SARATOGA RESTAURANTS

[suek]

We're coming in from NYC for our son's 30th birthday. Need a special restaurant with good food in Saratoga if possible. Thank you.

[Hapa Dude]

The Plumed Horse is getting a new chef (from Aqua) but I think the transformation won't happen until March.

In Saratoga, The Basin has great food and supposedly a good bar, and is not too expensive (entrees in the $20's). The dining room is very dimly lit and the wine list has a lot of local wines (Santa Cruz Mtns). I just went there 2 weeks ago and had a great, tender braised short rib.

Le Papillon is not in Saratoga but nearby in Santa Clara, and it is definitely a place for special occasions.

James Randall in LG is good too although the service can be slow. The dining room is very small, it almost feels like you are in someone's house.

If you can get a reservation at Manresa, I'd go for it!

[belly]

We went to The Basin recently. The restaurant looked a bit dark but the outside patio had a nice west coast feel to it. The mushroom rigatoni was recommended by our waiter and was pretty good. In general all the food was quite good and we had a quite reasonably priced bottle of wine.

[waffleman]

in saratoga: sent sovi. plumed horse.
nearby los gatos: manresa. james randall. diodekka. forbes mill.
nearby san jose: le papillon.

[anaxgorous]

Sent Sovi doesn't get much love on this board, but I find that the service is always professional, the space elegant and romantic, and the food always solid if not inspired. Easily the best fine dining in Saratoga, IMO.

http://www.sentsovi.com

[Pincho]

Has anyone tried Gervais recently? I have not, but when talking to one of the Fabriques de Delices vendors at a farmer's market this summer, he gave me a card for the place and noted he and partners had bought the place. I think it's been under new management for about a year.

http://www.gervaisrestaurant.com/

From the menu, looks to be traditional French, with somewhat high prices.

[wchane]

The only restaurant I frequent in Saratoga is La Fondue. Don't let other 'fondue' restaurants fool you, La Fondue has been like no other fondue restaurant I've been to (I'm not a huge fan), if you don't go for dinner make sure to at least swing by for dessert (Sun-Thurs after 10pm)

www.lafondue.com

There's also Manresa in Los Gatos as well as Forbes Mill for Steaks & James Randall.

If you're looking for chinese/asian head toward cupertino where Joy Luck Restaurant, Loon Wah, Canton Delights, and many other reside. Saratoga is pretty central to everything, you should have no problem finding a restaurant to suit your needs.

[katya]

I, too, love La Fondue.

Don't let them talk you into the full meal combos. A full pot of cheese can feed 4 people. A half pot, 2. And then finish with dark chocolate fondue. They have the best fondue dippers of any place I know. And the decor is fab.

[Gary Soup]

Don't know much about eats in Saratoga, it's hardly ever mentioned (if ever). However, it's very close to Los Gatos, which has Manresa, considered one of the finest restaurants in the US.