Dramatically downhill from prior visits. We have held team parties there a number of times and this last one was the last. Drinks were awful except for the margaritas. Food was average at best across the board. This comment covers apps to desserts. Servers were very nice but food taste and drink quality has dropped so much it is not worth the price. read more

My Big Fat Greek Dinner... Although it's right down the street from me and I've been hearing rave reviews from friends for ages, I finally experienced the greek magic for myself, last night. Wow -- and by wow, I mean damn! The decor was chic and contemporary; the lighting low and intimate. The wait-staff were extremely attentive and helpful -- we were a group of six and never had to ask for a thing. Possibly the most memorable thing about Dio Deka is the presentation. Each dish is a masterpiece -- from the dishes themselves, to the colour and arrangement on the plate. I've never taken photos of food before, but I honestly considered it last night. We started with cocktails (which were fab) and appetizers. The highlight, assuming you're a carnivore, was definitely the keftethakia (lamb meatballs) with kefalortiri cheese and yogurt (real greek yogurt). My friend and I shared the horiatiki for our second course. The slab of feta on top reminded me of my island hopping days in Greece. One of my friends had the lobster soup to start, and I will definitely be getting that next time. Honestly, I would knock Zorba down for another spoonful. For my main course, I had to try the moussaka, which was delightful. Some other entree highlights that my friends ordered were the fillet with beets (hot-damn) and the sea bass. One thing I know for sure about Dio Deka's menu is that you cannot possibly go wrong. Everything was that good. For dessert, I tried the yiaourti -- which is imported greek yogurt with fresh fruit, macadamia nuts and honey in a filo bowl. They also serve traditional greek coffee heated in little copper coffee pots (called brikis) over a bed of sand. The caffeine will have you swinging from the chandeliers, but if swinging from the chandeliers is wrong, I don't want to be right. In conclusion: everything you've heard about this restaurant is true. It's wonderful. Dio Deka puts the shama-lamb-a in the rama lamb-a ding dong! I can't wait to go back. I give it 5 HOPA's. read more

Had dinner here Friday night. The restaurant was about half full at 8:00pm. The hostess attempted to seat us next to the kitchen, when the restaurant was about 1/4 full. We asked to move away from the kitchen, and they honored our request. They only have three beers, all bottle. I tried the Greek beer called Mythos, which I do not recommend, obviously the Greek aren't known for their beer (my bad) and not as cold as I would have liked. The dolma appetizer was $9.00 for three dolmas. They had to give us a fourth one so each of us could taste one! For an entree, I had the filet. It was cooked to the proper temp, med-rare, but had little flavor. Most of the food lacked flavor. For desert, I had the baklava served with banana gelato. The baklava was not fresh, and the teaspoon of gelato did not cover up the staleness of the baklava. Dio Deka has a very beautiful interior, and the staff were friendly, but the food was overpriced and lacking in flavor and substance. The bill came to $300 for four people, not including tip. Two appetizers, One bottle of wine, four entrees, one desert. read more

The Good: Dio Deka is by far my favorite restaurant in all of the South Bay area, I even spent New Years Eve here and not surprisingly they went all out making it an outstanding memorable dining experience. The restaurant is in a great location across from LGHS, valet parking is provided but there is plenty of self parking if you like. During the warmer months there is opportunity to eat outside and on Friday's they typically have some type of musical entertainment supported by their outside bar. The interior of the restaurant is flawless, the decor only compliments the food. There is always energy in the restaurant, whether you eat their on a Tuesday or a Friday/Saturday night. You can't go wrong with any of the food, my favorite is the octopus as an appetizer and of course the lamb chops as an entree, although their other dishes are also to die for. Service is fantastic, especially when you get one of the long time waiters and the owners are always on hand ensuring guests are comfortable. The wine list is great and has been put together to support any of the meals on the menu. The dessert menu is a must do, so save room. In summary, the food is excellent, the wait staff is the most professional in the valley and the wine list can't be beat!! My recommendation is to eat here often, each visit will only reinforce your desire to come back time and time again!! The Bad As I said, I absolutely love this restaurant, my biggest complaint is that when I leave I am bursting at the seems!! The food is so good I always get an appetizer, full meal and desert along with a healthy serving of wine and/or port. This is just not the place to come if you are trying to watch what you eat. Dio Deka is a must visit when you have no dietary restrictions -- enjoy the entire experience without worry about the aftermath. The Ugly Everyone knows the saying... you get what you pay for, well, you do pay here and you pay handsomely , however, you get a dining experience that can't be beat. It is worth every penny, just be sure you paid off your credit card before going. read more

We have eaten at this restaurant one time before several years ago and thought it was wonderful. Last night, not so much. I remember it being a bit more 'dressy' befitting of the price level of the restaurant; now, obviously you can arrive dressed anyway you like but it's still on the pricey side. Although it was Saturday night, I don't remember the restaurant being as 'frantic' as it was last night. I believe you can be a busy restaurant and create an air of relaxation. The wait staff was rushed and for the most part, other than our server, very impersonal. We started off with the Spread Sampler which we had the first time we dined here. Last night the person who laid it on the table (without the bread) and just sped off, did not explain what each spread was. Grant it, he was not the server, but if he was the designated person to deliver the dish, I would think he should have to describe what he just delivered - especially with a 'sampler' dish as this is. The wait person came and asked if the dish had been described, and when I told him no, he then told us what each one was. The overall comment of this dish was 'too salty', which much of what we experienced last night was. Next we ordered the traditional greek soup, which was so salty as well as over OVER lemony. Neither my husband nor I could even finish it. When both dishes were rushed away by the bus person, there was no question asked as to how the dish was seeing that it was practically untouched. We also had an order of the dolmas; mushy and lying in a pool of I'm not sure what. Very disappointing. We also ordered the lobster, which I'm not 100% certain, because I did not specifically ask, but I would guess that it had been frozen because it also was mushy and tough, and once again - too salty. Chef, HOLD OFF ON THE SALT!!!!! The other guests at the table had a couple other appetizers and were equally disappointing. For dessert we ordered the beignets. Lots of them, very small, chewy, laying in honey and sprinkled with powdered sugar. Lots of little disappointments all on one plate. There were 4 of us; 3 of us had 2 cocktails each and the third had a Coke. With our drinks and just appetizers, the bill came to $237. A very expensive huge disappointment. We will never go back. read more

