Best of Northside Food & Wine 2008
Best reasons to get out of town South Bay
By Susan Dyer Reynolds


There are some great reasons to head to the South Bay to sample wonderful, creative three- and four-star cuisine – the charming Village Pub, the always-magical Manresa, the reinvigorated Plumed Horse, and the uniquely romantic Shadowbrook are among my favorite restaurants anywhere on the planet. But what if you find yourself south and wanting something a little quicker and more casual? Here are a few of my favorite spots:

Sushi Sam’s Edomata
218 East 3rd Avenue (at B), San Mateo, 650-344-0888, www.sushisams.com
I’ve been going to see Sam for his sparkling selection of seasonal fish, including buttery toro, delicate baby hamachi, and arctic char simply dressed with house-made yuzu vinegar (“No soy sauce,” the staff insists) for over a decade. A favorite of star chefs like Thomas Keller, owner Sam Sugiyama always goes that extra step, such as flying in fresh eel from a retired eel farmer in Japan. Listed on the menu board as “special unagi,” it’s grilled over coals and dashed with finely ground pepper – don’t even ask for that ubiquitous barbecue sauce.

Maru Ichi
368 Castro Street (at California), Mountain View, 650-564-9931
It’s not easy to find hand-pulled noodles, never mind good ones, so Maru Ichi is a must in Mountain View. It’s usually packed, but if you hang out by the glassed-in booth in front, you can watch Tsutomu Higashi artfully spinning his web of noodles. The house specialty is kuro ramen, or “black ramen,” made with browned garlic that turns the soup a rich, earthy brown and imparts a soulful flavor. The noodles, velvety but firm, are topped with sliced pork, seaweed, green onions, bean sprouts, and a medium-boiled egg.

Dasaprakash South Indian Restaurant
2636 Homestead Road (at San Tomas), Santa Clara, 415-246-8292, www.dasaprakash.com
When Dosa opened in San Francisco, I didn’t get the big buzz – I grew up in Sunnyvale, where there is wonderful southern Indian food in nearly every strip mall. Dasaprakash is considered by many in the Indian community to be the best in town. The intricately spiced vegetarian fare features a wide array of dosai (savory crepes made from lentils and rice) filled with everything from potato and onion to green chilies and ginger.

Sam’s Bar-B-Que
1110 S. Bascom Avenue (at Leon), San Jose, 408-297-9151, www.samsbbq.com
A friend who hails from the south told me about Sam’s, claiming I’d find the best baby back ribs in the Bay Area there – and he was right. To start, Sam’s uses only USDA choice meat, specially ordering their ribs so they’re bigger and meatier than most. They’re marinated for 24 hours then smoked for many more over oak wood for that perfect tender-with-resistance texture and telltale pink smoke ring. The house-made sauce is tangy and chin-dribbling good.

Las Palmas Taco Bar
55 Front Street (at W. Cliff), Santa Cruz, 831-429-1220
Family owned and operated for over 40 years, everything at this tiny taqueria is made to order from fresh ingredients. Handcrafted corn tortillas are quick-fried and topped with seasoned ground beef, house-made salsa, lettuce, and finely shredded cotija cheese. The chile rellenos are the best I’ve ever had – a fork-cutting tender poblano pepper dipped in fluffy egg batter, filled with gooey cheese and topped with a tangy tomato sauce. My idea of dessert is a pair of cigar-sized taquitos slathered in creamy guacamole.

London Bridge Pub
2 Wharf II (at Lighthouse), Monterey, 831-655-2879
Newly remodeled London Bridge still has the best fish and chips you’ll find on this coast – generous portions of snow-white cod filets dipped in a light beer batter, fried until golden brown and served with proper thick-cut fries (soft inside, crisp outside). Grab a pint and a table on the patio overlooking the harbor, and you’ve found the perfect ingredients to wile away a sunny afternoon.

– S. D. Reynolds