Aahz wrote: >We just moved from San Jose to San Carlos, and a net.acquaintance moved >into the house we were renting, so I wrote up a summary for zir of a >bunch of restaurants in the Westgate area and vicinity. I'm posting it >to ba.food for DejaNews to save in posterity: > >Thai: > >Bangkok Cuisine (next to BofA behind TJ's) used to be excellent, but >they changed things about three or six months ago, and now it's >adequate. > >The Thai place that's *not* Thai City at Stevens Creek and Saratoga is >pretty good. > I think it's called High Thai, and I've also heard it's pretty good, but I've never eaten there. >Krung Thai at Leigh and San Carlos (nee Stevens Creek) is generally >considered the best in the area, but it's a bit of a drive. > >Cambodian food is sort-of a cross between Thai and Vietnamese; Chez >Sovan just south of Dry Creek on Bascom is good. Slow service >generally, though the last couple of visits were a bit faster than >usual. > > >Chinese: > >Not much good. The place at Saratoga and Payne next to Lucky's is >okay. There's a number of places near DeAnza and Stevens Creek; we >never did explore the ones on El Cam. I've been very happy with House of Orient, 851 Hamilton in Campbell (across from Mervyns). A little pricey though (but then I'm used to the east coast, where Chinese food is competativly priced with McDonalds). >Not exactly Chinese, but the Mongolian BBQ on El Camino four blocks >toward San Jose from Lawrence (if you cross the creek, you've just gone >too far) is really good. > > >"American": > >Holder's on Saratoga south of Payne is pretty good, but we >semi-boycotted the place when they stopped serving hash browns. Entrees >are generally good, side dishes vary. > >Bill of Fare at Saratoga and Williams is strictly breakfast. Decent. > >JC's BBQ on Saratoga one block south of Williams is really good, >particularly if you like beef ribs. Tony Roma's at 280 and Saratoga >uses better meat but does a poorer job of cooking. > >We're not real steak connoisseurs, but we like the Black Angus at 280 >and Saratoga. > >There's an Erik's one block west of Wolfe on Stevens Creek (across from >Stacey's). Good if you like California-style sandwiches. > >There's a Hobee's on each end of Stevens Creek. > > >Italian: > >We mostly gave up on Italian, but there are a couple of new places that >are fairly promising, both chains: Willow Street is *really* excellent >(we've only eaten at this location once; it seems to live up to the >quality of the original). Don't miss the bread pudding. Cucina! >Cucina! seems pretty good, but we only ate there once). Near Lawrence >and Stevens Creek, The Village is more upscale, but it's been a while. > > >Mexican: > >Definitely go to Pollo's at Lawrence and Stevens Creek. Lots of other >Mexican places, mostly dime-a-dozen -- which you like depends on your >taste. Left at Albuquerque, in the Pruneyard at Bascom, has passable Mexacan, and excellent margaritas. > >Indian: > >My partner's allergic, so we haven't gone much to them lately. Pasand >(sp?) (next to Orchard Supply) at Larry and El Cam is excellent; Shilpa >at the opposite corner of the interseciont is supposed to be good, but I >haven't been there. > >Do visit Kathmandu West (Nepalese food) on Homestead near DeAnza. They have a decent buffet for lunch. > >Japanese: > >The place at Saratoga and Payne is decent, but they sometimes put potato >in their miso. They're also a bit expensive. > >Azuma (sp?) on Stevens Creek behind Stacey's is pretty good. > >Sushi Depot at Wolfe and Homestead is all-you-can-eat, and it's only $10 >for lunch. It's not great, but it's reasonably fresh, and some of the >non-sushi items are quite good (e.g. the smoked duck and chicken). Agreed. Quality is middling, but it _is_ all you can eat. There's another place on south DeAnza (near Mikado) that only has a sign out front that says "Japanese Food". I've been pleased when I went there. Samurai on Winchester has passable tempani, and pretty good everything else. >Middle Eastern: > >Definitely go to Afghani House on El Cam near Larry (behind the Fish >Market). It's excellent, and one of your better bets for a quiet meal. > >Yiasso on DeAnza south of Bollinger serves good Greek fast food. Agree. There's another on Bascom, as well. Same quality. >I hear Falafel Drive-in at Stevens Creek/San Carlos and 880 is good, but >I've never been there. I have. It's stellar (and I'm not a falafel fan). Get the bannana milkshake and falafel special. Be prepared to wait on line: it's that busy. >Teasara (sp?) on Saratoga betwen Doyle and Williams is decent Persian >food. I generally prefer to make the trek to Paradise in Mtn. View, >though (on Grant two blocks from El Cam).
