sauce, poached salmon with tomatoes, rock salt and chives, roast duck breast with huckleberry sauce, and chocolate mousse surrounded by chocolate fans. The corn custard was okay; I liked the poached salmon; found the roast duck overcooked and didn't care for the sauce; and liked the chocolate mousse dessert.

Left Bank

635 Santa Cruz Ave

Menlo Park

(650)473-6543

Weird. I went to this restaurant almost half a year ago and I could have sworn I reviewed it immediately after and yet I can't find the review now. I need to have a better system for updating files. In any case, I thought the food was very French and perhaps a little too French for me. Very flavorful Bouillabaisse but not exactly the flavor I was searching for. My friend had some fish which looked decent but not all too exciting.

Amarin Thai Cuisine

156 Castro Street

Mountain View

415-988-9323

Really liked the Pad Thai here. Flavorful noodles not overcooked! I would rate it as the best Pad Thai I have had in the Bay Area. The fried fish cake and Tom Kah Gai were pretty good too. Just in general, the food isn't as spicy as that of most Thai restaurants, so I would recommend getting everything at one level of spiciness higher than what you would normally get (i.e. mild->medium, medium->hot). I have gone back a couple of times and I can't ever decide if I should lower the rating. I don't like it as much as some other continental restaurants that I have given 8 too, but I haven't found other Thai restaurants that I like all that much.

Bangkok Cuisine

407 Lytton Ave

Palo Alto

(415)322-6533

Reasonably good Thai food at reasonable prices.

Bangkok Spoon

702 Villa St

Mountain View

650-968-2038

We had chicken coconut soup, roast duck curry and fried fish in sweet chilli sauce. The portions were small. A soup for one costs 3.25 which to me is expensive for a Thai restaurant. Also, I think the duck curry had more vegetables than duck. If I had wanted vegetable curry.... It was a small fish. Having said that, the flavors were pretty good. I liked the sauces that complimented each dish.

Ladda's Thai Cuisine

2053 #B Broadway

Redwood City

650-365-1849

Went there when the restaurant was called Ann's Thai Cuisine and with the new name and owner, the food still tastes about the same to me. Liked some, disliked some. Went back there and liked the roast duck curry.

Thai City

3691 El Camino Rl

Palo Alto

650-493-0643

Went there and had the lunch specials so I am as usual, not sure how useful this review is. Each lunch special is served with a choice of rice and phad thai, and a fish cake. The fish cake was served at room temperature, and it was average. I didn't care for the phad thai but I did like my main dish which was sauteed seasoned boneless duck with fresh garlic and chilis.

Siam Royal

338 University Ave

Palo Alto

650-329-8129

Not sure how fair this rating is since I only had a lunch special -- the red curry chicken, which was pretty typical and possibly somewhat on the bland side.

Bangkok Bay

825 El Camino Rl

Redwood City

650-365-5369

Overcooked soggy Pad-Thai and overcooked garlic and pepper beef. The flavor was okay. The flavor wasn't awful.

Woodside Thai Spot

593 Woodside Rd

Redwood City

650-365-4079

I was told the restaurant is good and I hope it isn't the best restaurant close to work. I had a shrimp in hot chilli dish with sweet basil and I liked the shrimp and sauce find. The mushrooms on the other hand were more than a tad too raw for my taste -- kind of like mushrooms found in salads. It took the kitchen forever to prepare lunch specials.

Chao Praya

4300 El Camino Rl

San Mateo

650-571-9123

Yet another awful place. I should make a point to always pack lunch!

Thai Time

1240 El Camino Rl

San Carlos

650-596-8400

Was told that the place was good but I didn't like what I had or my coworked had. The sauce was a little too thick and rich whereas the meat themselves were tasteless and overcooked.

Thai-rific

126 Castro Street

Mountain View

650-969-8424

Went there for lunch and had their chicken in red curry, firecracker beef, and Thai-rific noodles. I liked the noodles fine though that may have something to do with my craving for noodles and low expectations. Didn't care for the rest much otherwise.

Camranh Bay

201 E Third Ave

San Mateo

650-342-7577

I am a big fan of fusion food, so I was happy to try this restaurant. Had the cube beef steak lunch special and it was good. Excellent flavor.

Tamarine Restaurant

546 University Avenue

Palo Alto

650-325-8500

I can't quite decide how to rate this. The first time I went there, I liked the food quite a bit. We had grilled beef rolls for appetizer, Tamarine Prawns, and Lemongrass Bass. I liked all three. Second time I was there, we had Corn Chowder, Chicken Curry, St Jacques Scallops and Lemongrass Bass again. I didn't care for the Chowder or Curry as much.

