CLICK HERE if you are having trouble viewing these photos on a mobile device
Need a distraction from stormy gray skies and failed New Year’s resolutions? Let’s talk Valentine’s Day. Or better yet, date night, because you don’t need a Hallmark reason to enjoy a lovely night out with your person. Here are 12 fabulous new restaurants — romantic bistros, modern eateries and trendy hot spots guaranteed to sweep both of you off your feet any night of the year. Don’t forget the chocolate.
Che Fico, San Francisco
The vibe: Impress your date with this nationally acclaimed (Anderson Cooper loves it) Cal-Ital restaurant on bustling Divisadero Street. The two-story, former auto body shop is all kinds of vibrant and sexy, from the fig-covered wallpaper to the pops of red on the tile floors and dried peppers dangling from the ceiling. It’s all perfect for showcasing Che Fico’s unique dishes, many with Jewish history, and low-ABV cocktails. Music is loud, service is swift yet friendly and the wait between primi and secondi can be long. Best nuzzle over cocktails ($8-$16).
The dish: Indulge in tasty sourdough pizzas, like Zuckerman Family Farms Honeynut Squash ($20), the sweetness of the squash beautifully balanced by salty Crescenza cheese, sour balsamic vinegar and bitter braised chicories. The pastas are excellent, too. We fell hard for Guittard Cocoa Garganelle ($28), rich, savory tubes of chocolate pasta layered with braised guinea hen and Meyer lemon. Don’t forget Supplì ($5), fried risotto with a gooey fontina and fresh tomato center.
The details: Open from 5:30 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday at 838 Divisadero St., San Francisco; www.chefico.com
The Slanted Door, San Ramon
The vibe: San Francisco’s legendary Slanted Door arrived in City Center Bishop Ranch to much fanfare last month, sating East Bay diners’ cravings for Vietnamese shaking beef. Charles Phan’s newest outpost is a massive 7,500 square feet, encased in glass walls so passers-by can look upon your lemongrass tofu with envy. The dining room is loud and ultra-modern, with Carrera marble-topped tables, charred-wood accents and an exhibition kitchen featuring a wood-fired oven, grill and smoker.
The dish: If you can get over the price, treat yourselves to the aforementioned Shaking Beef ($41), impossibly-tender grass-fed filet mignon wok-fried with watercress, red onion and a secret lime sauce. Our second favorite dish is Cellophane Noodles ($26) tossed with green onion, crab meat and sesame oil. You’ll have regular cravings for both until your next date night.
The details: Open from 5:30 to 10 p.m. Wednesday through Sunday at City Center Bishop Ranch, 6000 Bollinger Canyon Road, Suite 1300, San Ramon; www.slanteddoor-sanramon.com
Protégé, Palo Alto
The vibe: Naturally, this long-awaited venture from French Laundry veterans — master sommelier Dennis Kelly and executive chef Anthony Secviar — was a hot ticket from the moment it opened last year. Then Protégé earned a Michelin star and everyone outside the Peninsula took notice. This restaurant is a rarity in the Michelin world, combining a prix fixe dining room and a more casual lounge under one roof. A chic and sleek, yet comfortable, design blends the two spaces.
The dish: A luxurious four-course menu is available for $120 in the dining room. Or enjoy the Michelin-caliber cooking and service for less in the lounge or at the bar. Two must-order dishes may vary in preparation, but they never leave the menu: The ethereal Ricotta Dumplings ($18) are served this season with beech mushrooms, aged parmesan and rosemary. And the Brick Chicken ($30) is a Cornish game hen prepared with a piperade pepper sauce, chorizo and razor clams. And how often do you get a chance to ask a master somm for recommendations? Seek out Kelly’s advice.
The details: Dinner from 5 p.m. until 9:30 or 10 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday at 250 California Ave., Palo Alto. www.protegepaloalto.com
Farmhouse Kitchen Thai, Oakland
The vibe: San Francisco’s wildly popular Farmhouse Kitchen arrived in Jack London Square this summer in a whirl of tropical glamour. Chef Kasem “Pop” Saengsawang’s newest hot spot is filled with extravagant blossoms — massed in vases, woven among the narrow wood panels that line the back walls, and printed on the stylish chairs. A flurry of sky lanterns hangs overhead, and Thai music wafts through the air. The vibrant Thai fare, Southeast Asia-inspired cocktails and ebullient, romantic ambience make this a perfect spot for a first date.
The dish: Share an order of delicate samosas ($11 for four), filled with potato, caramelized onion and carrots, and served with an incredible, spicy curry dipping sauce. Don’t miss the Hat Yai Fried Chicken ($22.50) — half a Mary’s organic chicken marinated in turmeric and herbs, fried and served with fried shallots, pickled cucumber, a potato curry and the restaurant’s signature blue rice. (Yes, blue!)
