Sakoon

It was a chilly Saturday evening, and my friend's family and my family were strolling Mountain View, when we came upon an Indian restaurant called Sakoon. We had not had some good Indian food in a while, so we decided to go check the place out. Apparently,we made the right decision. As soon as you enter this posh eatery, hanging lights that change color dazzle your eyes. The walls are covered in mosaics and, diyas, or Indian candles give off a flickering light. There is a bar on one side, and a lounge and dining area on the other. The lounge is comfy corner where people can wait while they get their seat. The booths are made of sparkling leather. This restaurant can get pretty crowded, so it is best to book reservations, or come half an hour in advance.

Sakoon displays a wide variety of unique foods on its menu, which include both vegetarian and non- vegetarian dishes. Since we are vegetarian, we ordered Trio of Samosas, Saufiya Paneer, Avocado Jhalmuri Aloo, Paneer Kundan Kalia,Rajasthani Khumb Paneer, and Phool Makhane ki Subzi.

The samosas were hot and crispy on the outside and smooth and creamy on the inside, giving a well-balanced effect. The soft peas and potato filling enriches the palate. Everything at Sakoon is served in a very elegant an posh way, so you should order a little more than you think is necessary. For example, we expected the samosas to be served the typical "Indian" way. Unfortunately, the samosas came two to a platter, and there were six of us. As a result, none of us got to eat much samosa. The Saufiya Paneer was crunchy on the outside, yet chewy and spicy on the inside. It was served with a tangy mint chutney. The Avocado Jhalmuri Aloo was a salad made with crisped rice and tomatoes, potatoes, avocados, and onions. It was drizzled with mouth-watering mint chutney. The paneer in the Phool Makhane ki Subzi was fluffy, chewy, and luscious through and through. It was served in a silky, flavorful gravy. Mixed into the gravy were popped lotus seeds and firm cashews. The lotus seeds put a unique twist to the dish, but I could not clearly taste them because the gravy was so rich. The colors in this dish were very mellow, and they made me feel calm. Also, none of the food in the restaurant that we ate was spicy, so it was a delicious meal. After this satisfying dinner, I knew that Sakoon was a delicious and very capable restaurant that I would visit again many more times in the future.

http://www.sakoonrestaurant.com

Sakoon is rated : 4-Yummm!

Rating scale:

1-Yuck;2-Junk;3-It's OK;4-Yummm!;5-Ooh-La-La!

Pizza Antica; Santana Row; San Jose

Once a month, it is pizza time for my family, and we never have any problem deciding where to go. Our first and most obvious choice is Pizza Antica. This delightful eatery is located in Santana Row near Valley Fair Mall in San Jose, and so we can go shopping before and after we eat. My family has been here many times, and it is one of our most faithful and favorite restaurants ever!

Almost every day, Pizza Antica is a very crowded place, so it would be wise to book reservations or to come an hour in advance. The employees are very kid- friendly and treat you like family. After we were taken to our table, my brother and I received a set of crayons and a picture to color, so we could be kept occupied. All of the items on the menu sounded delicious, and there are many options for vegetarians. Some of their items are seasonal, but one item that is there every time the Heirloom Potato, Caramelized Onion and white Truffle Oil. This is a traditional item that we order. The pizza has a crispy thin crust that well balances the light cheese, white truffle oil, and sauteed fingerling potatoes. The pizza is presented well; all the colors are mellow which bring a calming feeling. The smell of this delight is wonderful. The hanging, light smell of truffle oil, combined with the garlic, onions, and cheese transports you back to Italy.

During fall, you should keep an eye out for the butternut squash ravioli. This is my favorite pasta in the restaurant. The perfectly cooked pasta shell along with the creamy butternut squash filling is a dream come true for your palate. Another summer pasta which I love is the peas ravioli. The peas filling is not as creamy as the squash filling, but it still leaves your taste buds craving for more. Scattered around this dish are hard little peas that balance out the creaminess of the filling. Of course, there are more normal pizzas and pastas on the menu that you can go for.

Because the food in Pizza Anica is so light, there is always room for dessert when we are done with our meals. The desserts vary from season to season, but make sure to look for the walnut shortcake during fall. The moist, nutty cake is brought to life with the whipped cream and fresh strawberries that garnish this sweet treat. The price of the foods at Pizza Antica are slightly expensive, but affordable, and they are definitely worth it. Pizza Antica is obviously one of the best Italian restaurants in Silicon Valley.

Pizza Antica is rated 5- Ooh-La-La.

Rating Scale: 1- Yuck!; 2- Junk; 3- Its OK; 4- Yummm!; 5- Ooh-La-La!

Aqui Cal Mex; San Jose, California

My birthday arrived on a sunny, summer evening, when I was deciding where to go out to eat with my family. It was my special day and my decision was obvious- Aqui Cal-Mex in San Jose, California. I have always loved this restaurant.

Its charming and spacious architectural design and the superb food makes it one of the best restaurants in Silicon Valley. As soon as you enter the doors of this eatery, you are greeted by a blast of color. Unique sculptures and figurines are scattered around the restaurant. The staff is extremely kid- friendly, and make you feel at home. A stunning aspect of Aqui is their unique and tempting drinks. Every time I've been there there have been two special drinks on blackboard which proudly reveals the specials. One of these fruity concoctions include watermelon strawberry, which we had on this day. The two flavors are perfectly blended, and were meant for each other. The drinks at Aqui are some of the best I have ever drank.