Pho To Chau

Castro & Villa

Mountain View

650-323-9449

Liked the pho here, or at least the meat and broth part of it. The meat has actually a very high fat percentage, so if you are on a healthy diet... The noodles are thinner than what I would prefer, which means they do get soggy fast. Prompted me to eat faster than usual. Like it less each time I go there.

Pho Xe Lua

311 Moffett Blvd

Mountain View

650-903-0698

I liked the spring rolls and I liked the fact that there is pho with just brisket. The noodles weren't soggy either. However, the soup has mint as an ingredient, which I am not crazy about (but otherwise okay), and the service leaves something to be desired. There is one person who goes around to take orders, and he is certainly....abrupt?

Kim's Restaurant

368 Castro Street

Mountain View

I recall being neither impressed nor disappointed with the food.

Pho USA

883 Hamilton Ave

Menlo Park

650-323-7759

Generic Vietnamese place where the pho is decent (meat quality is decent; not too fond of the broth) and most of the other dishes are fair.

Saigon City Restaurant

418 E 3rd Ave

San Mateo

(650)340-8878

I suspected I got the wrong thing here. I ordered the clay pot rice and I expected grilled chicken, shrimp and sausage cooked with rice in a clay pot. It was sauteed chicken, shrimp and sausage over rice with some sauce tossed into a claypot after everything has been cooked. Not quite the same.

Hong Kee

2176 Broadway

Redwood City

Tastes mostly of family cooking. Not awful but awfully boring.

Zibibbo

430 Kipling Street

Palo Alto

650-328-6722

Bright, noisy restaurant with pretty good food served family style. Liked all the entrees we ordered, the the warm chocolate souffle cake served with huckleberry-swirl-vanilla-ice-cream completed the meal nicely.

Evvia

420 Emerson

Palo Alto

650-326-0983

Popular Greek restaurant and early reservations are recommended. I tried one of the specials of the day -- mesquite grilled black tiger prawns served over risotto in seafood broth. Excellent risotto. For dessert, I had the semolina souffle served at room temperature. It came across more like a left over souffle cake. I have been told the restaurant prepares lamb well.

Acorn

1960 E El Camino Rl

Menlo Park

650-322-6201

Had the spanakopita for appetizer, the moussaka for entree, and baklava for dessert. Liked all three.

Cafe Silan

867 Santa Cruz Ave

Menlo Park

650-326-5404

Saw a review of this restaurant in the newspaper and it sounded good. Amazingly enough, there was already a price difference in the month between when the paper was published and when we actually visited the restaurant. In any case, this Kurdish restaurant (Kurdistan apparently includes Turkey, Iran, Iraq and Syria) serves excellent kabobs. The best being a skewer of ground lamb mixed with ground beef and a mix of spices. Delicious!

Benbo's

460 Ramona

Palo Alto

650-323-2555

Small restaurant that serves fresh, flavorful Mediterranean food.

Higashi West

636 Emerson Street

Palo Alto

650-323-9378

Japanese fusion and I liked the Higashi Roll a lot. Liked the sake chicken and salmon served with a lemon risotto okay too.

Santa Japanese Restaurant

805 S B Street

San Mateo

650-344-5918

Tricky restaurant to rate since I have only been to one other ramen place. I certainly liked this better. Loved the pork flavored broth and the consistency of the noodles and I can certainly see why this place is so popular. Lunch waits are long.

Tokie's Japanese Restaurant

1058 Shell Blvd #G

Foster City

650-570-6609

I was told this place has terrific sushi but I was there for lunch and I am not a really big fan of sushi. I had the sukiyaki and it was mediocre. I also got to try the spicy tuna roll and that was pretty good.

Suzu You

505 2nd Ave

San Mateo

650-347-8626

Big selection. Lunch specials are usually pretty good.

Hotaru Japanese Restaurant

33 E 3rd St

San Mateo

650-343-1152

Huge portions. I liked the udon, and didn't like the teriyaki chicken.

Miyake

Palo Alto, Cupertino

415-323-9449

A huge variety of sushi most of it just there to confuse you. Can you guess what a SUN/HP/Apple roll has in it? The California roll is pretty good (cheap to boot), and the rest of the sushi isn't horrible either. It has my vote for sushi.....especially if you aren't all too discerning about the quality of the fish.

