HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
From: christil@uts.amdahl.com (Christine Lee)
Newsgroups: ba.food
Subject: Re: All-you-can-eat Japanese Food
Date: 10 Sep 92 17:57:02 GMT
Organization: Amdahl Corporation, Sunnyvale CA


In article <7dRs03le7etO00@amdahl.uts.amdahl.com>, karl@uts.amdahl.com
(Karl Rowley) writes: 
> In article <92253.53246.J032300@LMSC5.IS.LMSC.LOCKHEED.COM>
J032300@LMSC5.IS.LMSC.LOCKHEED.COM writes: 
> >There is a place called 'Korean Garden' in Sunnyvale on El Camino Real
> >and Bernardo that serves an excellent Japanese/Korean buffet for lunch.
> >The price is around $6.00, for sushi, several types of Korean pickles,
> >noodles, excellent ribs, tofu, fried veggies/chicken. Yum yum.
> 
> The Korea House in Santa Clara also has a lunch buffet that includes
> all of the food that you mentioned.  The quality of their food is
> excellent.  The buffet costs $5.95 Monday to Thursday, and $6.95 on
> other days.  The Korea House has quite a following, and can get
> pretty crowded at times.  I haven't yet tried the Korean Garden, so
> I can't make any comparison. 
> 
> | Karl Rowley      		|	karl@uts.amdahl.com		|

I've tried both places before and Korea House in Santa Clara is by far
the better of the two places.  The quality of their food is
excellent.  I didn't think Korean Garden in Sunnyvale was too great. 

-- 

Christine Lee                           Amdahl Corp. 	
christil@long_island.uts.amdahl.com     Santa Clara, CA   

----------------------------------------------------------
  "Suppose that you were an idiot and suppose you were a 
   member of Congress.  But I repeat myself."
                                            --Mark Twain
----------------------------------------------------------
From: prem@prem.lbl.gov (Shirdi R. Prem)
Newsgroups: ba.food
Subject: Re: Wanted:  Sources for halvah
Date: 11 Sep 1992 01:08:48 GMT
Organization: Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory
Distribution: ba
Reply-To: prem@prem.lbl.gov (Shirdi R. Prem)
NNTP-Posting-Host: prem.lbl.gov

In article <1992Sep10.231431.4247@Csli.Stanford.EDU> olsen@Csli.Stanford.EDU (Diane Olsen) writes:
 >Since participating in a thread about halvah on Rec.food.cooking,
 >I have developed terrible cravings for the stuff.  If I were in
 >New York, I would go to Zabar's, where they would cut me a piece
 >from a huge block of it.  But alas, I won't be in NY again for a
 >while.  So, where can I get good fresh halvah here?  Anywhere in
 >the Bay Area is OK;  I get around a lot.

    Saw a few cans of different varieties in the Kosher/Ethnic/Int'l
    food section of Andronico's, in Berkeley (Shattuck Av and Cedar St.)
    yesterday.............

    Prem!
Newsgroups: ba.food
Subject: Re: source for vanilla beans?
From: stan@cs.SFSU.EDU (Stan Osborne)
Date: 10 Sep 92 00:42:46 PDT
Reply-To: stan@cs.sfsu.edu
Distribution: ba
Keywords: vanilla

In article <_xjn6g+.robin@netcom.com> Robin Rosenberg writes:
> [My apologies if this has been discussed recently; if it has, I've
> obviously missed it!] 
> 
> Anyone know of a good source for vanilla beans? I'd like to buy some
> in bulk, so cost is a factor...

Yes:	Vanilla Saffron Imports
	949 Valencia, San Francisco
	415 648 8990

Call them for their current bulk prices.
Newsgroups: ba.food
Subject: Armenian Food Festival
From: stan@cs.SFSU.EDU (Stan Osborne)
Date: 12 Sep 92 21:08:10 PDT
Reply-To: stan@cs.sfsu.edu
Distribution: ba
Keywords: Armenia, Food, Music, Dancing, Fun, Yum


      Food, Music, Dancing & Fun!!!

