Evvia in Palo Alto, CA

MH and I recently went to dinner at Evvia Estiatorio, a restaurant specializing in Greek cuisine. Before I even get to the food or decor, the first thing you should know about Evvia is that it has been an "it" place for years. It is one of the premiere places in the Valley to see and be seen. The night we went (a weeknight) was no exception; the place was still hopping at 8:30pm. This makes the noise level loud, but not unbearable.

We were seated immediately, thanks to our handy Opentable reservation, and we got a choice seat on a banquette. The banquette seats are typically reserved for couples, and the three other couples around us were obviously all on dates. The best seat in the house is actually the one booth tucked into a wall. It's in the back, set between the banquette seating and the rest of the restaurant. Power players in Sillicon Valley know this, and at lunch, they request it. You can try to get the booth if you go for dinner, though.

Evvia has a dark, sexy feel at night. You can almost feel the power emanating from the Valley's elite (mostly) 50-somethings. The wooden floor, and the copper plates decorating the room make the feel quite Mediterranean. Roasting meat can be seen in the open rotisserrie room (there is another, closed kitchen in the back of the restaurant), and in the winter, they have a roaring fire in the centrally-located huge fireplace.

MH loves this restaurant, and has eaten through a good portion of the menu. Last night, however, MH got the Horiatiki to start - a Greek salad with tomatoes, cucumbers, green pepper, red onion, oregano, olives and feta. (At lunch, you can get a full order of the Greek salad - it's huge and filling). MH chose Moussaka as a main course, and was not disappointed. It comes in a small crock, and upon first viewing, it looks like it won't be enough food. However, there is a ton of meat inside, and the eggplant baked in is extremely filling. I chose the half order of Arnisia Paidakia - rib-cut, mesquite-grilled lamb chops with wedged potatoes. This came with two lamb chops (I can only assume a full order is four chops), and was definitely enough food for me (I snacked on some of the chewy, dense bread the waiter brought to the table). The meat was cooked medium (and was slightly pink inside). Their flavor was superb.

During prior visits to Evvia, I've tried the Tzatziki served with housemade pita bread (think and tangy and quite good), the Psari sta Karvouna (mesquite-grilled striped bass with lemon-oregano vinaigrette & braised greens) and the Solomos (grilled organic king salmon with lemon potato puree & tomato ouzo sauce). Let's put it this way: anything grilled is good.

MH also ordered a glass of pinot noir, which was acidic, and cut through the heavy meat well. We were too full to eat dessert.

Dinner came to about $70 with tax and tip. Pricey for a weekday dinner out, but worth it for a special occasion.

Oh, and a secret tip for you if you're going to book a reservation with Opentable: Evvia does not allow you to book online reservations at choice times (between 7-8pm, for example), but if you make a reservation and then call them to ask to change it to a better time, they can sometimes accommodate you.


Evvia
9.0/10

Suraj in Redwood City, CA

In our quest to find incredible Indian food, MH and I eat out a lot, trying various Indian restaurants around the bay area. We stumbled upon Suraj quite by accident. Friends of ours who live in Redwood City told us about the restaurant. We'd never heard of it, preferring to frequent Amber India in Mountain View, or for a quick bite, Darbar in Palo Alto. After trying Suraj, however, we were hooked.

Suraj is set in an unassuming building right off El Camino Real, just South of Woodside Road. You'd think it would be loud inside, given all the traffic, but it is quite subdued. Most of the time when we're there, there is some kind of banquet in the large back room (typically used for parties). Indian families abound. Bizarre diner-like booths and large mirrors give the place a patchwork feel, but to be tucked into a booth, even in the front room, is actually desirable.

One of the best things about Suraj (aside from the food), is that in all the times we've been there, there has never been any wait to be seated. At places like Amber, which are quite small, the line forms quickly. We've had to wait upwards of an hour at Amber (even with a reservation!), which is really annoying. Honestly, the food at Suraj is just as good - it's just less well known and less centrally located.

Suraj serves both North and South Indian cuisine. Dinner is strictly off-the-menu, but at lunch, there is an enormous buffet for $10. Having been there many times for both lunch and dinner, I must say I prefer lunch, but only because you get such a great selection, and they do everything well. Highlights include the wide array of cold vegetables, and the stellar desserts. At lunch, you get unlimited access to the food, as well as to the soda dispenser, which for me is a big deal.

Dinner is a more formal affair; your food is brought to you, and you are served properly. At dinner, you can order entrees a la carte (including rice and naan), or you can order them as part of a complete meal, which not only includes rice and naan, but soup, assorted lentil dishes, raita, and mango ice cream. MH and I order a la carte because you get more of the entree when you don't order the complete meal. We feel like it's a better deal because we're not in love with all the lentil dishes served (although the raita is excellent).

The dishes you should try: mushroom muttar, chana masala, chicken vindaloo, chicken tikka masala, and aloo ghobi. Anything on a skewer is excellent, especially the lamb. Some of the dishes are more well-spiced than others, but all are well-flavored. In other words, you're not going to get anything bland.

Highly recommended.


Suraj
7.0/10