2/15/08 UPDATE: (-1 star). OK so now I PAID for the meal and have an update to my original review below. We pick up our eyeballs after our lunch bill came today. Can you say "$100 lunch bill"? OK so it was really close and this was WITHOUT drinks! Here's what $97.27 (includes a 15.00 tip) buys you here for lunch: Appy: Kalamarakia Gemista ($14): Exactly 3 seafood-stuffed 3" calamari [OK but seafood was strong-flavored and for $4.60 a bite???] Solomos: Grilled Salmon Salad ($24) served over spinach greens grape tomatoes, red onions. [Very good but the dressing was a bit too tangy and the salmon was fishier than expected] Petani: Grilled fillet of Hawaiian Mahi Mahi, apple-wood smoked bacon, avocado, spiced feta with a toasted rosemary focaccia and garlic-herb fries ($18) [I really liked this dish & the fries were fabulous but hey! they could have actually put a ripe avocado slice on here. You could have BOUNCED this slice of avocado--for this price they could have ripened it some and then thrown in the whole avocado.] Mill-Fay: Crisp puff pastry tower with a rum infused pastry cream and caramelized almonds ($12): The dessert that I've already described below. Incredibly scrumdiddily-ummmm-tious 2 single Espressos ($8) Subtotal: 76.00 + tax and tip = MUY MUY CARO Senior! So was the meal WORTH the price? "No." Was it's quality reflected in the price? "No" Good Service? "Yes" Took away a star because of these inconsistencies. Original review. 2/6/08: Randy Jackson might say of Dio Deka: "Aye Carnuba Dude. This place is da BOMB. Welcome to HollyWOOD!!" We had a very large crowd of 12 and were served magnificently. wonderful wine, appetizers, main dishes, and the deserts were enough to burst a belt. The food was a almost a blur but lessee: The bar's Cabernet wine was a BV 2004 reserve Cabernet called Tapestry--one of the best Cabs I've had. The flaming cheese appy was not served flaming but was deeply flavored and scrumptiously textured. The beautifully presented dipping platter of 4 flavors for the pita points were Melitzanosalata (a baba ganouj style) eggplant dip, a tzatziki, one with salmon and roe, and a roasted red pepper dip. Fabulous. The lemon soup with lobster was tangy good with just enough lobster, although I would have preferred some of the the lobster bit a bit less strongly flavored. The boneless park tenderloin was done picatta style served over root veggies and caused my eyes to roll around; it was so good. It was truly embarrassing. The desert stand out for me was a small phyllo dough tower with a run-infused filling and toasted slivered almonds. OMG just shoot me now because I have gone to heaven. The ambiance, the service and most of all the food was superb. 'Course I didn't foot the bill so I can be sure that this feast costs some one his/her first born. But if food is what you care about, this place blew us away. read more

I've been struggling writing this review for a while now. Dio Deka's certainly been one of my go-to's for fine dining in the South Bay for the last year or so. It's one of my top choices in general, and not just the area, for a top tier dining experience. Actually, on top of being a superlative high-end Mediterranean restaurant, they're the best steakhouse in the area by a wide margin. Don't ignore their back-page grill menu (though get the bone-in filet, and only the bone-in filet). Quality of the meat, the sides and preparation exceeds all other steakhouses in the area by a wide margin. But I just don't love it. Is it because I've had so many truly wonderful orgasmic meals at Evvia? Probably. To unfairly oversimplify, I think it's the difference between a very high end family-style comfort food meal versus a truly technically remarkable fine dining experience. I suppose it's unfortunate that I can't help but compare Dio with my experiences at Evvia. Honestly, I think Evvia isn't as good of a restaurant. But I love it more. I'm just a comfort food kind of guy. Don't get me wrong, my comfort food is along the lines of the fried chicken at Ad Hoc - the concept of KFC or even Popeyes makes me want to hurl. But I eat with a palate that truly enjoys the simple rich flavors that remind me of my childhood, but taken to superlative levels. I know and enjoy fine cuisine that does rise to the level of art. But I love it from my neck up. My eyes take it in. My nose and tongue savors the flavors. My head contemplates the craft. Good comfort food though? I love with that my soul. It hits me in my heart and my guts. Actually, I think I love it with my nether regions too (foodgasm anyone?), but that's probably too much information. Dio Deka's food is exquisitely prepared, whether it's the Greek dishes or the grill menu on the back. The assorted spreads and pita bread starter - same dish as you can get elsewhere - is executed with a level of refinement that exceeds its peers by more than a fair margin. The Taramosalata (codfish roe) - perfectly balanced and subtle. Exhibits certainly a deep fish flavor, but not fishy in the least. Not a hint, at least to me, of sourness that can turn off people who are not fans of this spread. And that Ktipiti (feta cheese) - who could have known that feta could have such a deep, almost sharp pungent flavor, but yet have it balanced and cut with the peppers/herbs? My next thought goes to the sides on their grill menu. Those simple autumn sautéed greens - perfectly cooked and flavored with simple olive oil and sea salt. The roasted potatoes and mushroom sides and brussel sprouts - so many times I've had these dishes elsewhere. So many times they've been mushy, overroasted, underroasted, the textures all wrong. Never here. And they go along with that excellently prepared, superlative quality bone-in filet. The word elevate does come to mind, but it seems like such a weak, overused term. Transformed is more like it. It's like Cinderella being surrounded by that magic dust transforming her rags into that gown and being that elegant princess at the ball. Magical. And the desserts. Unequivocally my favorite part of the experience (and I'm not a dessert guy). That baklava - how much lighter yet denser with flavor can you get? The fresh cleansing strawberry of their panna cotta with the richness of their ice creams? To die for. But back to my point - what if you just prefer the girl next door type? I'm thinking of their special Dungeness crab roulade - the textures, the balance and complexity of flavors do remind me of some of the finest French preparations and it compares favorably. It's great but maybe the flavor just gets away from me? They take all that craft and apply it to wonderful, nuanced but not overly fussy Mediterranean dishes - I'm thinking the lamb shank, the pasta, the branzino preparations and of course, the lamb chops. But maybe I like those with a certain touch of coarseness to it. A certain straightforward boldness of simple flavors that fills your being. These are all good, but I just don't love them. They don't stick with me because they connect with me less. The other appetizers, I've had them all, the meatballs, the octopus - other than the stuffed calamari, I'd just rather have more pita and spreads. So I struggle, just because I know I can get those robust family style, though less technically adept entrees elsewhere. And love it more. Maybe it's me. I'm sure it is. Other elements, wine selection, decor, service all top notch. Such a wonderful first date place. So perfect for that. But I have a hard time picking this place first for a big fancy meal with friends and family. Struggling between 4 or 5 stars. Wish I could do 4.5. read more