The food in Aqui is colorful and pleasing to the eye. To let customers know how the food will be presented, some of the daily specials are made and kept in the front for people ts see. All the colors in the food are well contrasted. For example, the red sauce that drenches the enchiladas still allows you to witness the darkness of the black beans. All the food in Aqui is a mixture of Californian and Mexican food. Most of it tastes like Mexican food.

A traditional when we go to Aqui is the vegetarian platter with tamales, enchiladas, organic polenta, beans, and rice. The mouthwatering dishes always smell fantastic, and are full of aromatic Mexican flavors. The polenta melts in your mouth, and the grainy rice balances it out. Everything tastes fresh and is perfectly cooked. My brother and I usually order from the kid's meal. They have items such as burritos, enchiladas, and quesadillas which are kid sized. On my special day, I ordered a small platter which included two mini enchiladas, pinto beans and rice. The mini enchiladas were soft, flavorful, and drenched in sauce. The vibrant colors and the aromatic smell make the dish all the more tastier and pleasing to eat. The rice was soft and grainy, and the pinto beans melted in your mouth. In Aqui they do not use regular cheddar and jack cheese. Instead they use the traditional Oaxaca cheese which has a temperate but recognizable flavor and taste. However, none of the food in Aqui is too cheesy.

Aqui has plenty of tempting varieties for vegetarians. The food in Aqui is not too filling, so there is always room for dessert. Like the drinks, every time I have been there, there have been different desserts. On this day, they were presenting a coconut cheesecake, blueberry cobbler, and a flourless chocolate cake. The desserts are not too sweet and allow you to taste the other flavors in the dish. We chose a blueberry cobbler, and the first bite, was like eating a piece of heaven. The crispness of the buttery biscuit, along with the fresh, juicy, tart blueberry sauce gave me goosebumps. In less than five minutes, my family had gobbled the entire cobbler! When you get out the door of this restaurant, you'll have a full stomach and a satisfied soul.

Aqui is rated as 5-Ooh- La- La

Rating Scale: 1- Yuck!; 2- Junk; 3- Its OK; 4- Yummm!; 5- Ooh- La- La

Cafe Pro Bono, Palo Alto, California

One warm summer evening, my family was debating on which restaurant to go to for dinner. There were many tasty options which included Buca di Peppo, Pizza Antica, and Banana Leaf. Suddenly my father, who was searching on Yelp, jumped up with an "Ah ha!" and the rest of us crowded around the screen. We had never been to Cafe Pro Bono before, but we offered a try. It turned out that was a wonderful idea.

The Cafe is actually a restaurant located on Birch Street. To me it seemed cozy, but spacious- a perfect combo. The service is excellent, and the staff is kid-friendly. For an appetizer they offer fresh bread with vinegar and olive oil with a few herbs- DELICIOUS! This charming restaurant offers a variety of tempting entrees for your waiting palate. Even though we are vegetarians, there was still plenty of options to choose from.

For my 6 year old brother and me, we chose Susan's Downfall- a platter of herb ravioli served with a creamy Gorgonzola and toasted almond sauce. I am not a fan of anything too cheesy, so Susan's Downfall was not my type of dish, but it still tasted pretty decent. The cheese was a little too strong for me, and it overpowered the flavor of the other ingredients. However, it tasted traditional, not like an American version of ravioli.

My mother chose Gnocchi al pesto with sun dried tomatoes and pine nuts- a pesto gnocchi served with pine nuts and sun-dried tomatoes. After a quick taste, I decided that was the best gnocchi I have had in a long time. The potato pasta added a creamy texture to the dish, and the pesto sauce with pine nuts added an aromatic flavor. The sun dried tomatoes had a wonderful taste that enriched the goodness of the pasta.

After a lot of thought, my father selected a creamy mushroom risotto served with a variety of tender mushrooms. I am not a big fan of mushrooms either, and this dish was a little too strong for me. I would definitely have preferred something milder towards my senses. The creamy risotto was balanced with the chewy mushrooms, and altogether created an enticing combination.

It was appetizing, but we still had some room for dessert! There was a delicious variety, but we decided on a flourless chocolate cake served with raspberry sauce and topped with whipped cream. The flourless cake was mostly fudge, so you could really taste the chocolate, and the raspberry sauce added a refreshing fruity flavor. Also, we gobbled a traditional Tiramisu which left everyone yearning for more. This light,layered cream and coffee cake was brought to perfection at this restaurant. It was cold, yet not cold enough to suck out the flavor of the coffee, which added a delicious flavor to this elegant pastry. The pieces are small and perfect for a family of four.

All of the items we chose ranged from $5- $15. At the front door, there are mints and toothpicks as a sign of courtesy. As I stepped out the door, I knew that I would come here again- and soon! :)

I rate Cafe Pro Bono 4 taste buds out of 5.

** Yuk - 1 taste bud; Junk - 2 taste buds; It's OK - 3 taste buds; Yummm - 4 taste buds; Ooh-la-la - 5 taste buds.