After 5 hours of rock climbing. La Vic’s.
The Counter @San Jose, CA (Santana Row)
The Table, San Jose, CA
It is hard to dislike The Table. Equipped with chic decor, lively ambiance, impressive drinks menu and enthusiastic servers, it offers almost everything you can ask of for a decent gastropub. Almost.
I couldn’t help to feel the quality of the food is missing the mark for this price tag and caliber. The menu was semi interesting but some of the idea didn’t execute quite well. The squid appetizer was too charred and tasted bitter. A chunk of cream cheese on a plate of melon salad just seemed out of place. Entrees were better. Both the cod and beef cheek were cooked to perfect temperature with wonderful texture. The sides vegetables on the plates could use a bit more creativity. The most memorable things were probably the drinks and the donut hole dessert. Wine selection is great. They have a lot of moderately priced ones on glass for those who are not looking to splurge. The bartenders did a great job dishing out some seductive looking cocktails too.
Fans of gastropubs will still love The Table. There are simply very few choices in peninsula and south bay for this kind of eateries. The food just need to be better. For now, I will say it is overpriced.
Pizza Antica, Santana Row, San Jose, CA
That is it. The best Italian style thin crust pizza in 40 miles radius.
The pie texture was excellent . It was thin, chewy and consistent throughout. There were no overcooked tough spot or soggy middle. Tomato sauce was bold, yet perfectly balanced between sweetness and tartness. Toppings were tasty. The pie sit in the oven for the right amount of time at the right temperature. The result was a Margherita pizza with gooey melted mozzarella and strong fragrant basil. The Fennel Sausage and Portobello Mushroom pizza was just as good even without their signature tomato sauce.
Our server told us an interesting story about their Warm Cornmeal Shortcake dessert. Apparently someone came in and offered to pay $200 to have it made when it was off the menu for the season. Was it amazing? Yup. I enjoyed every single bite of the cake. It was a simple recipe but well made. Was it $200 nice? You be the judge.
Pizza Antica is a great place for pizza. Probably the only place in Santana Row that is worth braving the crowdedly madness.
“Climbing the front stairs of the bright violet Victorian is enough exercise to justify making your burrito ‘super’…”
I have been using the Alike App to find exciting new places to eat in the San Jose area. This week, I was craving a burrito. I was led here, and I must say, I liked it……
Jade Cathay, San Jose, CA
Food is still good after a few repeat visit. I think this is officially my favorite Cantonese restaurant in South Bay.
Hokkaido Fair, Mitsuwa Marketplace, San Jose, CA
Round 2. Stocked up on more croquette, pickled seafood, hairy crab and grabbed a bunch of sashimi.