Disclaimer: My ratings are based on value compared to other restaurants of the same cuisine and of a similar price point. A $10 meal could very well score 5 stars if the restaurant delivered excellent value. Similarly, a $100 meal could score 1 star if the food was dismal compared to its similarly-priced brethren. For the most part, my ratings will be based on the quality of the food, unless I explicitly comment on the service or the decor. This review is for a meal on January 7, 2012 for a party of three. I am not familiar with Greek cuisine so my basis for comparison here will be other one Michelin star restaurants. Dio Deka doesn't offer a chef's tasting so my group (three relatively petite Asian girls) ordered the following: - one glass of wine each (there were two drivers and we're all lightweights...) - two appetizers (dungeness crab roulade and mesquite-grilled, baby-back pork riblets) - three entrees (monterey squid, John Dory, slow-braised lamb) - one dessert (Greek beignets) A few thoughts: - usually, the appetizers are the most interesting dishes on the menu... in this case, apart from the pistachio relish that came with the riblets, I wasn't particularly impressed with either of our appetizers... I've had equally great ribs coming from Sneaky's and much better crab elsewhere - the saucier was fantastic... the sauces really were the make or break on each dish - the entrees, on the whole, were pretty delicious: good texture, interesting flavors, etc. though they started to feel a lot heavier toward the end of the meal; once the food lost its temperature, the previously great sauces started to feel like too much - you can't dislike beignets, especially ones smothered in thyme honey and cinnamon Overall, the food was well-executed. It wouldn't necessarily be high on my list of places to try again, but I'd probably be comfortable giving the restaurant 3.5 stars based on the food. There are probably other places I'd prefer for ~$75/head (not including tip). So why 2 stars? One word: service. Strike 1: Perhaps because we had one of the earlier seatings (6:15 pm), the server seemed to be in a mad rush to get us out the door. Our appetizers arrived before we even finished ordering. I would have expected the server to return and take our final orders (and menus) before directing the appetizers to appear. Strike 2: The server was really trying to sell us on the wine, even after I told him that we were clearly lightweights (hello, small, Asian and female) and that two of us had to drive after the meal. After initially trying to sell us on a half-bottle, he later even tried to convince us to order a full bottle (!). Strike 3: The server tried to get us to order some sides ("Greek salad?") even after I told him I thought it would be enough food (I remind you, we're small, Asian and female). I am embarrassed to admit that I quipped, "And would you like fries with that?" after he was out of earshot. Seriously though, I have friends in the service industry and I know tips can be hard to come by, but it's much better to deliver amazing service than it is to try to get a table to order more when it clearly doesn't make sense. Strike 4: The server was obviously trying to make us relinquish the table by: a) presenting us with the check after we told him we weren't going to order anything else (this is actually acceptable, as far as I'm concerned... not ideal, but acceptable) b) taking the signed receipts while we were still sitting at the table (this is NOT acceptable... I think it's pretty rude and unbecoming of a Michelin-starred restaurant) Maybe we were just unlucky and got stuck with a tactless server. Hopefully, others will have a better experience. read more

My wife and I came here for a late Valentines dinner. We both enjoy Greek and it was a toss-up between Dio Deka and Evvia. We'd never been to either and the reviews were similar. We let the Michelin star be the tie-breaker so we were off to Dio Deka. After arriving on time our table was not yet ready so we were given the option to wait in the packed bar or cold outdoor lobby of the Los Gatos Hotel. After about a 10 minute wait we we're seated at what was probably the worst table in the restaurant. We were near the door and had a huge beam propping up the side of our table, very disappointing for a Michelin rated eatery. The staff itself was very friendly and prompt. We began our order with an appetizer of Greek spreads, my wife had the branzino, and I had the petit filet mignon. The spreads were each unique, flavorful, and went well with their fresh breads. The filet was perfectly grilled and the prime cut was delicious. My wife also thoroughly enjoyed her branzino. The mesquite grilling brought out the flavors in both our meals. We would have enjoyed it more if one of the restaurant managers weren't doting on a critic/reviewer one table away. He came over constantly to explain every facet of the meal and to my horror the wife of the reviewer kept snapping away with her camera phone flashing repeatedly with no regard for the other dining guests. This was more than a little annoying. It seemed that Dio Deka was more concerned with this one guests well-being than the rest of us. We finished our meals off with dessert, my wife with the baklava and I had the loukamathes. These were both very tasty and sweet. Although we left feeling that the food was very good, by the middle of the night we both became very ill and spent most of the following day, and even the day after, in the toilet. I don't think this was just a random coincidence and the only food we shared was the appetizer so more than likely this was the culprit. We're unlikely to return to Dio Deka, it simply didn't live up to its hype. read more

Go to Evvia instead. For a once-Michelin rated restaurant, I'm not sure what the hype about this place is. The food was mediocre (lamb chops at Evvia are WAY better), the prices were high (again Evvia wins), and the service was average at best. I wasn't a fan of the 'inside a hotel' atmosphere, it made me feel like I was paying a premium so that the place could pay rent for space inside a hotel. Overall, for the money we paid, I'd much rather wait for a reservation at Evvia. That night, there were no reservations at Evvia but an empty house at Dio Deka. That should mean something if you're trying to decide! read more

I got the opportunity to eat at this restaurant - as my friend, Joan Slaughterbeck, is bidding on refinishing the floors. The restaurant is inside Hotel Los Gatos - I didn't even know that existed... Wow, what an amazing place. I don't know if we got extra special attention, but the food just kept coming, every morsel more delicious than the previous with the finale being these beignets and the richest froth on a capaccino ever. The wait staff was so nice and professional, and recommended the BEST items. Drinks and wine from Greece too - outstanding. Will defenitely be going back here. read more

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I ate here last night, and the experience was, overall, very good. We started out with appetizers the host picked for us. The greek names escape me at the moment, so I'm going with descriptions for the dishes. The pork riblets were delicious -- they had such a good flavor, and the meat was tender and juicy. The lamb meatballs, served with a tomato and jalapeno gelee were also wonderful, especially with the aged riesling we drank with the first course. I had my eye on the octopus, and I was very happy it came out in the host's selection, but it was a disappointment. It wasn't bad, but it wasn't nearly as flavorful as the meats. The last of our appetizers was the saganaki, which wasn't quite what I remembered of saganaki I ate in Greece, but was crispy on the outside, soft on the inside, and was a nice contrast with the meat of the riblets. In comparison, I would say the appetizers at Evvia were cumulatively stronger, but the main course at Dio Deka was hands down better. My main dish last night was an awesome bone-in filet of beef. I've never seen this cut of meat before -- it's like the filet half of a porterhouse, without the extra pound of strip attached to the other side of the bone. It was prepared with a seasoning crust that was exactly right -- not too strong to overpower the beef flavor, and not to weak as to seem an afterthought. The steak looked almost like it was charred on outside, but it was definitely medium-rare and tasted great. Dessert had one standout winner -- a yogurt, fruit, and honey concoction that was a balance of sweet, tart, creamy, crunchy, and everything else you could want in a dessert without adding chocolate. The runner up was the Milfee, a Greek version of a French millefeuille. It came out as a 9"h x 9"w x 3"d brick of puffed pastry -- needless to say, it was light and airy, and paired extremely well with a Greek Moscato dessert wine. We also had baklava and a chocolate bread pudding, both of which were good (don't get me wrong), but not as memorable. The wine list is impressive, but heavily weighted to the boutique California labels (Kistler, Screaming Eagle, Harlan, etc.). If you're looking for a deep french wine list, you might be disappointed, but you'll probably find something that will satisfy you. I only had one real problem with my dining experience, and that was the noise level. We sat down just after 7pm in a full dining room, at a cozy 4 person table, and it was almost impossible to carry on a conversation without yelling over noise of diners and strange, overly energetic music. The staff acknowledged the problem and said they were looking into installing some sound insulation to cut down on echoes. Maybe with that, they'll get my 5th star. read more