The details: Open from 5 to 9 p.m. Sunday-Thursday, until 10 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays (and open for lunch daily). 336 Water St., Oakland; www.farmhousethai.com/oakland.
Camper, Menlo Park
The vibe: Noted chef Roland Passot and his partners have turned a corner of quiet downtown Menlo Park into a buzzy, boisterous spot for farm-to-table California fare. The sleek, industrial decor is punctuated by rustic wood beams and pillows scattered along wood banquettes. Although a high-top communal table offers the best views in the house, couples might want to opt for a table in the back. The local ethos extends to the dinnerware: Dishes are beautifully plated on ceramics made by local artisans.
The dish: The Little Bites are perfect for sharing, from the deviled eggs ($9) to chicken liver toast with pickled onions ($10). From there, think homemade pastas or steak. Silky, hollow bucatini noodles ($21) melded with a spicy, savory pork sauce and Nardello peppers. And our Black Angus flat iron ($30) was a perfectly seared, medium-rare, 10-ounce cut served with smashed and fried Yukon gold potatoes and melt-in-your mouth charred leeks.
The details: Dinner from 5 to 10 p.m. Monday-Saturday and now lunch Tuesday-Friday at 898 Santa Cruz Ave., Menlo Park. www.campermp.com
Trailblazer Tavern, San Francisco
The vibe: Whisk your wahine off to the islands with dinner and drinks at Michael Mina’s newest San Francisco experience. For quiet ambiance, ask for a table on the large mezzanine or enjoy the buzzier main dining room, with its white and tea bar and bright mountainous island mural. Wherever you sit, you’ll feel the aloha in the tropical cocktails, exceptional desserts and fresh, eye-catching cuisine of James Beard-nominated chefs Michelle Karr-Ueoka and Wade Ueoka of Honolulu’s MW Restaurant.
The dish: A few musts, especially for sharing, are the Spam Musubi ($14), a yolk-topped, mochi-crusted, super-savory smoked pork arabiki meatloaf, and the King Crab Sunomono ($17), with its oversized discs of hearts of palm, sliced Persian cucumber and macadamia nuts. You don’t have to be a vegetarian to love the Vegetable Poke ($11), a mix of baby tomatoes, long beans and slivered shishito peppers that’s loaded with flavor. Save room for the Tropical Creamsicle Brulee ($9), made with layers of lilikoi sorbet, dragon fruit, pineapple and haupia tapioca pearls.
The details: Open 5 to 10 p.m. for dinner Monday-Saturday (and 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Monday-Friday for lunch) at 350 Mission St., San Francisco; www.michaelmina.net
Albatross, Danville
The vibe: Open since December, this casually elegant global bistro is known for its artistically-plated dishes and stylish cocktails. Whether you’re on your first or 100th date, you’ll enjoy peeking into the semi-open kitchen or tucking into flavorful small plates at the large bar. If you favor quiet restaurants with no complimentary bread or French fries (translation: not many kids), Albatross is ideal.
The dish: The Flannery Hanger Steak ($34) is utterly perfect, the slices of medium-rare, grain-finished steak nestled among crispy Brussels sprouts, tamarind-braised cipollini onions, a smear of spiced squash puree and creamy wild rice. Add a starter, like the popular za’atar-flecked Avocado Hummus ($12), and a few Persian-inspired Minted Memory ($12) gin cocktails, and you’ll be blissed out.
The details: Open from 4 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday at 312 Railroad Ave., Danville; www.albatrossdanville.com
Hero Ranch Kitchen, Saratoga
The vibe: Housed in the former Sent Sovi digs in downtown Saratoga, Hero Ranch is a new venture from entrepreneur Angelo Heropoulos (Willard Hicks, Mo, Opa!), whose Almaden Valley ranch supplies much of the produce and some of the wine. It’s a farm-to-table menu, with rustic chic decor — think reclaimed wood and chandeliers — to match.
The dish: You can easily make a meal by bouncing around the small plates menu. Try the tempura green beans with poblano aioli ($11), pancetta-wrapped Mexican prawns ($18) and maybe the showy zucchini-eggplant tower ($12). Or head straight for the entrees with satisyfing sides. The 14-ounce, bone-in pork chop is glazed with apricot, ginger and garlic ($33). Steaks (Black Angus, $38, or Wagyu, $52) come with freshly shaved black truffles and house-made truffle butter.
