Orenchi Ramen

Orenchi Ramen, Santa Clara, CA

Orenchi Ramen (Tonkotsu)

Tako Wasabi (wasabi octopus)

Orenchi is one of those restaurants you just have to try. You must drop your other places to eat and stop here for ramen (if you're into ramen). This place is a crown jewel; 2-time Michelin & Zagat rated restaurant with plaques and awards. 

Due to the high volume of customers, I recommend coming in early before 11am to put your name on the list. Trust me, the lines get long and the crowd outside are just waiting to steal your place. Be prepared!!

For starters, I ordered their Tako Wasabi (Wasabi Octopus). This is a room temperature octopus with a jelly consistency. The wasabi is real from the root and is marinaded within the octopus. This makes a great pair with a Japanese beer for sure. To me, this is a must try appetizer and I think its one of the best raw-type items out there.

The original Orenchi Ramen is a huge hit and made a huge impression on me. Just the look of this dish was stunning. The colors were vibrant; almost pastel like with shades of contrast. The pork is cooked to perfection; it was tender and moist with a buttery flavor. The broth tastes delicious! not too salty or fatty tasting. The noodles are eggy, thick, tender, and has a beautiful curl to them. Everything comes together inside this ramen dish. Each ingredient compliments one another. I recommend breaking in the egg and having the golden yolk dissolve within the broth to give it a creamy texture and a bit of a aged salty taste. 

Orenchi is truly a hidden gem that is highly appreciated by top tier reviewers from all around. There are lots more to try here so I will definitely make sure to come back for more!!

Photo by: Allister de Vera

Orenchi Ramen, Santa Clara, CA

Taken by: iPhone 5s

La PanotiQ

La PanotiQ, Campbell, CA

Maple-Pecan Plait

Mini Canelé Bordeaux 

Oakland Bicycle Company Cold Brew

La PanotiQ is a French-inspired bakery that is privately ran by The Guterman family. The dessert cafe resembles local boulangeries and cafes from the streets of France.

As I walked inside Campbell's location (First Location), I noticed the delicate-made desserts behind clean & shined glass shelves. It almost looked like jewelry behind glass. Each dessert is labeled with a fancy font and a short description of what the dessert is made of. The display is neat and gives a high-end feel to them.

From the bottom-up, this cafe is clean and spotless. I didn't see any mess or crumbs anywhere. The service is wonderful and they cater to orders and answer questions. They are efficient and friendly!

The Maple-Pecan Plait is sticky and sweet. The dough is flaky with a nice golden color to it. It's pecans were sweetened and toasted like candy. The Canelé Bordeaux was almost like a mini churro size with honey color and sticky marshmallow texture. To take it all down, I ordered Oakland's Bicycle Company cold brew. This is by far, the best cold brew I've had so far; much better than Stumptown's cold brew. The brew has a maple taste to it with a caramel-type texture.

This place is my newest go-to cafe for dessert and cold brew. I definitely recommend coming here with a group of friends or even with a bf/gf and just enjoy delicious and authentic French made desserts. This cafe gives off a great intimate vibe with excellent lighting and comfortable seating! Thanks La PonotiQ!


Photo by: Allister de Vera
La PonotiQ, Campbell, CA
Taken from: iPhone 5s

Wurstküche

Wurstküche, Los Angeles, CA

Rabbit/Rattlesnake w/ sauerkraut & peppers

Looking for a great and simple bite that'll do the work? I suggest coming to Wurstküche for their special gourmet German sausages. These sausages are carefully picked out of the case and grilled to perfection. They have about 20 different kinds of sausages and an extensive list of authentic Belgian imported beers.

While standing in line, have a fresh beer from the tap and sip while moving along the line. For starters I suggest ordering a light golden or brown ale before eating to get a light hit going. Once you order your choice of sausage and sides, order a dark IPA to finish it off for a nice but fulfilling taste.

I ordered the rabbit/rattlesnake sausage which tasted like chicken, peppery, smokey, and a light gamey taste. I just had to order this because it was a rare flavor and one of their most top selling sausage. I also suggest having their Belgian fries which are double dipped and cooked just right with a light crisp. Dip these in pesto mayo and you're done.

Wurstküche is a great hangout spot with a bar and DJ spinning awesome music while enjoying your food and conversations with friends and family. The dark lighting inside the restaurant gives it a pub-type atmosphere with a tavern feel. The best time to come is late night because the crowd is much more lively. Come with a group of friends and mingle around with others while still enjoying the most important thing; German sausages and beer!


Photo by: Allister de Vera
Wurstküche, Los Angeles, CA
Taken from: iPhone 5s

Paul Martin's

Paul Martin's, Mountain View, CA

"Brick" Chicken

Miyagi Oysters, Appetizers

My first time at Paul Martin’s was a success. From the structural design all the way to the service, everything was perfect. This is an American Grill type restaurant that serves your typical American-style dishes but with unique ingredients and blends. The ambiance is great for couples going on dates, family gatherings, and outings with friends. The lighting is dim, the noise level is about a 3-4/5, the food is delicious and served on time, and the patio is wonderful for lounging and gatherings.

I started with three Miyagi oysters! they were meaty and fresh but light enough to keep me going. These are the perfect way to start the course. They are served on a huge ice platter with twigs for decor, lemon wedges, mignonette and cocktail sauce. This is a great selection!