My 2 best friends took me here for my bday a couple weeks ago. I had the filet mignon and had the Greek salad and ribs for appetizer. The food was soooooo delicious. I can't get over how good it was!! The service was also good; they patiently answered my questions and brought out everything in a timely manner. My friends loved their lobster pasta and rib eye. The lamb shank was just OK. Kinda too mushy for me, but my friends liked it. We ordered 2 desserts and both weren't that great.. They did give me some free beignets. I didn't like them but I appreciate it! It was very expensive for 3 people. I'll probably go again if I get a raise at work or something lol the end. Ps. The wine was good! read more

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This is a solid,middle of the road Greek restaurant in a wonderful setting with aspirations of and pricing appropriate for a high-end food experience - that it does not achieve. That doesn't mean it's bad - it's just that you can get Greek food of this caliber at much lower prices, albeit not in a setting this nice. For example, the $79 bone-in prime filet was a huge disappointment. It was not a good cut and the grill cook was certainly not up to the task of preparing a fine steak - the temp ranged from well done to rare as I worked my way through. Best to avoid those type of dishes and stick to the Best hits of Greek casual food. Spreads, pita, and traditional Greek apps were all good but nothing spectacular. read more

Tonight, Justyn took me to Dio Deka in Downtown Los Gatos. I had my reservations about this place which I can't say but just trust me.. I wasn't expecting a lot. I never expect a lot whenever a restaurant is located inside a hotel. It's just wrong... Think about the Hobees or worse yet.. the Dennys. Ew! Alright, call me a snob, but you know it's true. Well, I was wrong. This place is located inside the Los Gatos Hotel which is a very cute hotel. We didn't stay there but based on my impressions of the outside I knew I was in for a treat. Hello! They still have Christmas lights out. Yay! Anyway, our "amuse" were kalamata olives in a marinade with oregano, rosemary and olive oil. Super flavorful, tart and salty. The way olives should be. We also had some pita bread which was brushed with olive oil and sprinkled with sea salt, rosemary & oregano. Mmm... It was delish! We also brought a bottle of Peju Cabernet Sauvignon 2005. BTW, their corkage fee is $25. I feel it's worth it since their glasses for wine ranges from $9-20. We ordered Kalamarakia Gemista which is Monterey bay, oven-roasted calamari stuffed with gulf shrimp and feta, served with a tomato relish. At first bite, I was in love. I actually wish they had this as a main dish. For our main dishes, Justyn ordered the Pastitsada which is the roasted leg of lamb with pappardelle hand rolled pasta, garlic confit, , Santorini wine, Kalamata olives and shaved Kefalograviera cheese. Fantastic! I recognize the fact that handmade pasta is hard to cook. I've always had it over or undercooked. The chef cooked it expertly. It was al dente but not too chewy. The lamb was tender and perfectly seasoned. It was everything Justyn loved. Thick pasta, meaty & savory. I ordered the Arni Kotsi which was the lamb shank with butternut squash risotto, stewed brussel sprouts and Manouri cheese. Oh... my....lord. I wasn't very hungry after the olives & bread but this sent me over the edge. You know that feeling you get when you're blissfully happy after some wine and good food? Yeah... that's how I felt. Blisss... mmmm... Not to sound too pornographic.. but I was moaning with pleasure. However.. my only two gripes were that the garnish of fried shallots were stale and the lamb shank was a little too salty. That means for well balanced palates, it's TOO salty. I loved it despite those two factors. I apologize for the bad pics but like most restaurants, lighting is terrible. Overall, I have to say that since Evvia is so far, Dio Deka is a good substitute. read more

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The best way to describe this restaurant is bad fast food dressed in elegant decor. We received our food in 5-10 minutes after ordering. The fish tasted too fishy but we were able to mask it with the over powering lemon flavor of the lentils. The best way I can describe the taste of the cauliflower side dish is vomit. That's the flavor that came to mind as I tried to describe it to the person with me. In summary, stay away from this place. I'm shocked by the high ratings. I will never go back. read more

Food was great, bartenders were excellent. I was just a bit disappointed to see other customers in shorts, sandals, and t-shirts when the front door says clearly "proper dress attire". read more

Amazing FOOD! Service was on point and staff was extremely friendly. They accommodated a large birthday party. Most of us had a steak dinner and let me tell you the New York steak was perfectly cook as requested medium rare. The drinks were also tasty! I was very impressed and look forward to another dinner there. There no doubt here! Book your next reservation for an amazing meal. read more

Half our party was feeling unsettled and queasy the next day. Some threw up and I still feel like I still need to barf 24 hours later. I also didn't know it was a Greek restaurant, but I guess it all make sense now that I think of it. Anyways, we (60 of us) went for a company event and had a buffet style dinner, drinks and dessert. It included some hor d'ourves (grape leaf wrapped rice, flaky cheese thing) Main course (Greek Salad, Roasted Chicken, Lamb Chops, Buttered up long Rice and Some veggie lasagna) and Dessert (Cookies, Cream puffs and nut covered chocolate truffles). None of it was bad, but most of the food was too oily and salty (and I generally like oily and salty). The service was good, the waiters refilled our waters and took away our plates and were helpful overall. Bottom Line: The food sucked and it made me sick. read more

