Hoyt Nelson
We live in a wonderland of ethnic restaurants in the Bay Area. Indian and Pakistani places have lately become much more popular– partly because so many folks from these places have come here to work in Silicon Valley and because this cuisine is so delicious. I remember in the late 60s when we had to drive to San Francisco to Taj of India and later to Pasand in Emeryville for these cuisines. At that time, there was a place called the Khyber Pass in Berkeley which claimed to be the only Afghani restaurant in the Western World. Now, the San Jose, Berkeley and Fremont areas are packed with such great places.
Unless you habitually seek out new places however, you may not know about Flavors of India, an Indian place in Santa Clara on Saratoga Ave. It’s just 100 feet in back of Applebees (which is 100 feet just S. of Hwy. 280). The listed address is actually the cross street, Moorpark. You might remember Tony Roma’s BBQ, which was one of its previous incarnations. The old cowboy decorations are still there. Many Indian folks have found it, with good reason, and I suggest you do too for its high quality food. It has most of the typical favorite Northern specialties like tandori and curries, but we go there for the dosas (a southern specialty which is not yet as popular in this area). If you find any, they will probably be just the Masala dosa, and I suggest you start with this popular version. It is an enormous thin, crispy semolina pancake rolled up into a 2 inch diameter tube which will probably overhang your plate on 2 sides. Inside, is a large dollop of spiced potato, but the pancake is the thing. Caution: You may have to ask for the separate dosa menu which lists about 8 different types. Like many local Indian places, there is only a buffet at lunch, but a thali (house combination of either veggie or with meat) will do for the most part.
Just W of India on the map is Pakistan and lately, our hands down favorite is Zareen’s Pakistani in a strip mall at 1477 Plymouth in Mtn. View – several hundred feet from a nearby large movie complex just E of 101. It is pretty small and gets very crowded during peak times, so plan timing accordingly. There are a few political messages scrawled on the walls and the seating is informal at picnic tables, so you might have to ask a 2-some to share a table. Otherwise, just take it home since it already comes in a takeout clamshell. The chai (spiced milk tea) is very good and is self-serve, but a sign says to limit yourself to 3 small paper cups per person. It’s not fancy and there may be as good or better Pakistani places in the Fremont area, but for my money, this is the very best Pakistani food within easy reach of San Jose.
Continuing N on Saratoga Ave. just N of Hwy. 280 is Harry’s Hofbrau at 390 Saratoga, one of our standby places for fast, large servings and which stays open till 11 PM. It’s not out of the way, but the same building houses a Persian grocery store (at the right end). Enter this store and go through an unmarked entrance in the back into a large, dark, cave-like Persian restaurant called Stone Stew. The atmosphere is quite nice actually. There is a well-equipped commercial kitchen to your right, but strangely, cooking is done in a lunch coach permanently parked just outside. The kabobs, breads and salads are pretty good, but the signature Stone Stew is just chunks of spiced meat and potato with some onion in a small stone mortar. You use a decorated stone pestle to mash the bits together with a few veggies into an un-appetizing mush. It’s an interesting presentation, but don’t bother.
Finally, if you have an itch for Thai on a Sunday, go to a Thai temple at 1911 Russell St. Berkeley from 10 till 1 PM. It’s called Wat Mongkolratanaram (wat means temple) at 1911 Russell St.. In the back is an open area filled with about a dozen long (communal) picnic tables. There are separate lines to enclosed tents for each of veggie, non-veggie and deserts etc. with 4 or 5 selections in each category. You pay for each with wood chits. There is a non-church cashier where you purchase these chits, and this allows all the other church members to serve you without touching money (which this sect is not allowed to do). It’s excellent and cheap, so the place is usually mobbed. It’s well worth the wait.