For dinner I had the “Brick” Chicken which was just fantastic. The portion is just right for a single person. The outside of the free-range chicken is marinaded well with it’s skin crispy and glazed with the juicy broth. The white meat is tender and moist; each slice was butter soft. The garlic mashed potatoes is soft and fluffy. The garlic isn't strong and the potatoes are buttered to perfection. The herbs that are used to help infuse some flavor into this dish isn't over used which is nice because the true flavors of the dish sticks out. 

I paired my entree with a glass of Pinot Noir from Santa Barbara. This has a bold taste to it which is nice and heavy. It definitely suits right with the chicken and mashed potatoes. The course itself isn't too heavy either which is why a glass of this red wine is just about enough. 

Overall, Paul Martin’s takes on classic American dishes and transforms them into something different but still carries it’s true tradition. They use fresh ingredients which is always nice. There is a large selection of cocktails and wines on their list, so be sure to pair up!

* Tip: I hear the calamari is great for starters as well!

Photo by: Allister de Vera
Paul Martin's, Mountain View, CA

Nobu

Nobu, Los Angeles, CA

Wagyu Beef Tacos, Lobster Tacos, Toro Roll, California Roll, Rock Shrimp Tempura

My experience at Nobu was a good one. I heard a lot about this place from celebrity news to a young and hip Japanese lounge hitting the magazines. Nobu is a Japanese and Peruvian fusion restaurant/lounge that serve a la cart style dishes for a group. The key experience here is a family style dining experience with all the trimmings.

My friends and I came here for an early dinner and just ordered our own food rather than sharing in the middle. The drink menu is extensive with lots to choose from. I highly recommend ordering their sake to pair with their food. Their exotic cocktails are made with unique mixes of ingredients and are sure to please you.

I ordered the Wagyu Beef Tacos which were small in size but great in taste. It comes in two; a crispy fried shell with finely chopped beef inside. Each taco can be eaten with a single bite because of the small size. The meat is sweet with a lightly salted coat. The flavor from the meat totally bursts out and resembles sweet pork from Chinese steamed pork buns. This is pricey for $14 but worth the try.

The Toro (bluefin) cut roll sushi was ok. I can taste the fresh fatty taste to the toro and it was great except the portions were too small; 6 small pieces for $16. This roll wasn't anything too special, just the fact that it's the most expensive roll on the sushi menu.

Overall, my experience was nice! The employees here work quick and efficient without giving that "Hurry-up" vibe. As each dish is eaten and finished, a person comes right away to take the plates away. The tables are cleaned fast and ready for the next guest. I also loved how even though this is a high-end restaurant, the ambiance isn't uncomfortable. People are dressed casually and the workers aren't stuck up. This place is worth trying with friends or a small group!

Photo by: Allister de Vera
Nobu, Los Angeles, CA

Grégoire

Grégoire, Berkeley, CA

Potato Balls

Grégoire is this famous stand/restaurant in North Berkeley that serves high-end type dishes at an affordable price. The ingredients are fresh, the menu changes weekly/monthly, their customer service is excellent, and their cooks are well trained. The food here is French-style with American influence. Everything is made from scratch and cooked to perfection. Most of the ingredients are seasonal and straight from the local area and imported from different regions. One of their most popular dishes is their famous Grégoire Potato Puffs; they are golden crisp with a soft & cheese-filled inside. The texture starts off crispy then chewy but pillow-soft as you chew down. It comes with house-made aioli sauce that pairs great with the puffs. It offers a zing to the tongue; possibly due to the hint of horseradish? 

I recommend Grégoire to the people visiting Berkeley. This is a hometown staple and is widely known for it's quick service yet fresh and hardy meals. Enjoy!

Photo by: Allister de Vera

Grégoire, Berkeley, CA

Kenji Sushi

Kenji Sushi. San Jose, CA

Popcorn Lobster Sushi Roll

Shrimp Tempura Roll

Red Bean Mochi Ice Cream

Green Tea Tempura Ice Cream

Kenji Sushi is this new sushi & grill lounge right on Winchester, San Jose, CA. It's located directly across from Santana Row which is a perfect location to hold another lounge-type restaurant.

Kenji serves fresh cuts of fish/sashimi on the daily and is prepared by well trained sushi chefs. Their service is wonderful and they make sure you're orders are served on time but with perfection. The plating on the entrees including desserts are just beautiful. It literally looks like a painting on a plate.

I ordered the Popcorn Lobster sushi roll which is almost like a California roll but with a special sauce and a crispy fried baby lobster meat on top. There is a hint of spice to it which is just right; more like a small zing. The shrimp tempura roll is great tasting too! The fresh breading from the tempura gives off the perfect texture with each bite.

For dessert I had the tempura ice cream; green tea flavor. It's drizzled with a sweet chocolate syrup, frozen berries and whipped cream in between each tempura cut. This dessert was fantastic. The green tea has a pure matcha taste to it which gives off the natural taste of green tea while the tempura cover is deep fried with a crispy texture to compliment the ice cream. My friend Wes ordered the red bean mochi ice cream which was plated beautifully. The texture of the mochi was soft and delicate. The desserts here is a must try and well worth the price; not that bad.

Overall, my experience was awesome! Service was great and our waitress kept checking up on us which was helpful. The sushi is fresh and prepared with skill. And the dessert...well let's just say it's something you must try. period.


Photo by: Allister de Vera
Kenji Sushi, San Jose, CA