Pasta?

Name: Pasta?
Address: 326 University Ave, Palo Alto, California 94301
Phone: 650-325-4585
Web site: www.pastaq.com
Date & Time visited: Friday, January 27, 2006, 7:30 PM
Guests: Jennifer and me
What we had: Tuaca Lemon Drop (me), Bloody Mary (Jen), Rigatoni All'Matriciana [spicy tube pasta with onions and Italian bacon](me), Bistecca Alla Griglia [Flat Iron steak with mushroom cream sauce and rosemary](Jen).

Without exception, everything was excellent. Our drinks were expertly made and we liked them. I didn't try Jennifer's steak, of course, but she said it was perfect. I did try her potatoes and vegetables; the potatoes were nicely crisp but not too crunchy and had a good amount of spice, and the vegetables were perfectly steamed, not overdone or mushy. My pasta dish was also quite good, though there was almost too much of the Italian bacon. I would also have liked this dish to come with a vegetable side, though I suppose I could have had a side salad.

Service: The "5-10 minutes" estimate when we checked in--granted we did not have a reservation--became about twenty, but we didn't mind waiting in the bar and enjoyed our drinks. We were seated at a small table very close to the entrance and next to the main path everyone in the restaurant walks, so it was definitely not an intimate dining experience. Also the design of the restaurant ensures that the ambient noise level is quite high. These issues notwithstanding, our server was friendly and checked back several times.

Would we go back: Yes, but we'll try to find a less busy time than Friday evening. During the day the large glass doors at the front of the restaurant are open to the sidewalk, which I would imagine reduces the noise level inside.

Bennigan's

Name: Bennigan's
Address: 4150 Great America Pkwy, Santa Clara, California 95054
Phone: 408-748-0378
Web site: www.bennigans.com
Date & Time visited: Saturday, January 21, 2006, 3:00 PM
Guests: Jennifer and me
What we had: Fried mozzerella appetizer, "Turkey O'Toole" sandwich (Jen), Mediterranean Grilled Chicken sandwich (me).

Our appetizer was free with a coupon from the South Bay Spring Home & Garden Show at neighboring Santa Clara Convention Center, and they were well-seasoned and not too greasy. Our sandwiches cames with dill spears (fresh!) and french fries (done just right and not soggy). My sandwich was very tasty but had a tendency to fall apart as I was eating it. Jen didn't have that problem with her equally good sandwich. We passed on dessert.

Service: A bit slow but not bad. Our server did seem to forget about us a few times.

Would we go back: This location is very close to the Mercado shopping center, where our usual movie theater is located, so it's likely that we'll go back.

Stanford's Restaurant & Bar

Name: Stanford's Restaurant & Bar
Address: 1300 S Main St, Walnut Creek, California 94596
Phone: (925) 944-0895
Web site: www.stanfords.com
Date & Time visited: Saturday, January 14, 2006, 1:30 PM
Guests: Sylvia (my grandmother), Jennifer and me
What we had: Grilled Salmon with Lemon-Chive cream sauce (Jen), Italian Chicken Sausage pizza (Sylvia), Tossed Smoked Turkey Cobb salad (me).

I didn't try any of Jen's salmon, as I had quite enough with my huge salad, but she said it was very good. My grandmother liked her pizza and shared it with us; we took the two remaining pieces home. My salad was excellent, with lots of diced smoked turkey, big chunks of bleu cheese, tasty dressing and fresh vegetables. The bread that came with the salad was fresh and warm, and the butter was spreadably soft.

Service: Good. Our server seemed slightly distracted, but everything came when it should have and we only waited a bit longer than we should have for drinks and the final check.

Would we go back: Probably.

Gyros Gryos

Name: Gyros Gryos
Address: 498 University Ave, Palo Alto, California 94301
Phone: (650) 327-0107
Web site: (none; Google Local info page)
Date & Time visited: Monday, January 9, 2006, 7:45 PM
Guests: Jen and me
What we had: Lamb & Beef Gyros (Jen), Chicken Gyros (me), Ayran yogurt drink (me)

The gyros at Gyros Gyros were among the best Jen and I had ever had. Jen's was a touch dry, but it turned out they'd forgotten to give us the usual Tzatziki sauce. That took care of the dryness, and all was well. Both the lamb & beef and chicken gyros are served in a pita wrap as opposed to the more usual folded pita, which makes the gyros much easier to eat and less messy to boot. We didn't order any side dishes, though the gyros are also available as Souvlaki platters--essentially deconstructed gyros with salad and rice on the side--which we might try next time to share. I'd heard of the Greek yogurt drink Ayran, but never tried it; I wouldn't drink it alone, as it's very sour and thick, but it makes a perfect match for the flavors in a gyros.

