Wednesday, October 17, 2007

A Taste of California

Another team dinner, this time in lovely Los Gatos. Overlooking the lush Santa Cruz Mountains and the Los Gatos Creek Trail, California Cafe aims to provide "an escape from the outside world". The restaurant has a large oak-shaded outdoor patio and a bright, cheerful interior.

We started with some seared pot-stickers, tuna sashimi salsa, and crispy Italian spiced calamari with glasses of David Bruce 2005 Sonoma Pinot Noir (this wine comes from a winery just up the hill from here). They have a progressive wine menu at this place, where the top of the menu is their sweetest selection and the one at the bottom is their driest. Makes it easy for a guy like me, who knows less about wine than about food!

I chose the salmon-wrapped scallops with crisp parsley potato, apricot jam and seafood dumpling as my entree. Very interesting dish indeed!

I had to leave early, so I didn't wait for desserts. If you are travelling from The Cypress (like I was) to this restaurant, stick to the inner roads.. In spite of the red lights, you will probably make it earlier than if you took the busy freeway.

The food, California cuisine, is good with some really interesting selections on the menu. The wine list is reasonably long too. But it was the service that was really exceptional; our waitstaff was very helpful, quick and knowledgeable.

California Cafe is located at 50 University Ave., Los Gatos, CA 95030. Phone: 408.354.8118

8 comments:

Sig said...

Good lookin food! Salmon wrapped scallops, yummy, have had bacon wrapped and prosciutto wrapped scallops... Was this smoked salmon? Must've been a great combo..

Bong Mom said...

Shantanu Da
Ei bar kar amar post tay, tomader Pujor katha kichu likho.
Pujo te kothay acho ?

--sandeepa

Anonymous said...

@sig: It certainly was unique! It didn't seem like smoked salmon.

@sandeepa: Well, the family is celebrating Pujo without me, since I am here in California!

Anonymous said...

I'm huuuuungry !

Your blog is truly original - I like that. Plus, I like food :$

Anonymous said...

@zhu: Welcome to my blog! Glad you like it.

HAREKRISHNAJI said...

I am daily visitor to your blog.

Mahesh Narkar said...

Hi Shantanu,
As usual, your trips yield prolific and the most delicious of posts... this one being no exception.

Can't wait for your next foodie adventure.

Cheers

Anonymous said...

@harekrishnaji: Thank you. :-)

@mahesh: One more week to go, so you can expect to see more such stuff here.