Yankee Pier in Santana Row

Apparently, Santana Row is among the highest ranking shopping areas in California and the one that generates the highest sales within the Silicon Valley - in short, a shopper's paradise. But for me, Santana Row is an ideal destination to de-stress after a long day at work with a stroll in the evening before dining at one of the many wonderful restaurants. From upscale French dining to Greek, from Chinese Fusion to Californian Seafood, it's all here!

Here are some pictures of another such lovely evening when I dined al fresco at the Yankee Pier. Yankee Pier, a seafood house offers ocean-fresh seafood from coast to coast: From live Maine lobsters, fresh shucked oysters and a array of grilled fresh fish. While they have a large seating area indoors too, I took a seat outside.

The waitress was a friendly one, chatting at length and making recommendations on the catch of the day and the desserts. I munched on some salad green while the chef grilled my fish. The tequila bar across the road seemed like a popular place too and was soon crowded as the sky turned a shade of orange in the late evening sun.

I had decided to go with the mahi-mahi, grilled on a heap of spinach sauteed with onions and a side of potatoes roasted with garlic and olive oil. The mahi-mahi is particularly popular in Hawaii from where it gets its name. It is also known as dolphin fish, even though it doesn't really share much with dolphins other than its habit of skimming over the ocean's surface. Anyway, the fish was super fresh and a treat to polish off.

The milk chocolate Pot de Creme with whipped creme fraiche provided a sweet ending to the meal. The waitress was feigned offense when I wouldn't finish it, but I really was too full and had a busy day tomorrow.

I watched the daylight fade with a pot of Earl Grey and then reluctantly headed back to my hotel. The evening was very pleasant which ought to be normal, but recently California has been a little fickle with rather cold spells and unseasonal rain.