Saturday, September 19, noon - 11pm
  Sunday, September 20, noon - 8pm

  "This one is especially good!"

          Admission: $1.00
           Public Invited

If you can't stay, take it with you!!!
      Use the take out booth!!!

Armenian Community Center
825 Botherhood Way, San Francisco, CA
415 239 9101    415 239 9110

Brotherhood Way runs east-west and connects Hwy 1/19th Avenue
with Lake Merced in the most South Western part of San 
Francisco.  The Cultural Center is on the Southern Side of  
Brotherhood Way.  It is also a few blocks south of San Francisco 
State University.

DIRECTIONS:


Using BART:

Go to the Daly City station.  Walk four blocks north to
Brotherhood Way (this may be a bit zig zag, check a street map),
turn left onto the south side of Brotherhood Way, then two long
blocks down hill to the Cultural Center.


Driving from the South:

If near Hwy 101, take 101 north to I380 west, to I280 north.
Take I280 north to San Francisco, stay in the left hand lanes,
this becomes Hwy 1 north/19th Avenue.  Move to the right hand
lane of Hwy 1 north, cross over Brotherhood way, turn right and 
circle back onto Brotherhood way going west.  Go through the
first traffic light, then one long block, as you approac, the
Cultural Center is on the left, after passing the Center make
a U-Turn at the first opening in the road divider.  The Center
has a parking lot in front.


Driving from the East Bay:

Take the Bay Bridge west (I80), then Hwy 101 south, stay in the
right hand lanes on 101, take I280 south.  Travel many exits
south and west to the last exit in San Francisco.  This is the 
first exit after Ocean Avenue.  The signs will say San Francisco 
State University or Mission St.  Turn right in front of the 
Chevron gas station, go two blocks, turn right onto Brotherhood 
Way west, go two long blocks under Hwy 1/19th Avenue,  as you 
approach, the Cultural Center is on the left, after passing
the Center make a U-Turn at the first opening in the road
divider.  The Center has a parking lot in front.


Driving from the North:

Take Hwy 101 south across the Golden Gate Bridge into San 
Francisco, use the right hand toll boths, stay in the right
hand lane, take Hwy 1 south to 19th Avenue, go through San 
Francisco, as you reach the southern part of the City, San 
Francisco State University Campus will be on the right.  Get
into the right hand lane, go through two more traffic
signals, do not cross Brotherhood Way, take right hand
exit onto Brotherhood Way WEST.  Drive one block, as you
approach, the Cultural Center is on the left, after passing
the Center make a U-Turn at the first opening in the road
divider.  The Center has a parking lot in front.
--
Stan Osborne, Computer Science Department, SFSU
Internet: stan@cs.sfsu.edu     Voice: (415) 338-2168
Newsgroups: ba.food,rec.food.restaurants
From: jchokey@leland.Stanford.EDU (James Alexander Chokey)
Subject: Re: West/Central African Restaurants
Organization: DSG, Stanford University, CA 94305, USA
Date: Wed, 9 Sep 92 22:42:55 GMT

In article <2925065813.3.demopcsrc@psilink.com> "Saul Feldman" <demopcsrc@psilink.com> writes:
>The restaurant is Eritrean and has now moved to 10th and Irving.  It's 
>open for lunch and dinner.
>

	I assume you're referring to the West African restaurant that was
just a block or two north of Haight that was mentioned earlier in this thread.
The place has closed down, and has become the "Jammin' Java Coffeehouse."
It is possible that the owners may have opened a new place over there in 
Richmond under the same name (I haven't been there), but if they do serve
Eritrean cuisine, then they have changed the type of food that they serve.
Eritrea indicates East Africa and restaurants that label themselves as Eritrean
serve food that is very similar to food that is served in Ethiopean restaur-
ants.  
	The restaurant that was mentioned early labelled itself as West African
cuisine, and the menu (sadly I never ate there) seemed to indicate that the
type of food served there was very different from your standard East African
fare.  

