iChef
07-26-2008, 10:47 AM
In this corner from Palo Alto the Italian Stallion: Il Fornaio (http://www.ilfornaio.com/?page=138&restaurant_id=3151) and in the other corner from Los Gatos the Hoppin’ Jalepeno: Pedro’s Cantina (http://www.pedrosrestaurants.com/). Yes, two different cuisines. Yes, two different levels of service. Yes, two different scales of pricing. Mismatch, let’s see!
Bring it on! Cage Match! Slightly more colorful at The IrascibleChef (http://www.irasciblechef.com/a-tale-of-two-cities/#more-198).
Wednesday night dinner for three at Il Fornaio. People dressed nicely. A table on the patio was very lovely, bread and oil vinegar very tasty. 2 glasses of white wine ordered and brought by transferable carafe which I thought at the time was genius (because of the tall wine glasses that probably cost them a few profits when they often broke—my speculation on this type of wine service.) The wine was on the warm side and this was noticed more when the third glass was ordered and sipped from. The third glass was very tasty and the proper temperature made all the difference in the world. (At $8.50 each glass=$25.50 for the 3 glasses and maybe, a 2.5 oz pour in each, maybe. It should at least be at the proper temperature) The temperature was discreetly mentioned to the waiter. He apologized, but did mention that some people prefer their white wine warm because they get more flavor.
We did end up ordering a bottle of the same because no properly chilled replacement glasses of wine were provided!
I had the beet salad with shaved parm over arrugula—yummy! Very nicely done!
For dinner I had chicken cannelloni that was described on the menu wonderfully, however was flat, not impressed at all! I did have to wait for at least 5 minutes and had to call over to the waiter who never checked back to ask for some fresh grated cheese—I did observe these hunks of cheese being dragged around the dining room to be grated table side for other peoples plates. Oh, after cheesing me, he let me know without my asking that the bus person really should have been over to cheese me.
I was really disappointed in the flavor, even going as far as saying that Pasta Pomodoro is far superior! I had the displeasure of tasting the HA Lobster Risotto. Ha! is for the lobster I don’t believe was in there. Ha! is for the flavor that was nonexistent. And Ha! is for the quality of the cooked risotto itself! Risotto is a delight don’t offer it if you can’t prepare it! The food was eaten more out of sheer hunger than enjoyment!
Dessert I tried was a double layered Chocolate topped Vanilla bottomed Creme Brulee—was very creamy and delicious.
Now, for Pedros Cantina in Los Gatos. Middle of the day, waiting for hair to be cut and styled, wandered in just shy of crappy hour. Was joined one Cadillac Margarita in. The Cadillac was on the rocks very well mixed and liquored up! Sean the bartender was friendly accommodating non intrusive—Good freaken bartender! Free chips and salsa—very delicious. By the way they were $7.50 each!
My lovely iChef colleague ordered chicken nachos which was recommended to her by her hair person and what a fantastic surprise! Everyone loves nachos, but who actually likes picking up one chip that has be joined at the hip by all his brothers, sisters, the whole freaken family—well, not me, we are not animals!
The nachos at Pedros are far from the ordinary mess of chips, with assorted colors of crap glued together with cheese! Nachos at Pedros I highly recommend! Each tortilla chip is it’s own individual tapas delight. A little chicken, a little salsa, guacamole, sour cream, and cheese—oo-lala! The best rendition of nachos I’ve had outside my own!
As it was now the happiest of hours a Negro Modelo was in order and they brought out the crappy hour fare—chicken enchiladas with rice and beans. The chicken enchiladas blew away the cannelloni from the night before! How is that? Even Pedros crappy hour food was more tasty and at a price that can’t be beat!
Pedros in Los Gatos the clear winner, kicked Il Fornaio of Palo Alto's butt—it wasn’t even a contest, it wasn’t even close. I will definitely be back to Pedros and recommend you go there!
Message to Il Fornaio—Fancy and expensive doesn’t mean better!
—iChef
(http://irasciblechef.com)
Bring it on! Cage Match! Slightly more colorful at The IrascibleChef (http://www.irasciblechef.com/a-tale-of-two-cities/#more-198).
Wednesday night dinner for three at Il Fornaio. People dressed nicely. A table on the patio was very lovely, bread and oil vinegar very tasty. 2 glasses of white wine ordered and brought by transferable carafe which I thought at the time was genius (because of the tall wine glasses that probably cost them a few profits when they often broke—my speculation on this type of wine service.) The wine was on the warm side and this was noticed more when the third glass was ordered and sipped from. The third glass was very tasty and the proper temperature made all the difference in the world. (At $8.50 each glass=$25.50 for the 3 glasses and maybe, a 2.5 oz pour in each, maybe. It should at least be at the proper temperature) The temperature was discreetly mentioned to the waiter. He apologized, but did mention that some people prefer their white wine warm because they get more flavor.
We did end up ordering a bottle of the same because no properly chilled replacement glasses of wine were provided!
I had the beet salad with shaved parm over arrugula—yummy! Very nicely done!
For dinner I had chicken cannelloni that was described on the menu wonderfully, however was flat, not impressed at all! I did have to wait for at least 5 minutes and had to call over to the waiter who never checked back to ask for some fresh grated cheese—I did observe these hunks of cheese being dragged around the dining room to be grated table side for other peoples plates. Oh, after cheesing me, he let me know without my asking that the bus person really should have been over to cheese me.
I was really disappointed in the flavor, even going as far as saying that Pasta Pomodoro is far superior! I had the displeasure of tasting the HA Lobster Risotto. Ha! is for the lobster I don’t believe was in there. Ha! is for the flavor that was nonexistent. And Ha! is for the quality of the cooked risotto itself! Risotto is a delight don’t offer it if you can’t prepare it! The food was eaten more out of sheer hunger than enjoyment!
Dessert I tried was a double layered Chocolate topped Vanilla bottomed Creme Brulee—was very creamy and delicious.
Now, for Pedros Cantina in Los Gatos. Middle of the day, waiting for hair to be cut and styled, wandered in just shy of crappy hour. Was joined one Cadillac Margarita in. The Cadillac was on the rocks very well mixed and liquored up! Sean the bartender was friendly accommodating non intrusive—Good freaken bartender! Free chips and salsa—very delicious. By the way they were $7.50 each!
My lovely iChef colleague ordered chicken nachos which was recommended to her by her hair person and what a fantastic surprise! Everyone loves nachos, but who actually likes picking up one chip that has be joined at the hip by all his brothers, sisters, the whole freaken family—well, not me, we are not animals!
The nachos at Pedros are far from the ordinary mess of chips, with assorted colors of crap glued together with cheese! Nachos at Pedros I highly recommend! Each tortilla chip is it’s own individual tapas delight. A little chicken, a little salsa, guacamole, sour cream, and cheese—oo-lala! The best rendition of nachos I’ve had outside my own!
As it was now the happiest of hours a Negro Modelo was in order and they brought out the crappy hour fare—chicken enchiladas with rice and beans. The chicken enchiladas blew away the cannelloni from the night before! How is that? Even Pedros crappy hour food was more tasty and at a price that can’t be beat!
Pedros in Los Gatos the clear winner, kicked Il Fornaio of Palo Alto's butt—it wasn’t even a contest, it wasn’t even close. I will definitely be back to Pedros and recommend you go there!
Message to Il Fornaio—Fancy and expensive doesn’t mean better!
—iChef
(http://irasciblechef.com)