Business dinner Palo Alto
Hosting a colleague for a business dinner in the Palo Alto/Cupertino area. Want to go somewhere nice, but can't be *too* fancy. Would like someplace classic California as this is a colleague from a different country. Any advice?
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Tamarine has really good food with a relaxed environment where you can actually hear each other talk. Tamarine is "contemporary Vietnamese," but given the Asian population in California, I actually think it is classic California.
I second Bistro Elan based on the foie gras, but the tables are spaced close together, so you won't get as much privacy.
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Cafe Torre in Cupertino is nice, not too fancy. Their spinach salad is wonderful. And if they have gnocchi on the menu, get it.
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Cafe Torre
20343 Stevens Creek Blvd, Cupertino, CA 95014 -
There's really nothing that's "too fancy" in Palo Alto, so you're safe there. Lavanda is a pretty staid choice with an extensive wine list. Zibibbo is another solid choice with a pleasant patio. Evvia is greek so doesn't really fit into your california requirement, but oft recommended here.
On California avenue (much quieter than University) there's Bistro Elan. I went there for lunch a few years back and it was nice enough, but perhaps others have more recent feedback.
