Noooooo! What a nightmare that was!
[flashback]
First time psy and I met face to face, Monterey Doper Bash. Coming back on her last day here, tired, sad, etc… All we wanted to do was eat and spend a few hours together before she had to get back on the plane. I swear, we went from Monterey all the way to San Fran without seeing a single restaurant, other than Denny’s! WTF?
[/flashback]
Camranh Bay is on 3rd a couple blocks west of the CalTrain station. Really good Vietnamese food and a decent bar. They served me the biggest Manhattan I’d ever seen last time I was there.
Maybe we should get Dopey lunch club going…get together once a month and try something different?
And back to the OP, I like “Finders of Faults” being in QA and all…
How about:
Santa Clarans for Clarity?
Nitpicking ‘Nincers?
Burlingame Brain Farts? (See thread in the Pit)
Researchin’ Redwood Citians?
Lulu’s is good. Boulevard is great. three of my favorite restuarants are Tu Lan (cheap, you can eat great for $6, and it’s amazing vietnamese). Plouf (not bad, lot’s of seafood and mussels). Fifth Floor (amazing, and amazingly expensive. Last time I went I blew $350 for two people, but it was soooooooo worth it).
Oldscratch, $350 for two?!?!?! Damn man, you livin’ la vida loca! (Hardly what I would expect from a good Socialist!!!;)) If you got that kinda cash, try out the Jardinier (sp?) in the Opera Plaza area, just off Van Ness. Magnifique!
slackergirl - nice idea for a doperlunchfest, but I’m not sure how easy it will be to get people from all over the area together at lunch time (if you meant during the work week). I know we just missed a Doper get together in SF a month or so ago, so I’ll wait for the next one. I’ll also make an attempt to show up at a lunch if you care to try putting something together.
Sili
Sili, I’m out of town off and on for much of the next month, but maybe I’ll shoot out an invite at some later date. No promises at this point, but if anybody else would be interested let me know.
And, good gawd oldscratch!!! That’s more than half my rent!!!
Jardine’s? Quite good. My ex-girlfriend lives 2.5 blocks from it. I also enjoy Absinthe which is right there. They have the most amazing brunch. It’s just great (especially if you like Sunday morning cocktails).
As for the $350, it’s a lifestyle choice. I don’t spend money on anything else. I don’t even have a vcr. I’d rather spend it eating out and going out to clubs. Just call me Mr. Hedonist.
Also the $350 is nothing compared to the time and expense I went through for the French Laundry. If you haven’t been sili, I highly recomend it. You have to make reservations two months to the day before hand, and it’s widely considered one of the best if not THE BEST, restuarant in America. I had an amazing lunch there that I will never ever forget.
I think we should get together another dope fest. Maybe something for Folsom street fair? It represnts all that is excess in the Bay Area. It’s also pretty fun for people watching.
oldscratch: I, too, scrimp in other areas that I may spend money at good restaurants. When you live in the bay area, it’s impossible to resist all the the magnificent choices! My SO and I are thinking of trying Rose Pistola this Saturday. Have you been there, and if so, have you a review to pass along?
My review of a recent meal: If you come down the Peninsula, try Amber India in Mountain View. It has an unprepossessing location, in a homely little strip mall, but the interior is magnificent, and the food is the highest rated in all the bay area, including the City. Somebody has to feed all those wealthy dot com Ph.D.'s from India! No kidding, the food is indescribably good. On El Camino Real, just north of Castro Street.
It sounds familiar but, I’ve never been. If you want to post what kind of food you’re looking for, and your price range I’ll venture some suggestions.
I came to this epiphany a few years back. I was mostly eating burritos because of time constraints. I realized that I live in one of the most diverse food regions in the world, and I wan’t fully experienceing it. I decided to devote more time to getting the full experience of bay area restuarants. I haven’t regretted it one bit.
Bill H. & pugluvr:
Saratoga Story, or why UncaStuart isn’t a Futurist.
As mentioned above, I was born in San Jose. However, from age 3 to 20, I lived in Saratoga, where my parents still live. For years, in the 50s and 60s there were two places to eat, the Plumed Horse and the Village Creamery. Two ends of the spectrum, as evident from the names alone. One summer in the mid-60s I came back from college to find that the old Five and Dime had been turned into La Mere Michelle. My thought then was “what the heck does Saratoga need a second fancy restaurant for?”
D’oh!
Rose Pistola is trendy, and is more a place to be “seen” than a food experience. I have not eaten there, but my friends in the neighborhood (I lived in the Beach for 14 years) say the food is okay and the service only fair. They are, however, very picky when it comes to food called Italian.
In that area, I can recommend several things. For just plain good, right across from Rose Pistola is the Gold Spike. It’s not fancy - it’s funky - but the food is some of the best in the area. They do not take reservations, so come early or wait. The bar has an amazing collection of the fancy decanters they used to give away with liquor! And no, they will not pour whatever is in the poodle! 
For more modern, and really good food, there’s Mooses - just off Columbus and across Washington Square Park. I have never been disappointed there.
For classic Italian, and where the locals go, try La Felce at Stockton and Union, also on the park. Real tableclothes and very nice - food is fabulous! Fior d’Italia, the opposite corner, is fancier and more expensive, but not any better.
Shall I list some good bars in the area?
I also work downtown - let me know when lunch is planned!
Dunno if it counts, but I lived in Santa Cruz for three years while I was at university. It’s not exactly in SiliValley, but it’s pretty close. There’s a lot of commuting going on, if the traffic over 17 is any indicator.
Presently living near Psycat & Demo in Sonoma County, though.
La Felce. You know the Italian translation for this is The felcher? Hmmm…
Just kidding. It means the fern.
Kabuls(sp?) on El Camino Real is pretty good if you like afghani food.
Wing Wah is a pretty decent chinese place on Central near Trade Zone.
Yummy! A wine list to die for!
pugluvr wrote
Thanks; it is a great town.
You know, it’s funny. I’ve lived a mile from downtown Saratoga for 7 years and you could count the times we’ve eaten (or even walked around) downtown on both hands. I’ve never been to “The Basin”. Do you recommend it? Two good restaurants I’ve been to in Saratoga: Bella Saratoga and La Fondue. If you go to La Fondue, bring your banker; the prices are astronomical. But it is a cool place, very different.
Oakland dweller here, though my wife works for a startup in Palo Alto.
Born and raised in San Jose and Gilroy, working for those lovely start-ups.
<HijacK>You DO know that this weekend is the Garlic Festival, right? :)</hijack>
-Sam
I live in Downtown San Jose, with a dozen 1st rate rest. within walking distance. Hey, let’s do a SJ meet sometime, folks.