restaurants

5 favorite restaurants in Saratoga CA

May 8, 2023 in Travel tagged lifestyle / restaurants / saratoga / staycation by Bay Area Fashionista

pictured: Fettuccine Blanco from Bella Saratoga

Saratoga is a bedroom community nestled in the foothills of the Santa Cruz Mountains and adjacent to San Jose and Los Gatos. It is filled with families, and mainly home to people who work in the tech industry. The town originated as both a farming community and a destination for San Franciscans to go to in order to escape the city. There used to be springs here, which reminded people of Saratoga Springs in New York; hence the name, Saratoga.

In present day, Saratoga is a flourishing town with a quaint downtown known as the “The Village.” This small area is made up of local shops and restaurants. There are so many good restaurants, which are all family owned. No chains! In writing this post, I feel like I am excluding so many good places to eat, but please know, these are just my five favorite restautants in Saratoga, the other restaurants are also delicious! There are no bad places to eat in town, Saratoga is very fortunate. Love that!

So, next time you are in Saratoga, here are five of my favorite places to eat; of course, all of the restaurants downtown are delicious! Please note, these are in no particular order.

Darla Cafe

Darla Cafe is new restaurant which recently opened in Saratoga. They serve breakfast and lunch. I am in love with how they prepare their potatoes! If you are looking for a good brunch place, check out Darla Cafe!

Mint Leaf Saratoga

Mint Leaf Cuisine is my favorite Thai restaurant. The food there is delicious! All of their appetizers are not only delicious, but they are also presented in an artful manner. This is a feast for both your eyes and your palate. Yum! Bring your appetite to Mint Leaf Cuisine! The pineapple fried rice and the scallops are my favorites.

Bella Saratoga

Bella Saratoga is a delicious Italian restaurant. This is where I like to go for special occasions, such as an anniversary. Everything they make is delicious, but my favorite dish is the Fettucine Blanco. It is to-die-for!

Florentine’s

How in the world do I not have a photo to share? We have been eating at Florentine’s since before we lived in the South Bay. My great aunt loved this restaurant, and we had many family celebrations there for graduations, religious sacraments, birthdays, and more. This is a casual, everyday Italian restaurant and it is a family favorite of my immediate family, as well as my cousins. I am kicking myself for not having a photo! How did that even happen? We eat here frequently! Everything on the menu is amazing. My favorite is the ravioli, and the Bolognese is a big hit too. The triangle shaped, herb bread served while you wait is also a big winner. Yum!

Masu Sushi

Well, you know I love sushi! Masu is my favorite sushi restaurant. The fish is always fresh, and the sushi is always made just right. They have a few outdoor tables here, which are ideal in the spring, summer, and early fall. They even have one large table which is perfect for our family of five. Love that!

Well, there you have it. All of these restaurants are located in downtown Saratoga on Big Basin Way. In addition to these five restaurants, there are plenty of other fabulous places to eat. If you are in the mood for Indian cuisine, Mandala is delicious. If you are looking for an extra special experience, La Fondue or Plumed Horse are classic destinations. La Mere Michelle is also delicious. They offer casual French cuisine; I love how they prepare their carrots, yum!

Thanks for stopping by, Mangia!

XOXO
Cathy

Favorite dim sum in Cupertino

May 1, 2023 in General Fashion tagged lifestyle / outfits / restaurants / spring 2023 by Bay Area Fashionista

wearing: sunglasses / large hoop earrings (under $100) / spring sweater / jeans / bracelet (under $50) / nail polish / handbag / sneakers /

There is a new dim sum restaurant in town! Koi Palace Contempo might be new to Cupertino, but it is already a mainstay here in the San Francisco Bay Area. When I heard they were opening a location in Cupertino, I was overjoyed! They have the best dim sum!

Two of my favorite items on the menu are the mushroom shumai and the lobster har gow. Yes! LOBSTER har gow. Ooooh, so good! We definitely enjoyed everything we ate and left overstuffed. I will be back again for sure!

If you are local to the Bay Area, check out the Koi Palace closest to you, you will love it! If you are here in the South Bay, be sure to check out the new location at Cupertino Main Street. It is so good!

koi palace contempo restaurant review cupertino main street

FYI: The fork was a serving utensil; we ate with chopsticks. Just for the record.

It was literally the first spring day of the day, weather-wise, when we decided to try the new Koi Palace Contempo location inside Cupertino’s Main Street. I decided to wear my spring sweater, which I have been dying to wear for two months! It was perfect with jeans on this spring-like day. So glad spring has finally arrived!

Have you been enjoying this new spring weather? I know I am!

Thanks for stopping by!

XOXO

Cathy

Eataly Silicon Valley grand opening press event

June 20, 2022 in Entertaining / Events / General Fashion tagged lifestyle / outfits / restaurants by Bay Area Fashionista

eataly pastries san jose silicon valley valley fair

wearing: statement earrings / stripe dress (under $50) / summer nail polish / top handle bag / gemstone bracelets (San Jose designer) / black white sneakers /

Eataly Silicon Valley has opened their doors! This well-known Italian marketplace and restaurant and been long-awaited at Valley Fair. We have been walking past the “Opening Soon” signs for what seems like forever in anticipation of getting our own Italian marketplace in Silicon Valley, and now it’s finally here! Love!

My ancestors are Italian, so obviously I am always looking for fresh Italian ingredients for when I cook. I also enjoy authentic pre-made food, because my Mom cooks everything better than me anyway. haha

Eataly is a marketplace and restaurant which was first opened in Italy, so it isn’t an American creation which is trying to be Italian. So many American chains, which claim to be Italian, are really just pretenders; which is very annoying when you know what the food is supposed to taste like, how it should be cooked, and the ingredients which should be used! I watched my grandmother, who came here from Italy, spend hours upon hours in the kitchen. While I may not be amazing in the kitchen like she was, I do know Italian food, so let me tell you about Eataly with confidence.

As an American, you will expect pizza, pasta, and risotto. That’s great, Eataly has you well-covered with these types of food. I love that you can find food from various regions of Italy throughout the marketplace, and in the restaurants within Eataly. My family is Northern, so I notice the food my family cooks right away! Since I attended a press event, I was able to sample a few dishes, and they were all delicious. So, whether you prefer southern food or northern food, you will find what you love.

Eataly Silicon Valley is also a marketplace! The ground floor has snacks, coffee, pastries, and gelato. When you venture up to the second floor, you will find a variety of wines in all price points. I love how Eataly labels the region the wine originates from. It made it easy to find wine from where my family is from, and still lives. Love that!

The third floor was my favorite spot, as this is where both restaurants are located, and there is a fabulous market. You will find a variety of packaged foods from Italy, a butcher, fresh cheeses, meats, packaged food, dairy, produce, breads, and more. I was in heaven. Seriously, we have small Italian markets in Silicon Valley, but nothing this vast and all-encompassing. This is a one-stop-shop for Italians like me!

Eataly opens early, before the mall, at 8:30am. This is perfect for shopping for groceries. We can pop in before the mall gets crowded and buy everything we all need to cook at home; in one location! Love that! In addition, there is more wine on the third floor plus you can find gift items, cooking tools, and cookbooks. Wear your walking shoes, and get ready to spend time shopping when you go to Eataly! You will love it.

I hope you stop in and enjoy the food! You can learn more about Eataly by visiting their website at Eataly.com.