The details: Dinner Wednesday-Sunday from 5 to 10 p.m. at 14583 Big Basin Way, Saratoga. www.theheroranchkitchen.com
Copper Spoon Cocktails & Kitchen, Oakland
The vibe: Copper Spoon isn’t all tiny tables for two stuffed into corners, although you and a loved one can certainly get cozy in a booth if you’d like. But if “date night” means “have an interesting meal that’ll keep us tasting and talking,” it’s an excellent pick. Foodie couples will especially find something to love on an inventive menu of farm-to-table food that takes classic California ideas and adds playful twists.
The dish: The Chicory Salad ($14) combines winter greens with a buttermilk herb dressing, pomegranate seeds and parmesan cheese for a hearty start. The Lamb Merguez burger ($17) is topped with housemade sauerkraut and cool tzatziki, while the Half A Roasted Chicken ($27) offers a shareable winter cornucopia, with garlic, green onions, a parsnip puree, Brussels sprouts and a persimmon aji chili chutney for that flavor whirlwind.
The details: Open 5:30 p.m. to 10:45 p.m. for dinner Monday through Sunday at 4031 Broadway in Oakland; www.copperspoonoakland.com.
Ramen Nagi, Santa Clara
The vibe: Perhaps you’re a new couple and you want to test his/her patience. If so, Ramen Nagi — with its looooong lines — is the place. If your sweetie is willing to queue up inside Valley Fair mall for what’s reputed to be some of the best ramen this side of Tokyo, then you may have a keeper. The signature black-and-red interior has high ceilings and seating designed for efficiency, not romance. But after waiting for up to 90 minutes outside, you’ll love whatever space they give you, even if it’s at a communal table.
The dish: Start with a side of the addictive snack gyoza ($5-$8), then move on to the bowls ($14.50) that made founder-chef Satoshi Ikuta a rock star throughout Asia. The Original King bowl, which combines thin noodles, tree mushrooms, tender chasu pork loin, crunchy green onion and the secret-recipe Nagi Fire Sauce, is savory and comforting. But our fave was the robust, earthy Black King, with ground pork, black miso and blackened garlic with a squid ink-infused broth.
The details: Open daily from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. and 5:30 to 9:30 p.m. at 2855 Stevens Creek Blvd. (near the Macy’s men’s store), Santa Clara. The Palo Alto location, which was the first Ramen Nagi in the United States, keeps the same hours at 541 Bryant St. www.ramennagiusa.com
Creekwood Restaurant, Berkeley
The vibe: This long-awaited Cal-Ital bistro from childhood friends Greg Poulios and Mark Louie became an instant South Berkeley favorite when it opened in December. But the top-notch food, warm service and overall positive energy — it’s just a fun place to be, you know? — makes it more than a neighborhood gem. Design is minimalist and understated, with old-growth reclaimed Douglas fir, Holophane lamps and custom ironwork. And the aromas…oh the aromas.
The dish: It’s all about the Neapolitan-style pizzas, and our favorite is the Speck ($17), which is topped with smoked prosciutto, artichokes, Gaeta olives, pecorino and a gooey egg yolk. You’ll also want the Rigatoni ($19), toothsome and slightly spicy, with fennel seed, savory pork ragu and snappy tiles of broccoli stems. Obsessed with the grilled octopus trend? You’ll love their Grilled Monterey Squid ($14) appetizer, lovingly braised and served with new potatoes, mustard greens and a punchy Gaeta olive aioli.
The details: Open from 5 p.m. Tuesday-Sunday at 3121 Sacramento St., Berkeley; www.creekwoodrestaurant.com
Alderwood, Santa Cruz
The vibe: This beach town’s hot new steakhouse offers plenty of pizzazz, whether you’re an omnivore, a flexitarian or vegan. Soft lighting, wood tones and pops of blue set the tone in a warm and inviting circular space — and an open kitchen with chef’s counter seating will be irresistible to foodies on a date. And if you’re on a first date, conversational lulls won’t matter when you’re watching chef Jeffrey Wall and his team whipping up culinary magic.
The dish: Start with the irresistible Beer-Battered Dungeness Crab appetizer ($17), as you ponder entrees. Steak lovers will find more than a dozen possibilities here, from an 8-ounce wagyu skirt steak ($38) to a 14-ounce aged rib eye ($70). Vegetarian? Go for the Vegan Tartare ($15), made from smoked beets, or the astounding Roasted Hen of the Woods mushrooms ($15), served over celery root puree with ice wine vinegar and nasturtium leaves.
The details: Open from 4 p.m. to midnight Tuesday through Sunday at 155 Walnut Ave., Santa Cruz; www.alderwoodsantacruz.com.
