This was our favorite meal during our week in Carmel. We had an 11a lunch reservation. The oysters…read morewith mignonette and cucumber was simple yet super tasty. The gnocchi, as others have pointed out, was delicate and had a wonderful texture. My duck was out of this world. It had a Thai cream sauce with a medley of nicely cut julienne veg. Pizza was wonderful (perfect crust) and a tomato salad was very much enjoyed by our group. Service: quick and responsive to requests. This is Michelin-rated for good reason and should be on your program while visiting. On our next visit, we'll go for breakfast, which is only Friday-Sunday.

Haiku: La Bicyclette…read more Cozy atmosphere Classic and fresh comfort meals Attentive service. --- Hands down, my favorite meal of my Monterey trip. I've come a couple of times, and I couldn't wait to bring my family to enjoy this popular family-run neighborhood establishment. They do simple, comforting dishes well. The star piece is their wood-fired oven baking delicious artisanal breads and pizzas. Some dish highlights: - Pains assortis: Assorted wood-fired bread with local butter. - Pan-seared fresh catch - Spaghetti con vongole. Clam pasta - Classic Pepperoni wood-fired pizza I love the vibes and the European bistro feel of petite wooden tables, hanging copper pots, and bicycle decor. This place is cozy and intimate. As popular as this place gets, I did feel cramped at my table. It was hard to get out of my seat without backing into the chairs behind me and shimmying past the tight neighboring tables to use the ladies' room. Service was attentive, friendly, and efficient. I highly recommend making reservations to avoid long wait times.

Came here on a Friday night, and the place was pretty full. I would highly recommend making a…read morereservation. The restaurant is located in a smaller strip mall with plenty of parking. Note, when most people think Los Gatos, they think downtown, however this restaurant is on the edge of Los Gatos/San Jose. But don't let that deter you, the interior of the restaurant felt trendy and on par. Since this was our first time here and we're not too familiar with Eastern European dishes, we opted for the chef's menu and it did not disappoint! The food was amazing and the presentation was even better. Everything felt very fresh. The egg and the macaron bites are so unique, I would definitely recommend giving them a try. Service was impeccable, I don't think our water glasses ever got even halfway empty before they were refilled. Our server explained the menu and food/wine extremely well. With 10 items on the chef's menu, the portions were perfect. I actually appreciate a menu with more items and smaller portions, allowing you to taste more without feeling too full to eat the last few dishes. One of us has a tree nut allergy and they were able to accommodate them with no problems at all. Something to note, the chef's menu was pretty seafood heavy, which I love, but it might not be for everyone. I did overhear the table next to us sing praises of the short rib, so I will definitely be back to give that a try!

-Oyster (Red currant) 1/10, tasted cold and icy…read more Butterbrots -Grenki (herring): 7/10 -Finaciers (salmon): 10 -Pommes Dauphine: 2/10; fried potato ball, nothing special -Carrot Madeleines: 10/10 -Sweet and savory macaron x2: 8/10, good but could use more roe -Shime saba crudo: 10/10 -Scallop crudo: 4/10, not sure why it's called crudo. It's pan seared scallop over a vegetable roux. Scallop was well seared but needed more salt -Wild arugula fennel salad: 7/10 -Dranik - wagyu: 7.5/10 -Brynza panna cotta: 2/10; cucumber tomato salad is refreshing but the panna cotta is heavy. Not sure they work well together Entrees -Ravioli: 9/10 -Halibut: 4/10, seems overcooked -Wagyu: 9/10 -Salmon: 8/10 Dessert -Sorbet: 4/10 -Apple cake: 7/10 -Chocolate cheesecake: 3/10, too salty -Unorthodox cheese: 4/10 Overall we really liked this and it had a lot of highlights that were amazing. Desserts were a miss for us overall.