San Francisco Bay Area, CA
San Jose: Westgate summary
James D. wrote: >Aahz wrote: >> >>Thai: >> >>The Thai place that's *not* Thai City at Stevens Creek and Saratoga is >>pretty good. > >I think it's called High Thai, and I've also heard it's pretty good, >but I've never eaten there. Oops, I meant, "whichever one *isn't* High Thai". I've heard good things about High Thai, but the one time we went there it was pretty horrid (another one of those places where you can't quite put your finger on what's wrong).
Someone wrote: >We just moved from San Jose to San Carlos, and a net.acquaintance moved >into the house we were renting, so I wrote up a summary for zir of a >bunch of restaurants in the Westgate area and vicinity. I'm posting it >to ba.food for DejaNews to save in posterity: >"American": > >Holder's on Saratoga south of Payne is pretty good, but we >semi-boycotted the place when they stopped serving hash browns. Entrees >are generally good, side dishes vary. >Bill of Fare at Saratoga and Williams is strictly breakfast. Decent. Was there yesterday for breakfast, and shared the room with half a dozen SJ cops. I figure the cops know where there's good food; the meal that the three of us had was excellent. >We're not real steak connoisseurs, but we like the Black Angus at 280 >and Saratoga. Um, if you're up for a *Steak*, and are at 280 and Saratoga, then you go to Garden City. It's the canonical steak/chop house. And their coffee shop, which is *excellent* is open 24 hours. The only problem is that the coffee shop is in the card room, so (1) I don't know if kids are allowed, and (2) until 1/1/98, it will be filled with smoke. Willow St. Pizza has opened in Westgate shopping center. My favorite thing about it is that it provides good adult food while making the kids think they're having pizza. Fresh Choice in Westgate. Max's in Westgate is Max's. Either you like Max's or you don't. I do. Mimi's Cafe' is now open in the (completely remodeled) El Paseo shopping center at the SE corner of Saratoga and Prospect. It's open until 2300 hrs, which is a big bonus, and I haven't had a bad meal there yet. Some people like Armadillo Willy's, some don't. I think they're fine for ribs or a pork sandwich. On Saratoga, just south (I think) of Williams. >Mexican: Well, it's not really Mexican, but I like Rojoz Wraps on Prospect, on the south side, between Lawrence and Saratoga. Cheap and the portions are HUGE. >Persian: >I hear Falafel Drive-in at Stevens Creek/San Carlos and 880 is good, but >I've never been there. Not the *banana* milkshake. 1/2 banana, 1/2 chocolate milkshake. And the falafel special. >Teasara (sp?) on Saratoga betwen Doyle and Williams is decent Persian >food. It's been reopened as "Yaz"; my two meals there have been very good. Regards, Lee
Aahz wrote: >Chinese: >Not much good. The place at Saratoga and Payne next to Lucky's is >okay. There's a number of places near DeAnza and Stevens Creek; we >never did explore the ones on El Cam. >Not exactly Chinese, but the Mongolian BBQ on El Camino four blocks >toward San Jose from Lawrence (if you cross the creek, you've just gone >too far) is really good. We used to live in Campbell near that area, and while the rest of the food is "okay" Chinese, the Chinese Chicken Salad at Chef King on Hamilton Avenue (are they still there? near Mervyn's) is the best we have ever had. The usual Chinese Chicken Salad seems to be heavy on the rice vinegar flavor which we don't like. Chef King does its salad with peanuts and (I think) peanut oil. Oh, we also liked the Chef King Beef dish, which somehow reminds me of mole sauce (really!) Deb We are all in the gutter, but some of us are looking at the stars. - Oscar Wilde
For Japanese food, try KAZOO at Winchester and Hamilton. They're a branch of their Japan Town location. They're very reasonably priced and their sushi chefs are very frendly. They are located next to Kinko's and Walgreen's. *** dvs1 ***
Lee J. wrote: >>Mexican: > >Well, it's not really Mexican, but I like Rojoz Wraps on Prospect, on the >south side, between Lawrence and Saratoga. Cheap and the portions are >HUGE. My main problem with that Rojoz is that *every single time* I went there, and I think it was around a dozen, they got something about my order wrong.
Alan E. wrote: >Thanks for the list Aahz. I just moved into the Saratoga and Payne area >too and was wondering where the chinese and mexican restaurants are? Not >burrito places like Pollo Rey's! Real mexican restaurants where I can sit >down and order a nice combo plate of a chicken enchilada and a chili >relleno! Help me please! I know of only one mexican restaurant in the area >but the service is pitiful, so I won't even mention it. Adobe on Stevens Creek near De Anza is pretty good. There's also a hole-in-the-wall Mexican place on Saratoga a strip-mall or two past Doyle toward Stevens Creek. We never actually ate there, we just got burritos to go, but I think they did have combo plates.