Dio Deka is one of those restaurants that you dine at, and think "Now I know why they received a Michelin star". You come in and are greeted warmly by their hostess, and she noticed the birthday note on Opentable and grabbed the menus with "Happy Birthday" printed on the top. When you get to your table, you're greeted with a spring of fresh rosemary in your linen napkin. Their service is spot on but not overbearing, and our server Jeremy was super knowledgeable about all the menus: food, wine, and dessert. We ordered: -Mapakia (Caramelized Brussels Sprouts, Greek Honey, Lemon, Slowly Cooked Egg, Sweet Herbs $11): Probably my second favorite brussel sprout dish EVER. This dish was SO GOOD, I kind of wished I had just ordered 2 servings and had that for my meal. They were extra caramelized and melted in your mouth. The sauce was a teensy bit too sweet for my preference, but I could get over that. -Spanakotiropita (Crispy Phyllo Pastries, Baby Spinach, Leeks, Greek Sheep/Goat Milk Cheeses $8): My least favorite dish of the night. The phyllo shell was too thick, and the filling was too salty. I would skip ordering this since it's nothing special. -Octapothi Scharas (Mesquite-Grilled Octopus, 60-Hour Tomato Sofrito, Kapama, Housemade Bacon $16): The octopus was super tender, and that that nice mesquite charred taste to it. The sofrito went perfectly with it. -Haliotis (Monterey Red Abalone, Brown Butter w/ Lemon, Roscoe's Asparagus, Fork Mashed Fingerling Potatoes $25): The abalone was fresh and cooked perfectly, but I wasn't wowed like I was with the other dishes. Would skip. -Gourounopoulo (Young Stone Valley Farm Pig, Grilled Calcots, Kalamata Tapenade, Sweet Onion Puree $36): WOW- I am so glad we ordered this. Since the chef gets a whole pig delivered straight from the farm, he creates dishes to utilize the whole hog, and changes them up on a frequent basis so you won't get the same dish twice. Each person had a favorite out of the 5 different styles of preparation, and this was our favorite entree dish by far. -Paithakia (Two double-cut Mesquite-Grilled Lamb Chops, Lemon-Oregano Crusted Potatoes, Whipped Spinach $36): YUM! For those who love lamb chops, this is a great dish to order. They keep the perfect amount of fat on the outside of the chops for those who like that little extra. They were cooked a perfect medium rare, so the chops were nice and juicy. -Lavraki (Mesquite-Grilled Mediterranean Branzino, Sauteed Winter Greens, Herb-Crusted Lemony Potatoes $35): Pretty good, but not great. I would skip this. -Mossaiko (Dark Chocolate Log, Chocolate Feuilletine, Creme Fraiche Ice Cream $11): This was the favorite out of the desserts. The fueilletine in here was super good, and I wished I could get a full order of it. The dark chocolate log was delicious as well. -Myzithra Pagoto (House-made Myzithra Cheese, Meyer Lemon Curd, Black Sesame Ice Cream, Sesame, Greek Honey $10): Not my favorite- the cheese was too salty to be a dessert, and I didn't feel the sesame and lemon curd meshed well with it. Overall, Dio Deka has some excellent dishes I will be re-ordering when I return, but also a few I would skip. The parking around here isn't too bad, and the service is excellent. It is definitely a splurge to dine here, but well worth it for the delicious food and excellent service. read more

Took my girlfriend out for a nice dinner in Los Gatos, shes a huge fan of Mediterranean and Greek food. This was both on our list of restaurants to check out. Made reservations for 7pm on a Saturday night. Arrived at the restaurant and was promptly seated. The restaurant has an open kitchen area where you can see all the cooks working in the background. The restaurant is a tad bit noisy but it didnt bother us much. When we were seated we were given the food menu and the wine menu, but not the drinks menu. So while we waited for server to come around, we looked at the food. We both had a good idea of what to order. Finally the server came around and brought us a drink menu. We ordered the mojitos and put in our appetizer orders as well. The appetizers actually came out fairly quickly, which was a good thing. The Dolmathakia (stuffed grape leaves) and Octapothi Scharas (grilled octopus). Both the appetizers were light and flavorful. For the entrees, my girlfriend ordered the Ktenia (seared scallops) and myself Arni Kotsi .(braised lamb shank). Both the dishes came out with great presentation. The scallops were cooked perfectly and everything else on the plate complimented the dish well. My lamb shake was fall of the bone and the sauce with the polenta just worked well together. For dessert, we shared the Crema me Meli light and crisp. So why the three start review, if I raved so much about the food? I think the service in general was lacking. Its not that it was bad or the server was horrible to us, but I feel in a finer dining establishment like Dio Deka the service should be slightly better. Maybe checking in at the table a bit more often to see if we needed anything else. I would probably go back because for our two drinks, two appetizers, two entrees and a dessert the meal all together was less than $200. read more

Mother's Day brunch was a huge letdown. Menu was barely Greek. Food was way overpriced for what you got. Used to be one of my favorite places for upscale Greek food, but they seem to have now gone overboard with the upscale and forgot all about the Greek. read more

This restaurant is under marketed they have a beautiful bar and cocktail area. As a dinner venue it's very elegant and absolutely delicious food. Sometimes the fretting staff a little brusque. Do not arrive a moment before 5 o'clock one will not be admitted. I find this to be a bit inhospitable with clients waiting outside. Perhaps if the restaurant opens at five for dinner they should be open at 4:45 to allow clients to enter and have a cocktail. read more