Carmel Fondue Institution is a Must Eat…read more Visiting Carmel and want something a bit off the beaten path of the typical tourist? Lugano has been serving fondue for 30 years, and they should be on your list of restos to try while visiting the area. Decked out in Swiss chalet kitsch from floor to ceiling in marvelous wood with everything from bells to beer steins and mechanical clocks, the atmosphere is as warm and inviting as the service and the food. So what did we try? We went for the fondue sampler, and the jaegerschnitzel and pork bratwurst: 1. Fondue Sampler. Overall okay value. But we could skip the broth course. a. Salad. Ranch dressing. Nothing special but a good start! b. Swiss Original. Mixed with 3 cheeses, this has the required gruyer but also emmentaler, making this a delicious trio of slightly salty creamy flavors with a mild and savory bitter finish. Must get. Comes with bread and fruits. Best part of this. Unlike other places, they don't add oil, which makes this super delicious. c. Broth. Chicken and beef. Sadly, not our favorite. It's kind of like hot pot, but the broth is lackluster. And the meats are not good choices because: the beef is too thickly cut; and the chicken gets hard when boiled so not recommended for this. d. Chocolate. Only one choice with no additions possible. Very good chocolate though. 2. Jaegerschnitzel. Dark mushroom sauce with plenty of flavor. Schnitzel was properly breaded and juicy. Buttery spaetzel with nice al dentez Recommend. 3. Bratwurst. Pork was delicious: plump and juicy, full of tasty flavor. Excellent with the sauerkraut and well made mustard. Definite recommend. I thought the German potato hash too salty by itself but perfect paired with sauerkraut or pickled onions. Overall, a delightful experience. We will come again and focus on the cheese and chocolate next time. And the bratwurst!

Amazing food. Each dish was perfection and a good amount to share amongst a family of 4. Uniquely…read moredecorated interior with ample seating, no wait time on a Saturday early evening. We were given a complimentary basket of bread and butter to start off with, simple as it sounds, it was still really good. We ordered the Swiss onion soup which was so good that my kids were slurping the remaining soup even, best onion soup I've had (better than other French onion soups I've had before). We also got the schnitzel and fish and chips, both of which tasted great. Finished the meal with creme brûlée which definitely did not disappoint. Not sure if this place would be considered kid friendly, there were no kid utensils given. Maybe it was also because there were no other kids at the quiet restaurant but it felt awkward with our loud kids in there. Despite this, would love to come back for the food.

Found this gem by accident today & had the most amazing blueberry cheesecake with a crumbled…read moretopping. Everyone was so friendly. I'll be back for lunch with my husband and our very gentle dog next time we're here!

I was so intrigued that I came back out to the valley on a day that they were open. Lovely little…read morespot that is obviously frequented by locals in the know. 5ish tables, family run, unique and revolving menu. I enjoyed a ravioli entree and a bowl of their soup of the day. Owner comes out and reads some of her own poetry! I recommend calling before going- their hours vary by additional commitments. I will definitely be back when in the area!

We visited Neschmarkt for the first time tonight, and I have to say we absolutely loved everything,…read morefrom the wine to the main course and dessert! I ordered the Jager Schnitzel for my entrée, and it was incredibly delicious and full of flavor. For dessert, I had the Apple Strudel, and it was absolutely amazing. Every bite brought back wonderful memories of my time in Vienna, Austria. I'm so happy to have found such an authentic and outstanding Austrian restaurant so close to home. We'll definitely be coming back!

This is a new restaurant in Pleasanton . The first one was in Campbell since 2011. The menu is…read moreextensive with many choices : from appetizer to main dishes , soups and salad , all the way to desserts . The Austria European cuisines are amazing . Ambience was great with the elegant decoration and jazz music . Great customer service . Wine and bar are great. The bar has many good red and white wines , European beers and many interesting cocktails . Their coffee menu is extensive , so many choices . The main dishes we tried were Hungarian beef goulash . Slow cooking beef shoulder in paprika served with herbed spatzle , sour cream and Fresno chilies . Also love the pork blade chop . The mushroom gravy was so delicious. It was cooked with honey mustard glaze and savory cabbage . I grew up in an international city with a lot of European cuisines. This brought back memories and activated all my taste buds . The cocktails are interesting. I like the blackberry bramble and crime of passion . Would like to try something new next time . Coffee menu looked amazing . We did not try this time . The dessert was fluffy vanilla soufflé with blueberry compote & vanilla bean ice cream . It was not too sweet and could taste the blueberry and the freshness . Ingredients of the food are fresh and top picked . Amazing cooking skills and great service . Price is on the high side but the portions are good . This would be some place I like to come for a special occasion. It was romantic , upscale and trendy .