Seasonal Sushi

2432 Broadway

Redwood City

650-298-9828

Not a big place but clean and new and decent lunch combos. I had chicken teriyaki and california roll. The california roll did have imitation crab meat but it is minced into a mix so I liked it okay.X

Juban Yakiniku House Restaurant

1204 Broadway

Burlingame

650-347-2300

I haven't had Japanese grilled food in a while and I don't know what to compare it to. It was quite edible and the ingredients seem reasonable. I have been told to get the Wagyu beef when I go there but they didn't have it this time. I had the tongue, short ribs and prawns.

Sono Sushi

357 Castro St, #3A

Mountain View

650-961-9086

Reasonable and not-spectacular sushi.

Ryowa

Villa & Castro

Mountain View

I have never been to a ramen place and that in itself makes this place worth going to. I have been told by others that it is a good place for ramen. I didn't like the flavor of the broth much, but I liked the noodles and the meat. The gyoza was a little too greasy but I like the fact that there were some greens in the gyoza.

Higuma

540 El Camino Rl

Redwood City

650-369-3240

The restaurant is probably pretty good (judging by the crowd) just that I ordered the wrong thing. I had a lunchbox with teriyaki chicken and tempura. Tempura tasted more like fried shrimp that I would prepare at home -- lacks the fried crispy stuff that usually comes on it. I did see a bunch of people order some fried stuff with grilled fish and that fried stuff looked great. Have to check out the menu in more detail next time.

Shogun

841 Villa Street

Mountain View

I liked the Unagi Don that I had but the California Rolls didn't look all that great.

Okayama

1784 Broadway

Redwood City

650-369-2299

Had Tempura and chicken teriyaki. Liked the vegetable tempura but everything else was no better than average.

Naomi Sushi

1328 El Camino Rl

Menlo Park

650-321-6902

Interesting menu that includes a shrimp pasta dish with pesto. The sushi was pretty good, but the salmon teriyaki was dry.

Tokyo Star

238 Redwood Shores Pkwy

Redwood City

650-631-8383

Funky more 70's American than Japanese decor in the restaurant. The selection was pretty good and perhaps I should not have gotten the sukiyaki. The tempura looked better.

Bonsai Japanese Restaurant

878 Jefferson St

Redwood City

650-367-6547

The Oyako Don was mediocre.

Tomisono

1146 W El Camino Rl

Suunyvale

408-732-1087

Chinese and Japanese buffet neither of which is particularly good. They do serve half Maine lobsters baked in a sweet-mayonnaise sauce for dinner.

Chantilly II

530 Ramona Street

Palo Alto

650-321-4080

I liked the pasta here because it was not overdone, and the sauce flavorful. It doesn't get better rating simply because there wasn't anything interesting/innovative about the dish. The warm apple tart had a flaky crust and a not-overpowering caramel sauce, just the way I like it.

i Fratelli

388 Main St

Los Altos

650-941-9636

I really wanted to try a new restaurant and I had low expectations going into this one after reading a few of its reviews. It wasn't so bad actually. I liked the bread. I had the linguini with shrimp, crab and clams served in a light cream sauce. Since I had a craving for that specific dish, I had found the dish suitably satisfying.

Angelo Mio

820 Santa Cruz Ave

Menlo Park

650-323-3665

The Carpacio was excellent; the Fettuccini Angelo Mio was passable; the Linguini Camberetti was decent; the Polenta Con Salsicce was good; and the bread dip garlicy (i.e. terrific).

Carpaccio

1120 Crane Street

Menlo Park

650-322-1211

Went there one day for lunch and it was certainly a lot better than my usual lunch. Tried the artichoke hearts topped with bay shrimp and that was quite yummy. The tortellini with prosuitto and peas in a cream sauce was most excellent but the seafood fettucini was somewhat fishy.

North Beach Pizza

340 E 3rd Ave

San Mateo

650-344-5000

We were told that this place serves garlic and clam pizza and we had hoped that it would be similar to another that we have had in Tahoe. It wasn't really. There was red sauce on this and the garlic and clam flavor wasn't as strong. The crust is to be commended however.

California Pizza Kitchen

531 Cowper St

Palo Alto (among others)

650-323-7332

Good selection of thin crusts pizza. Where else can you get Peking Duck pizza? It really is one of my favorite pizza places in the Bay Area, but that may be because I am not all that fond of most Pizza places I have tried in this area. Just lowered the rating. Found some better pizza places in Los Gatos.