No, there is no Anthony Quinn here (and he was Mexican-American anyhow). Dishes are not thrown at the nearest hard surface but are thankfully preserved (and it's already pretty noisy in here). No spontaneous shouts of "Yiamas" every time someone downs ouzo for two-zo. Dio is about fine dining with Greek food serving as the muse. It's at this time you start to realize what a waste of time it was booting and chugging in stank fraternity basements, waking up face down in pools of who knows what, while not bothering to smell the roses and learn about Greek culture. Apparently, knowing that Psi Upsilon was kitty corner to Beta Theta Pi which was across the street from Kappa Chi Kappa and that the Tri Delt sisters had a Spring formal each year did not make me an expert in Greek cuisine. Youth is indeed wasted on the young (that are wasted). It's been awhile since me and my better half have had a decent sit down dinner, but I would have to say that Dio was one of our better eating experiences. More like a 4.5 star experience than a 4 star one, the extra 1/2 star goes to the level of service we experienced here. Our waiter was extremely knowledgeable, clear, very friendly and enthusiastic...almost borderline too talky, but never crossing the dreaded annoying line. When you left your seat, you would come back to a new napkin or one that was refolded for you (a nice touch). One of the partners that own the restaurant greeted you and made you feel as if this was your home. These are the nice touches that can make or break a meal, especially one that costs you what it costs you at Dio. Two glasses of Tapestry, and away we went.... First, the pita...best I had, hands down. Second, we got the Taramas spread (mullet roe and lobster pureed together). Ehh...an acquired taste, but anything that says "lobster" rearranges my DNA, so I can't resist. Third, Kalamarakia Gemista. After eating this, you'll think breaded and fried calamari is the bastard child of the squid's illegitimate, inbreed, mentally challenged 8th cousin. Fourth, we ordered off menu. Nantucket Bay Scallops Ceviche with a cucumber salad. Only time I will ever say in public that the land of the Celtics had anything good to offer the West Coast (this coming from a die hard Laker fan). Main Course, Paithakia for me. Fileto for her. Good lamb is very hard to do. First, the quality of the meat is important. Too lean, and you might as well eat cardboard. Overcook it and porcupine breast might be a better choice. It has to have the right combination of lean and fat, cooked medium at most, but preferably medium rare. It's cooking at a razor's edge. Okay, now for a tangent. For those who can't stand meats that are reddish to pinky, note that some people had issues with raw fish at one point. Now, I don't think society would survive without sushi or sashimi. Medium rare is the means and the end, much like raw fish is the means and the end in sushi. It almost has to be (especially with gamey meats) and makes the eating experience so much more pleasurable. Just give it a try. Now back to the show. The Paithakia is the signature dish here. Three, very thickly cut pieces of grass-fed Australian lamb with lemon-oregano potatoes and spinach. It's one of those things that is hard to explain. The only thing I can say is that my wife hates lamb, but she loved this dish. I can't find a better endorsement. Word to the wise, though. If this is going to be your first lamb experience, it's a lot of lamb. I mean they must have Silenced All the Lambs to get these cuts. So, I would share if this is your first. The Fileto was perfecto. Filet Mignon resting on a zucchini tartlet with a beet-Madeira reduction. Melt in your mouth good. One side note. I was dying to try another off-menu meat-o-rama dish, which was a bone-in filet mignon. But at $95 a pop, my debt load would have triggered another sell-off on Wall Street. I was tempted though (picture "good" James on one shoulder getting the crap beaten out of it by "bad" James for 9 rounds of a 10 round fight...only to be disqualified when "bad" James chews off "good" James' ear). Finish the night off with coffee, Barbayanni Lesvos, and Milopita (layers of phyllo, cinnamon, caramel apples, powdered sugar, caramel sauce and vanilla ice-cream), and Zeus himself would have had problems getting a move on. Misses. Not really much. It's not a hangout for the younger crowd. Could amp up the romantic angle, but some places are good for somethings, and other places are good for others. This is a great place for great Greek dining. That's okay by me. When the clock struck 10:00 had to go back and pick up The Kid. Didn't have the heart to tell him we actually ate something better than his Chicken Nugget meal. Sorry pumpkin. Maybe if you learn the Syrtaki. read more

We've been here once before and left with a wonderful experience, the food and service were excellent. This visit on 07/13/12 was horrible. Overall food was good, with the exception of the Monterey red abalone. It was very chewy and salty. We ordered a bottle of wine and 3 appetizers first. The appetizers came within 2 minutes, but the wine didn't show up till we finished the appetizers. We're rushed by our waiter "Stephen" the entire time. Plus, he kept pushing for the lamb chops. We finally told him to stop rushing us, then he started to cop an attitude. If we didn't ask him to stop rushing us, we'd have finished dinner in 45 minutes. The four of us spent over $400 and felt abused. The place got extremely loud by 7:30p, couldn't carry a conversation without shouting. The staff didn't seem knowledgeable about their own food. Our waiter first described the pig prepared 6 ways, then he mentioned 5 ways later. When the dish was brought by a server, he could only described to us 2 out of the 6 ways. He didn't even offer to go find out from someone else. Poor service and lacks training. What happened to this restaurant? We would return for the food, but not with this kind of service. read more

What a disappointment! Other than our wonderful server and very tasteful octopus appetizer, we were surprised on how mundane and uninterested the rest of the dinner was. The lamb chop that I read on the reviews as one of the best dish turned out to be dry and tasteless. The scallop and abalone entree was skimpy and entirely over-priced. The romaine salad was too drenched with dressing that was soggy and salty. Would not come back again... read more

Was pushed quite hard by the waiter to get the 66 day aged ribeye for a party of 4. After a 70 minute wait it arrived, with cold sides, and the meat itself was just OK, but not worth the $80/person price (just for the steak platter). It may have been better with regular ribeye, but if it's being upsold as amazing by the staff it really should be... The rest of the meal was nice but the portions were abnormally small considering the quality not being where it should be. There's better food for the same, or less, $$$ just down the street so we won't be returning. Am open to more in-depth discussion with management if interested! read more

It feels like I visit Dio Deka more frequently than any other South Bay restaurant. It's probably because whenever my friends and I want a good steak or lamb. Dio Deka is first to pop into my head. The food is very good but most importantly, extremely consistent. The ambience is sophisticated but not overstated. You could comfortably walk in there with a cute cocktail dress or nice jeans. It's great for a date night, business meeting or unwinding with friends and family. A lot of times, my friends and I will just stop by for drinks, appetizers and dessert at the posh bar. They have an excellent selection of wines. The service is always good. See you soon... read more

Very good combination of Mediterranean food and steaks. It comes with a price tag, but the quality is worth it. Nice selection of liquor too, they don't have a cocktail menu but will make something for you. read more

We called for reservations in July at 6:30 and we heard that they do not have any table available inside, they suggested outside . When we got there more than half of the restaurant was empty. When we questioned the availability of all the empty tables, they seated us inside. I will never understand why snooty hostesses are lying We paid lots of money for small portions in a very cold enviroment. It was a very disappointing experience. Evvia's prices, food portions and atmosphere are superior read more

For those of you who know me, I'm not the most sophisticated of creatures. I can dress up nicely, but I'm not known to be the Grace Kelly type, so can easily pass as an orphan who was raised by truck drivers ... or sailors. So to put it mildly -- I'm loud! I can truly put on that *nice* cap on when needed, but geezus -- I don't want to. So park me in the bar, where the noise level is up a bit and I don't feel like I'm in a library! I love the food here! The acoustics are a bit odd in the restaurant area, but I really love this place. I also found out some of these guys here worked at the Greek Islands Restaurant in Chicago. Small world. Anyhow, I haven't had a thing on the menu that I didn't like. This time I was snacking a bit and just fed myself on appetizers. I had the Spanakotiropita, (spinach & cheese in phyllo) Dolmathakia, (grape leaves wrapped around meat & rice) and Ktenia (amazing scallops with lemon fennel puree, fig, peach relish and prosciutto *dust*) OK -- if the scallops came in liquid form, I'd rub them all over my body! For those of you who like the authenticity of Greek food with California flair, this is the place. So YUMMY! If you want a sugar explosion in your mouth, try the Loukoumathes for dessert! No complaints over here. read more