Absolutely amazing Russian kitchen with a modern touch…read more You have to be Russian or some one from Soviet Union though my American born son looks at the menu and screams "golubtsy" and we share always. and they ask Russian or English? we just say both

I have been to Dacha for a casual dinner with a friend, for a birthday dinner with my mom and her…read morepartner, for an intimate date with my wife, for a special event they held (Georgian Food prix fixe) and for a wedding celebration. Every single time I have felt so very warmly welcomed, nourished and taken care of. This is a unique experience in the San Francisco restaurant scene. Dacha means "summer home", it's a special family getaway and that is how coming to Dacha feels. The beautiful couple that owns the restaurant, Katya and Suki, have put their entire heart and soul into this space. It is welcoming to everyone, but has a special place in the hearts of the LGBTQ community. Do not hesitate to try this spot out. It's incredibly special.

A lovely spot to celebrate my friends graduation from Stanford! Our party was able to get a…read morereservation of 12 on a Saturday night for dinner. Parking was easy and we were immediately sat. The sausage appetizer was very delicious. I was not a big fan of their pretzel. My partner and I got the Jager Schnitzel and Kraut Rouladen. Both were large portions and tasted delicious. Kraut Rouladen was essentially a meatball wrapped in cabbage. Depending on your preference, you might wish there was a little more sauce. Either way, a great restaurant to try out in the Palo Alto area.

Bland, bland, bland. Jäger Schnitzel was swimming in a mushroom cream sauce. The sauce was heavy…read morecream, butter, mushrooms, flour, and salt. That's it. No herbs. No wine. No garlic. No onions. No nutmeg. Germans love onions, so it should have been loaded with onions and garlic. Germans also love nutmeg in cream-based dishes, but this was devoid of herbs, spices and flavor. The mushrooms were not pre-roasted, which would have given more flavor too. It was painfully bland. Spätzle was also swimming in a similar, basic cream sauce of cream, butter, salt, and flour. The plain sauce on the noodles reinforces the plain oily mushroom sauce and it becomes heavy, oily, cloying, and overwhelmingly bland. There is enough salt in both dishes, just not enough flavor from herbs, spices, onions, and garlic. Also had the Apfel Strüdel; it was ok, edges were burnt, but acceptable with the provided vanilla sauce and whipped cream. Both the whipped cream and vanilla sauce had visible vanilla bean seeds. So they know how to flavor the sweet sauces, just not the savory. Ordered to go and the best part was the hot food containers; fully sealed and contained all the liquid while also keeping the food very hot! Not all places have considered matching their dishes and to go containers; Naschmarkt clearly has. I really wanted to love to Naschmarkt, but their food is far too bland. From what I see in the pictures, it wasn't just an off-night, that's is how they make their dishes regularly. As a German from Germany, that makes me sad because it could and should be much better.

So good! I ordered the Williams breakfast pot and this is now one of my favorite breakfast dishes…read moreever. Super flavorful and delicious. I got mine with over easy eggs and someone else in my party got them scrambled. I would definitely come back just for this. We also got the chiccone- I didnt try it but the fries were nice and crispy. I ordered a caramel latte and it was very good! The staff here are very friendly. It was a nice start to our morning. This restaurant is located on Main Street in Pleasanton. We came here on a Saturday morning while the farmers market was going on, so it was a bit busy but we were still seated quickly. They have tables outside as well.

It wasn't bad, but for the price and the hype, I thought it would've been a better experience, both…read morefood and vibe wise. The space was cramped. They had the AC going but at the same time the windows were opened, so there were pesky flies that just didn't leave us alone. The food wasn't bad, but it also didn't inspire another visit.