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Kobe Sake is an institution. If you've been there, you'll understand why. Min and Nine, brothers, run the place with an iron fist that's been steeped in sake.
The sushi is always good, the fish...
Kobe Sake is an institution. If you've been there, you'll understand why. Min and Nine, brothers, run the place with an iron fist that's been steeped in sake.
The sushi is always good, the fish is first rate in freshness (and that's what REALLY counts in sushi), and the sake bombs keep coming to your table.
What's a sake bomb? A shot of sake dropped into a 1/2 full glass of light Japanese beer, downed in one go.
Any Friday night you will find a gathering of family and friends there, noshing on sushi and getting happy together.
...in fact, that got to be such a regular happening that Kobe took over the space next door and turned it into a Sake Bar!
Good sushi - check
Good booze - check
Good service - check
Good people - check
Who could ask for anything more?
(OK, a little faster service might be nice, but it's a small place!)
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This is an offshoot of the lovely Butterfly Restaurant on the Embarcadero in SF.
Elegant pan-asian cuisine in an open and well-decorated space. Attentive and caring wait staff, and appropriate...
This is an offshoot of the lovely Butterfly Restaurant on the Embarcadero in SF.
Elegant pan-asian cuisine in an open and well-decorated space. Attentive and caring wait staff, and appropriate pacing for an elegant luncheon or dinner.
We had the Vegetarian Imperial Rolls -- 2 rolls, halved on the bias, each half sat in it's own butter lettuce cup. The rolls were topped with a tangy and smoky sauce, and rested on a bed of pickled daikon and carrot. The combination of the crispness of the roll with the softness of the mushrooms and glass noodles inside was a delight, and afterwards we rolled the lettuce cups up around their sauce and pickled vegetable beds for an additional treat.
The Sauteed Asparagus is also lovely, from the presentation to being cooked JUST so, neither mushy nor too firm.
The Caramelized Shrimp Salad is a delight to behold -- you might almost mistake it's presentation for that of an elegant and LONG sushi roll. Slices of mango lay a bed for shredded green papaya, which is topped with a row of the delightful shrimp, half a dozen at least. The final layer is a topping of micro-greens over the shrimp.
The shrimp are succulent and just a bit crisp on the outsides, the green papaya marinates in the soy ginger dressing, and the sweetness of the mango adds a finishing touch.
All in all, a quiet and delighful lunch in San Bruno that feels like it was plucked out of San Francisco, without having to travel to the city, park, and so on!
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A few good friends recommended this fabulous cuban spot. We did takeaway, and it was still wonderful.
Fried Yucca chips with a garlic and oil dipping sauce, plantains, beautifully fluffy white...
A few good friends recommended this fabulous cuban spot. We did takeaway, and it was still wonderful.
Fried Yucca chips with a garlic and oil dipping sauce, plantains, beautifully fluffy white rice, and black beans...and a rendition of ropa vieja (shredded beef with bell peppers and green olives) not to be missed!
Portions were quite generous, I could have shared my meal with another person and neither of us would have even been close to starving.
I look forward to trying their seafood dishes next!
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I Gatti
Category:
Restaurants
25 E Main St
Los Gatos, California 95030
(408) 399-5180
I Gatti is tucked away into a niche along East Main Street in Los Gatos. Hiding inside the unassuming exterior is a charming small gourmet restaurant, with a spacious rather than crowded feel,...
I Gatti is tucked away into a niche along East Main Street in Los Gatos. Hiding inside the unassuming exterior is a charming small gourmet restaurant, with a spacious rather than crowded feel, serving a blend of Italian cuisine that might best be called "New Italian".
The refinement of the sauces and their careful application shows off the committment of the chef to a solid foundation in the basics of Italian cooking. There are twists here and there where what might be called "California cuisine" slips in, but they are pleasant accents, rather than distractions.
Italian food requires good wine, as well, and I Gatti comes with it in spades, so don't forget the wine list, which is expansive enough to cover most wishes.
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Willow Street is one of those places where everyone ends up when they can't pick a place to eat..at least, that's how it happens with me.
Willow Street has such a solid California Cuisine menu,...
Willow Street is one of those places where everyone ends up when they can't pick a place to eat..at least, that's how it happens with me.
Willow Street has such a solid California Cuisine menu, with easy favorites like their personal pizzas or pasta dishes, as well as more exotic dishes like their skewered prawns, grilled salmon salad, or lamb sandwiches.
