Cuisine de San Fran (day 1)
Lunch: Fatima Family Restaurant, Cupertino CA
rating: 4 out of 5
Nestled near the Apple campus is Fatima, a Chinese Muslim restaurant. yes, that is rare. The owner is a Taiwanese who used to be Buddhist. I remembered the first time I visited Fatima a few years ago and the food wowed me. This time was no different. We ordered the sesame bread with green onion (a big flat bread baked with one side full of toasted sesame seeds and green onion in the dough), knife-cut noodle (a homemade specialty that reflects one of the culinary arts of Chinese cuisine), and Mongolian beef. It is very difficult to find homemade noodles in Chinese restaurants, found only one in DC, one in Chicago-area, and one here in Cupertino. I know for certain that lamb dishes are very good as well. Bottom line, you know it's a good Chinese restaurant when the host greets you in Chinese.
Dinner: Hola! Mexican restaurant, Belmont CA
rating: 4 out of 5
The Mariachi band (two trumpets, one violin, one bass, and two guitars, and great voice!!). That's one live entertainment you don't see everyday at your local Mexican restaurant. We walked in a family-friendly joint that served great Tex-Mex and Mexican dishes that are affordable. The 'ritas are good, I ordered a pineapple and my lady-friend had a La Casa 'rita. The chips and salsa were flavorful, very much like a chipotle salsa. The entrees, we tried the beef fajita and chicken burrito. Both came with ample amount of food that could be bagged up for left overs. Hola! is festive and a place to celebrate with friends!
Lunch: Fatima Family Restaurant, Cupertino CA
rating: 4 out of 5
Nestled near the Apple campus is Fatima, a Chinese Muslim restaurant. yes, that is rare. The owner is a Taiwanese who used to be Buddhist. I remembered the first time I visited Fatima a few years ago and the food wowed me. This time was no different. We ordered the sesame bread with green onion (a big flat bread baked with one side full of toasted sesame seeds and green onion in the dough), knife-cut noodle (a homemade specialty that reflects one of the culinary arts of Chinese cuisine), and Mongolian beef. It is very difficult to find homemade noodles in Chinese restaurants, found only one in DC, one in Chicago-area, and one here in Cupertino. I know for certain that lamb dishes are very good as well. Bottom line, you know it's a good Chinese restaurant when the host greets you in Chinese.
Dinner: Hola! Mexican restaurant, Belmont CA
rating: 4 out of 5
The Mariachi band (two trumpets, one violin, one bass, and two guitars, and great voice!!). That's one live entertainment you don't see everyday at your local Mexican restaurant. We walked in a family-friendly joint that served great Tex-Mex and Mexican dishes that are affordable. The 'ritas are good, I ordered a pineapple and my lady-friend had a La Casa 'rita. The chips and salsa were flavorful, very much like a chipotle salsa. The entrees, we tried the beef fajita and chicken burrito. Both came with ample amount of food that could be bagged up for left overs. Hola! is festive and a place to celebrate with friends!