Pasta Moon

315 Main St

Half Moon Bay

(650)726-5125

Went there after reading some reviews and also because the restaurant has a bit of everything -- pizzas, sandwiches, soups, pastas. Most of the pasta dishes looked pretty good, and the thin crust pizza was just fine. Nothing special about any of the dishes however.

Piatti

Stanford Shopping Center

Palo Alto

Reasonably good rotisserie and decent pastas.

Applewood Pizza

1001 El Camino Rd

Menlo Park

650-324-3486

A little heavy on the pizza sauce for my taste but I liked the crust fine. Gourmet New York style pizza with great topping combinations.

Trattoria Buon Gusto

651H Oak Grove

Menlo Park

(650)328-2778

Some friends have recommended it so I decided to go check it out one evening. Having read the review, I knew I had to try the arancini. Alas it was a little too heavy for my taste. I got to try the smoked salmon bow-tie pasta served in a vodka cream sauce which I absolutely loved, and I enjoyed the spiral pasta served with Italian sausage and sun-dried tomatoes almost as much. The best part of the restaurant is perhaps the live banjo music that made it feel very much as if you were in Italy.

Babbo's

Stanford Shopping Center

Palo Alto

Good foccacia sandwiches.

Pasta?

326 University Ave

Palo Alto

650-328-4585

Affordable pasta that for the most part was edible. Mine was somewhat undercooked (and I even like my pasta prepared al dente) but the overall flavor was decent. This place does get crowded however so be prepared to wait.

Beppo

643 Emerson

Palo Alto

650-329-0665

Interesting pictures on the wall. Popular restaurant and they do not take reservations. All dishes are served family style, which means the 6 of us split a salad, a linguine, a pizza, and a dessert. The Caesar salad was heavy on the dressing; the linguine with clam sauce was pretty good. The sausage on the pizza was better than the pepperoni; and the tiramisu was decent.

Kapp's Pizza Bar & Grill

191 Castro Street

Mountain View

Passable Chicago style pizza just that I don't like Chicago style pizzas.

Bravo Fono

Stanford Shopping Center

Palo Alto

Same owner as Babbo's but supposedly more upscale. I didn't care for the Cioppino or the cold bread.

Frankie Johnnie Luigi Too

945 El Camino Rl

Mountain View

415-967-5384

First, I would like to apologize to all the people who have brought me to this restaurant in their efforts to introduce me to the Bay Area. I really appreciate their efforts, and their company made the meal a decent experience given I didn't care for the food one bit. I had pasta, so maybe that's what one should not get at FJL.

Amber India Restaurant

2290 El Camino Rl

Mountain View

650-968-7511

Liked the entrees there. Good Tandoori served with two types of chutney (one green and one red -- no idea what they were really), and flavorful lamb cooked in spinach.

Gaylord

1706 El Camino Real

Menlo Park

650-326-8761

I visited there once when it was at Stanford and I thought the tandoori was good, and the curry dishes mediocre at best. Small portions and definitely expensive for an Indian restaurant.

Suraj Indian Cuisine

2550 El Camino Real

Redwood City

650-369-8899

Went there for lunch buffet and didn't like the meat dishes much. The meats were generally try and bland though soaked in rich sauce. Liked the vegetarian dishes and desserts better.

Flavors of India

Broadway

Redwood City

Went there for lunch buffet and there was a smaller selection than at Suraj. I liked the chicken and nan there better however. The desserts were eeeky.

Little India Restaurant

2606 Broadway

Redwood City

650-361-8737

I liked the fruits & dessert better than the vegetarian and the vegetarian better than the meat. The chicken was really not that great. I.e. won't even recommend it when it is free.

Passage To India

1100 W El Camino Rl

Mountain View

415-964-5532

Another restaurant that everybody else likes and I don't. One of my least favorite Indian restaurants. It does have a better than usual vegetarian selection however.

Pisces

1190 California Drive

Burlingame

650-401-7500

Just like Aqua, this restaurant serves incredible seafood. The black mussle souffle had the perfect flavor and texture. Though you can tell that the crab cakes consist mostly of crabmeat (unlike many other restaurants I can name), the crab itself lacked crab flavor -- matter of choice of crab. For entree, I had the seared dayboat scallops over warm shallot potato cakes, served in a beurre blanc sauce; good but not spectacular. I liked the miso-glazed Chilean seabass better. Dessert for me was a warm chocolate torte (liquid center) served with vanilla fudge ice cream. Yummmmm....