No matter what, it's all good. That's why everyone ends up there. It's not an option of last resort, it's actually sometimes a chore not to go with what you know will satisfy everyone in the group!
Not enough for you? Try their full bar on for size, complete with a solid selection of top-shelf liquor and a decent wine list.
Heck, they even do takeout, and delivery in certain parts of Los Gatos. They even have a frequent diner's card, with a $20 discount every time you spend $200 there. If you went there once a week, as I did for a while, you'd go through a lot of gift cards!
Now, maybe you understand why everyone loves them.
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Pizza My Heart has had a piece of my heart for 10 years. I first found them in Santa Cruz as a youngster, and have since enjoyed their pizza at many a South Bay Location.
Pizza My Heart makes a...
Pizza My Heart has had a piece of my heart for 10 years. I first found them in Santa Cruz as a youngster, and have since enjoyed their pizza at many a South Bay Location.
Pizza My Heart makes a lovely thin-crust, lightly-sauced standard, and even a slice of their cheese pizza can make a day better. They also offer a selection of excellent, fresh salads, and their lunch special of a slice, a salad, and a drink is hard to beat at $5.25 for the package deal.
Coming from a California background, they have an extensive and wonderful collection of both vegetarian and meat pizzas, and some of their specials are well worth trying, like the pesto, and their tomato and feta option. If you like meat, the mushroom and pepperoni and hawaiian are fabulous.
No matter what the pizza is hand-tossed, fresh, and full of fabulous ingredients.
..and for dessert, don't miss their apple pizza or calzone!
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Los Gatos Cafe has a line outside it, every day that it is open. There's got to be something going on at a place that popular, right?
Well, there is. The food is top notch for a breakfast...
Los Gatos Cafe has a line outside it, every day that it is open. There's got to be something going on at a place that popular, right?
Well, there is. The food is top notch for a breakfast joint, and they offer a plethora of choices and options, which they *always* get right.
That said, there is room for improvement. The shape of the restaurant does limit the opportunities somewhat, but they've managed to cram as many tables as possible into the space, taking it a step past "cozy" to "crowded". Waitstaff will brush past you taking food to other tables, busboys will retrieve dishware a few feet from your food, and the whole place feels just pushed past the edge, which is really a pity, because if it weren't for that, I'd give this place top marks.
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Maybe I was born 50 years too late, but I have a soft spot for wonderful small theaters that show an interesting array of films. Every town has one, and big cities often have a pile of them, but...
Maybe I was born 50 years too late, but I have a soft spot for wonderful small theaters that show an interesting array of films. Every town has one, and big cities often have a pile of them, but each is unique and wonderful. Los Gatos Cinema is no exception to this rule, with a delightful array of well-selected foreign and arts films that the more mainstream theaters pass over for the sake of blockbuster films.
Real popcorn, really fresh, and reasonably priced tickets and drinks top off the feel of the place. Drop by for a double feature show sometime, they're always worth it!
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Smack in the heart of downtown Los Gatos is a gem of a place: a proper metaphysical bookstore. Inner Journey is an oasis of calm on even the busiest of days, and they will always have what you are...
Smack in the heart of downtown Los Gatos is a gem of a place: a proper metaphysical bookstore. Inner Journey is an oasis of calm on even the busiest of days, and they will always have what you are looking for, no matter how esoteric.
As if that weren't enough, the shop is host to a few private rooms for chair or table massage, as well as Reiki and other healing methods. The owner is a certified Reiki master, and she also teaches classes in the evenings as well as offering private sessions for those wishing it.
Stop by the next time you're down that way... just make sure you're actually looking for it, or you might just miss it.
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Dolce Spazio makes such good gelato you can see it featured on many a menu in the local area. What is truly wonderful, however, is the fact that you don't need to sit down for a great dinner to get...
Dolce Spazio makes such good gelato you can see it featured on many a menu in the local area. What is truly wonderful, however, is the fact that you don't need to sit down for a great dinner to get a taste of this gelato (though you're welcome to do so if you like!)
Just wander by Dolce Spazio's Dessert Cafe, right in the heart of the North Santa Cruz Ave strip, and either sit down for a moment at one of the small tables they have inside, or pause just long enough to acquire some gelato for a ramble down the street. Either way, the staff are friendly (and eager to offer you tastes of all their wares) and patient, and they make a great cappuchino or latte to go with your icy treat.
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