The Relentless Search for Flavor and Service

I've lived on the Peninsula and in the South Bay for years, most recently in San Jose. Throughout those years, San Francisco and Palo Alto have commanded the attention of the food community like the twin stars suspended in sunset over Tatooine. Must this persist? Isn't it possible that San Jose and other South Bay cities offer fine dining at least on par with the culinary Gemini? That's the essential question for this blog, which is dedicated to the relentless search for flavor and service in the South Bay.

I define "South Bay" as that region of land roughly encricled by highways 85 to the west and south, 237 to the north, and 680-101 to the east and southeast. I include Saratoga and Los Gatos and, if prodded, Los Altos, principally for sentimental reasons--it's my hometown, and always challenged for customers by its central geography far from the freeways. Within this space, formerly the Valley of Heart's Delight, a paradise of apricots, prunes, cherries, and all manner of vegetables, now the domain of silicon, Java, databases and Web 2.0, I seek the finest in dining, cooking, artisan foods, and wine.

A shameless promoter of the region, I see no point in publishing negative notices, so there will be none. Make this blog, and your profile will be positive. Fall short in service, cuisine or ambiance, and you just aren't mentioned, and we move on.

You could easily search Yelp or similar services to find local restaurant reviews, but with this blog you have the advantage of consistently applied criteria for quality. First, I value smooth, attentive but unobtrusive front-of-house service--I'm well aware that a superbly cooked meal can become utterly unimpressive when served by staff who incorrectly "read" the table or simply lack whatever level of class and refinement correspond to the concept of the restaurant. Second, the food reigns supreme--I look for creative but unpretentious preparation, correctly cooked, and pleasantly presented. Third, value is critical--we live in inflationary times, in a time of unprecedented challenge for the restaurant industry. When a plate costs upward of $40, the quantity and quality of the food ought to be "off the charts." In the $20 range, portions still cannot skimp.

And last and perhaps most important, I look for a unitary umami--a consistency and totality of experience that is memorable and distinctive. The most successful restaurants from strong branding because their name represents a clear and specific experience of cuisine and service that the customer longs to repeat--think Tamarine or Michael Mina.

From readers, I will be grateful for your tips, suggestions, reports, and other positive feedback--and I wish you good eating.