Spice Islands Cafe

210 Hope Street

Mountain View

650-961-3500

The food reminds me of Banana Leaf in Milpitas. Even the deco is reminisant of Banana Leaf (contemporary). Here's what I tried: Roti Prata, Satay, Spice Islands Calamari, Gado Gado, Hainanese Chicken, Beef Rendang, Spareribs Malaysian Style and Hainan Seasoned Rice. I liked everything except possibly the rendang, which was decent. The rice could use a little more flavor but it was still good. Most of the portions are relatively small.

Amici's

790 Castro St

Mountain View

650-961-6666

Loved the New Haven White Clam Pizza, didn't care so much for the Pesto Pasta, found the spinach taste a little too strong in the Pollo Pizza, and didn't care much for the garlic bread.

Mango Cafe

455 Hamilton Ave

Palo Alto

650-325-3229

Liked the Jerk-Joints and Hot Curried Lamb Roti. The lamb was definitely spicy (and they'll warn you of that too). The smoothies come in huge glasses (not filled to the brim -- a good thing given the size of the glasses) and they complement the flavors in the entrees well.

Rangoon

565 Bryant Street

Palo Alto

650-325-8146

I guess I should have expected Burmese Cuisine to be very similar to Chinese food, but I didn't realise most of the menu would be standard Chinese dishes, and the rest were chinese stir-fry with a little curry powder. I ordered Kima Chicken, which is a Burmese style spicy chicken (chicken stir-fry with curry and green chili), and it tasted fine.

La Bodeguita del Medio

463 California Ave

Palo Alto

650-326-7762

A review mentioned that the restaurant has good brick-pressed lobster but given we were there for lunch, I tried something different. We started with Empanadas, followed by some marinated skirt steak served with black beans and plantains. It was all good.

Shiok

1109 Laurel

San Carlos

650-610-8908

I somehow got Hokkien Mee and Mee Goreng confused and ordered the one that I usually don't like -- Mee Goreng. It was actually pretty decent. I'll have to go back there and get the Mee Siam. It looked good. I had finally settled on Hokkien Mee as my favorite when the restaurant decided that it was too much work to prepare.

Andale Taqueria

209 University

Palo Alto, Los Gatos

650-323-2945

Huge burritos and they were pretty good. A friend of mine complained that the burritos are smaller now than what they used to be. I don't even want to picture the size of the burritos previously. I had 3/4 of one and I had the I ate-too-much sick feeling.

Afghani House Restaurant

1101 E El Camino Rl

San Carlos

650-248-5087

No difference from the ones in South Bay. Good kabobs and I haven't tried mush else.

Iberia

190 Ladera Alpine Rd

Portola Valley

650-854-1746

First Spanish restaurant I have been in and I do believe it is authentic. I am also inclined to believe I don't like Spanish cuisine in general. I really went for the Paella which had good flavor but I would have liked the rice cooked. I can't ever remember if the rice in paella and risotto is supposed to be cooked or have a hard center. In any case, I didn't much care for the lamb or mackerel salad or snails. I did like the warm bread and cheesesticks however.

La Hacienda Taqueria

895 2nd Ave

Redwood City

650-366-2719

I didn't like the beef steak in the burrito but I liked the tortilla. The chips looked good.

Taqueria La Bamba

2058 Old Middlefield

Mountain View

650-965-2755

Rated as one of the top 100 cheap eats in the Bay Area, I thought the Pupusas and the Tamales were good. I am not sure I actually liked the burritos quite as much. I thought it could use more cilantro and salsa but that's just my personal preference.

Estampas Peruanas Restaurant

715 El Camino Rl

Redwood City

650-368-9340

Decent food at a well-hidden restaurant. Flavorful.

New Bamboo

543 Emerson St

Palo Alto

650-473-0212

Not too exciting fusion restaurant.

Colonel Lee's Mongolian Barbeque

304 Castro Street

Mountain View

650-326-7886

I didn't think one could go wrong with Mongolian BBQ, but this restaurant is apparently trying hard to prove me wrong. This is possibly the worst Mongolian BBQ I have had, but given how fond I am of this type of cuisine, I found this minimally acceptable.

Healthy Choice

151 California Avenue

Palo Alto

650-326-7886

Peculiar. A restaurant named "Healthy Choice" that is neither healthy and nor did I care for the choices. There was a pretty big selection for the dinner buffet, but I just didn't care for most of it.