This place rules. My wife took me here for my birthday on a Friday night. We had some lamb & a squid appetizer and they were both really good. A little small, but the more I learn about food, the more I realize that smaller portions are good. I had the lamb shank and it was superb! And the cheesy rice or polenta or whatever it was kicks ass! I had to order a side of it because it was that good. For you haters who complain about a loud restaurant...hmmm...I'm not sure what to say. The restaurant was loud when we were there. Isn't that a good & fun thing when people are ebullient and having a good time? I like it. If I was rich I would eat here every day. I wish I was rich instead of good looking! read more

Wow. This is easily my favorite Los Gatos restaurant, and I've tried quite a few. Went with a sizable group, so I was able to try alot of their offerings. Started with their Silogi, which has 4 delicious spreads served with flatbread. All spreads were cold and fresh and were all worth trying. The Saganaki was really tasty. It's pan fried Creek cheese, very crispy on the outside, chewy and pungent (in a good way) on the inside. Definitely the most interesting, unique flavor I experienced that night. Their Pantzaria beet salad was very nice, much better than the other salad I tried, which was the only dish i didn't like. That would be the Marouli, which was very ordinary and unimpressive. If you're a fan of lamb chops, you'll love their Paithakia. So damn good. Easily the best lamb chops I've ever had. We were too full to order dessert, but luckily one of the restaurant's owners offered up free Yiaourti, which was excellent. It's tangy yogurt served with honey, nuts, and fresh fruit. I could eat that stuff all day. All in all, a great looking restaurant with tasty food, good wine list, and friendly service. read more

I seldom like going to anything that is more than "$$," but I'll have to admit, this place is worth it. It's my absolute favorite place for some good Greek food. The first time I went here, I was floored. I was so impressed with the food that I tried finishing up everything on the table and ended up throwing up everything I devoured since I was so nauseous from overeating. True story. :( I'm a sucker for bread, so I first sold with their pita bread. Although I do admit occasionally it is a hit or miss when I've come back on other occasions, overall it's pretty good. The small plates - riblets, grilled octopus, scallops.. all yummy. Main plates - It appears they change their menu every so often, but one thing that I can always find on their menu are the lamb chops and lamb shanks. Now I'm NOT huge fan of lamb, usually a bit gamey for me, but this place does it so well. I personally prefer the shanks over the chops, but they are equally good. Other things I've tried: the fish, steak, pasta, chicken. I know, I'm a bit vague, but I really don't remember the specifics of it. They were good, but compared to the lamb, nothing else can be great. For a steak experience, I'd save it for Alexander's. Service - not stuck up. Plus for me. Environment - it can get a bit loud, but I like these kinds of settings. Not so pretentious. One minus - the restrooms are not in the restaurant and in the hotel instead. Definite minus after my overeating experience as I went running around for looking for a restroom, but for such awesome lamb, I'm not going to take away a star. I love Dio Deka! read more

Meeh - that's all I can really say. Not really sure why this place deserves a Michelin star (it surely is NO Manresa - not even the same ball park!) Came here about a week ago as a celebration dinner - thinking it would be a fabulous, indulgent experience. I guess my expectations were just a little too high. There was nothing review would be a 1-2 stars. We arrived at about 6:15PM. Upon entering, we went to the hostess stand, and told the host that we had reservations for that evening at 6:45, we knew we were a little early, and wanted to know if they could accommodate us a little early - the place was EMPTY, so I assumed it would not be a problem. She told us that there was no reservation for 2 under the name I gave. She then asked me if I made it for 3 people, and a list of 2-3 other names that I may have booked it under... We stood there for what seemed like an eternity (probably 5 minutes), when I pulled out my phone and showed her the open table confirmation email. She still could not find the reservation, but decided to seat us, as there was a line forming. We were really excited to be eating here, and wanted the full Mediterranean/ Greek experience, so we had our waiter recommend one of the two Greek wines on the list. He said they drank like a fuller pinot, so we decided we would give it a try. The waiter did not offer to bring us a taste first - which in hind sight, we should have asked for one, because this was a highly AVERAGE wine, which tasted nothing like a pinot, but was tannic, more like a cab. Not really what we were looking for, and certainly not worth the price tag. As an appetizer, we decided to go all out, thinking that the Michelin star would shine though in the food. We ordered some appetizers while we looked over the menu for our mains. We ordered the Kasseri (crispy, oozy, kasseri cheese, salted pluots, lightly dressed lettuces from Mariquita farm), Octapothi Scharas (mesquite-grilled octopus romanesco, lemon vinagarete, grated hazelnuts), and the Plevrakia (slow-cooked baby-back pork ribs Greek spices, Ouzo, asian pear and pistachio relish). All three came out in less than 5 minutes and all three were a disappointment. The Kasseri - room temperature to slightly cold. It had obviously been pre-made a while earlier. The philo dough was not 'crispy' - but came to us soggy, and the Kasseri was not 'oozy' but actually rubbery. Also, not sure there were actually salted pluots as in the description, because it looked and tasted like a tomato bruschetta. As for the 'lightly dressed lettuce,' well, there were huge shreds of butter lettuce? The Octapothi Scharas - the only decent thing of the entire night (well, the Loukoumathes were tasty as well, Ill get to them in a minute...). Although there was good smoke flavor, and the romanesco sauce was pretty good - this dish came out instantly, and was a cool room temperature - obviously not something that was freshly prepared, but rather made ahead of time. Didn't see or taste any grated hazelnuts as per the description. The Plevrakia - same drill as the previous items - room temperature and highly average. I understand that they were smoked ahead of time, but they were not even kept warm! They tasted like any of the ribs I can smoke myself at home, with a little honey brushed on top... After we had finished the appetizers, we still had our menus on the table, and had yet to order because our waiter would not give us the time of day. He did not bring any of the appetizers to the table, or come and check on us - not even once - to see if we were happy with our selections. After sitting with the dirty appetizer plates in front of us for a few minutes, I finally managed to flag down our waiter to put in our dinner orders. No sooner did we order than the food landed on our table - indicating that none of our food was made to order, but made ahead of time. I ordered the ppoglossos (local halibut, lightly cooked tomato, carmelized fets, and jimmy nardello peppers). Again, highly average. room temperature, and the sauce - more like a bowl of soup - that it came in was actually cold. There were about 10 peppers, and one small, overcooked piece of fish. My fiance ordered the Moussakas (a traditional layered casserole, ground lamb, sliced eggplant and potato, bechamel crust, lamb jus. Again, cold and average. We decided to try dessert - and this was surprisingly the worst part of it all. I ordered the Leftki Sokolatas (white chocolate, huckleberry, passionfruit granita, jam). It was tasted like a freeze-rburnt ice cube, and was partially frozen still. I rarely complain in a restaurant, but I had the waiter take the item off the menu since it was so bad iI did not even eat it. Needless to say, I will not be returning. read more