Service: Good. We ordered at the counter, found a seat, and our food was delivered quickly. The one issue, as mentioned above, was the missing Tzatziki sauce, but Jen got up and retrieved that. Water refills were frequent.

Would we go back: Yes! It's inexpensive, quick, and very good.

MacArthur Park

Name: MacArthur Park
Address: 27 University Ave, Palo Alto, California 94301
Phone: 650-321-9990
Web site: www.macpark.com
Date & Time visited: Friday, January 6, 2006, 8:30 PM
Guests: Jennifer and me
What we had: Bloody Mary (me), Sidecar (Jen), "Mac Park" potato skins, Cobb Salad (Jen), Pier 39 salad (me).

Drinks were excellent; my Bloody Mary was rich and spicy, and Jen enjoyed her Sidecar. The potato skins were interesting: rather than the usual slice of skin with some flesh, these were "chunks" of seasoned fried potato with skin on, served with sour cream and house ranch dressing. A large portion which, combined with just one of the huge salads, could have been a meal for two.

Jen's Cobb salad was, as I said, huge. Containing the standard ingredients, it did feature a nice tarragon dressing, though not quite enough of it as Jen commented that the lower regions of the salad were somewhat dry.

The "Pier 39" salad combines baby spinach, red bell pepper, endive and seared sliced pepper-crusted tuna, with a ginger-garlic dressing. While again being rather too large to finish, it was delicious. The tuna being the star of the dish, I made sure to concentrate on it. It was seared on the outside, raw and cool on the inside; perfectly prepared. Contrary to Jen's salad, mine actually had a bit too much dressing, which made the baby spinach somewhat oily.

Service: Uneven but reasonably good. We were seated rapidly--the restaurant was less than half-full at the prime dinner hour on Friday night--but were given two copies of the wine list and only one menu. When Jen asked for another menu and handed the wine lists back to the host (since neither of us wanted wine), we got another wine list in return. A moment later we did manage to get another menu.

Water and bread were brought almost immediately. One very positive note: the bread was warm and fresh and the butter was soft. Too often we'll get ice-cold butter, which is impossible to spread onto room-temperature bread.

Our server pulled out a chair from the next (empty) table to sit while taking our order; normally this would bother me a little, but as she was visibly pregnant I had no problem with it at all. She did have a way of being just a little too goofy for the occasion, but she probably didn't notice. We certainly had no complaints with her attention to us; water refills were prompt, and when I requested a diet Coke halfway through the meal she brought it immediately.

Would we go back: Unsure. The food was decent but pricey: our bill, with tax but without tip, came to just over $60 for two drinks, one appetizer, and two salads. Plus a $2.95 diet Coke. I wasn't too excited with the ambiance of the place, either. Apparently designed by Hearst Castle architect Julia Morgan, who may have been having a bad day when she did this one, the restaurant resembled nothing more than an old farmhouse or remodeled barn. Which is fine if that's what they're going for, but the prices don't match the atmosphere. We might go back and share rather than ordering separate entrees.

Oak City Bar & Grill

Name: Oak City Bar & Grill
Address: 1029 El Camino Real, Menlo Park, California 94025
Phone: 650-321-6882
Web site: www.oakcitybarandgrill.com
Date & Time visited: Wednesday, December 28, 2005, 8:00 PM
Guests: Jennifer and me
What we had: Smoked chicken pizza (Jen), Apple salad, Mac & Cheese Gratin (me), Carmel Heath Bar Crunch Brownie Sundae

The single-serving pizza was very good--cheesy, the chicken done just right, tasty grilled red onion--and of respectable size for $12; we took half home. The apple salad was similar to the Uva Bar's Manchego salad, though I think it was a different cheese. And my Mac & Cheese Gratin was perfect! Served in a crockery pot, it was more or less a bowl-o-cheese, with Cheddar, Swiss and Parmesan cheeses along with crunchy garlic croutons. It was so incredibly rich that I could not eat more than 1/3, so that came home as well.

Finally, the Carmel Heath Bar Crunch Brownie Sundae. Think about what that must be like, just from the description, and note that it's covered in walnuts and chocolate and caramel sauces. Absolutely decadent, and between us we could not finish it.

Service: A slow start, but otherwise good. We were seated at the window, which looks out onto busy El Camino Real, and at one point watched a traffic stop. Our server came over to see what the flashing lights were all about and told us there are many tickets issued outside this restaurant. Drink refills were just slightly long in coming, but not excessively.

Would we go back: Yes, and we think it's an ideal place to bring friends or family when they're in town.