The only Greek restaurant that has ever received Michelin star in the US? Okay, I'll give it a try! Erm, sadly, I don't really recall the food being extraordinary... service was great, food was okay. Maybe because I'm not a HUGE fan of Greek food... but worth a try since I've never had fancy Greek food before! I did really like the greek yogurt dessert, though. Maybe because I'm a sucker for Greek yogurt... I ended up buying a bunch of Chobani yogurt that weekend... Great ambiance, mediocre food, great service. read more

So, where to start? I came for a friend's birthday and we decided to kind of go nuts on the menu. Two people, combined weight of about 270, and six dishes and one dessert (our inner fat kids came out to play)... I have had Mediterranean food, and then I have had Dio Deka. I love Med/Greek food because of it's clean, simple flavors, but Dio Deka put a great California-esque spin on every dish we ordered. So I did mention six dishes, which were polished off clean: 1. Piperies - Roasted Sweet Red Pepper with tzatziki sauce. I love sweet peppers and the roasting them emphasized the sweetness. Combined with the creaminess of the tzatziki and the house pita bread, ohhh man. 2. Dolmathakia - I have had dolmas at plenty of places and I love them, but no where have I had them so flavorful, tender and full of awesome. The mushroom puree and crispy mushrooms added such a great depth of texture and flavor to the dish. 3. Octapothi Shcaras - The grilled octopus combined with the romesco and hint of lemon.... oh man. The octopus was perfectly tender and delicious. 4. Keftekthakia - So my earlier statement of having had "Med food and then there is Dio Deka" is perfectly exhibited in this simple dish of lamb meatballs, which I have had dozens of times. The lamb (perfectly spiced and cooked) is enhanced by the broth and the grapes! A bite that includes all components of this dish is MAGICAL. 5. Haliotis - The only mediocre portion of the meal was the abalone. After having had such amazing abalone elsewhere, the huge hunk of abalone was slightly over-cooked and lacking flavor. The pork jowl and sauce that came with the dish were the highlight, but does not really complement the abalone. 6. Ippoglossos - Since we ordered five starters, there was only enough room for one entree (plus the table ran out of space for all the dishes). The local halibut in the amazing "broth" of slow-cooked and pureed tomatoes... magnifique! The halibut with the broth sang in my mouth. The halibut was perfectly cooked and the sauceeeee (I can't praise it enough). 7. Mill-Fay - What fat kid meal is complete without dessert? In this case, we got the Mill-Fay, a puff pastry with peach cream, a nectarine sorbet, caramel and candied nuts. The dessert was coma inducing goodness. Try it... please... and maybe share with me. Honestly, I can't wait to come back to Dio Deka to try more of their entrees and some of their steaks. If you are looking for an awesome dinner, check this spot out! read more

5 stars for sure!!!! So come on now everyone, this is a fancy restaurant in Los Gatos, be realistic, the prices are what they should be. I went to this restaurant for my mom-in-laws birthday about 3 weeks ago and I was so excited!!! At first i was thinking yum mm I'm going to get a gyro and a Greek salad....I'm lame i know, but i was sooo impressed to try something new and yummy. Environment: Picture a magical dark foo foo cabin with warm light tones that make every ones skin glow!!! My favorite! Service: EXCEPTIONAL Food: So many items to try, and let me tell you, I was with a party of 9 and we all tasted every ones food...(we are family we can do that) and Everything I tried was great. I ordered the house special white fish,and it was light and fluffy, so wonderful. As appetizers you get the warm pita bread and olives. This was a wonderful dinning experience, and well worth the money that you should expect to pay in this sort of environment. read more

I realize that my reviews are consistently 5 star, but being deliriously excited about a place is what gets me to review them. I'm realizing that perhaps I should temper my enthusiasm, but I can't start here. Dio Deka is just what we needed. When I saw that the entire Kuleto's interior being demolished--with gusto--I had a feeling there was a very strong vision behind this restaurant. We all know its storied bloodlines; I think this is what's known in the business world as a "liftout". And what a lift. The food is confident, fresh, forthright, delicious, and I LOVE listening to the servers rattle off the tongue-twisting Greek names with absolute alacrity. After work at the spa, you will find me snacking on the irresistible calamari "fritti" (yes, do share a plate, it's too much for one, and yes, I WILL take all your crispy asparagus, thank you!) as well as the myriad spreads and wonderful pita bread. The bar, indeed, does have that glossy, fluffy Los Gatos thing going on, and reaches decibel levels best left to people who get to wear big orange earmuffs at the airport. Will I ding them for that? Naw, we knew the job was dangerous when we took it! If you want to canoodle, just stroll up to the pool terrace and enjoy the seating area by the fountain. Or goodness, check into the hotel! Now, when this is all going to get really great (and here you thought it already was) is when the weather is warm enough for the Dio Dekans to spill outdoors into the courtyard. UPDATE 6/14/07 During dinner tonight (Branzino) I noticed that I did not have to read my friend's lips to understand what he was saying over the joyful din in the dining room. I had been admiring some nice coving in the ceiling coffers that I hadn't noticed before, when lo, the Amazing Nikkos stopped by our table and pointed out the new, incredibly subtle acoustical treatment in the ceiling (nearly complete) which is bringing the noise level down to the proverbial dull roar. I must chalk this up to the steady and mindful attention to detail shown by this restaurant. The new outdoor bar in the courtyard is also set to open shortly. We can't wait!! read more

My personal Tour de Michelin continued at Dio Deka last night. I left with the impression that Dio Deka is a bit hit or miss, order the right things and it's 5 star, order the wrong dishes and it's a 3 star place. The right dishes: 1. Octopus appetizer - Holy crap it was good 2. Lamb chops - As the previous reviewers have said, it's delicious 3. Suckling pig - Little piggy done 3-4 ways, all tasting great. A word of advice, order a side with this dish because it's just a plate full of pork. 4. The beignets - Spiced honey and light chewy donut holes, how can you go wrong? The wrong dishes: 1. Celery root soup - Nothing special, you'd better love celery if you order it. 2. Orzo - No, no, no. Way too salty. Avoid this dish. Dio Deka has 1 open dining room and if you're seated next to the kitchen then it's a bit loud, so I can't recommend it for a romantic evening. However, it's nice to get good food without going to SF so we'll probably return. read more