	--  Jim C. <jchokey@leland.stanford.edu>
From: college@vivaldi.EBay.Sun.COM (Darrell Choy)
Newsgroups: ba.food
Subject: Ice Cream Makers
Date: 12 Sep 1992 00:07:16 GMT
Organization: Sun Microsystems, Inc.
Distribution: world
Reply-To: college@vivaldi.EBay.Sun.COM
NNTP-Posting-Host: vivaldi.ebay.sun.com

I'm looking for an ice cream maker, something simple like the Donvier.  Is it really worth the
money or are there other brands?  Where would be the best place to get one?

Thanks,

Darrell
From: DeadHead@cup.portal.com (Bruce M Ong)
Newsgroups: ba.food
Subject: Re: Bay City coffee..
Date: Wed,  9 Sep 92 16:48:58 PDT
Organization: The Portal System (TM)
Distribution: ba

>
>Yeesh, am I the only person who goes to this place?  Coffee and
>dessert are good, several nights a week there's live music, and it's
>by tower records/books.  What more could one want?
>
	I think it's one of the few signs that the south bay is 'coming
to live'. I started going there about 3 months ago, after i posted a msg
on the net asking where I could play chess in cafes in south bay -- and 
somebody was kind enough to point out this place to me. The chess boards
are really bad. Would somebody please donate a few decent chess sets to them...

	Bad croissants, too. REALLY REALLY.  they are > 2 days old...

	My other complaint is its decoration... too clean... to sterile...
and too  bright and well lit... in a word -- too damn cheerful. It doesnt give 
you the funky hell-hole/cave  type of feeing, like you dont feel there could be
 
rats running around the place looking for tidbits...

>Oh, and it's often populated by lots of <21 folks with nothing better
>to do.  Hey, maybe that's why nobody here's mentioned it...

	I like the crowd. Kinda nihilistic slackers who probably read (or
should have read) a lot of nietzsche. But I suspect a lot of them are
TFKids (Trust Fund Kids, as it is called on Haight...)

	None the less... great location, comfortable crowd, neat place to
sip coffee and watch the interesting people go by...
>--
>             J. Eric Townsend --  jet@nas.nasa.gov -- 415.604.4311
>                              '92 R100R, DoD# 0378
>      "Heads.  Heads.  Heads.  Heads.  Heads.  Heads." -- R & G Are Dead

/bruce - who has seen the moment of his greatness flicker, and the Eternal
Footman hold his coat, and snicker, and in short -- he is afraid...
Newsgroups: ba.food
From: sharonl@sco.COM (B. Baggins, at your service.)
Subject: Re: Wanted:  Sources for halvah
Organization: The Santa Cruz Operation, Inc.
Distribution: ba
Date: Fri, 11 Sep 1992 19:30:10 GMT


In article <18p5giINNo96@agate.berkeley.edu> rice@enterprise.Berkeley.EDU (Daniel S. Rice) writes:
>In article <1992Sep10.231431.4247@Csli.Stanford.EDU> olsen@Csli.Stanford.EDU
>(Diane Olsen) writes:
>>So, where can I get good fresh halvah here?  Anywhere in
>>the Bay Area is OK;  I get around a lot.
>
>       The pre-packaged commercial stuff (e.g., Joyva brand) shouldn't
>be too hard to findi if you keep your eyes open for it.  Noah's bagels in
>Berkeley sell it, so I would guess that other "New Yorky" places might
>carry it as well.  Recently I have seen halvah in bulk at two mideast
>groceries: Mideast Market on San Pablo just south of University in Berkeley,
>and Samiramis (or something very much like that) on Mission near Army in SF.

Granted, it may be out of your way, but Shopper's Corner (local grocery store)
in Santa Cruz sell chuncks of halvah (plain, chocolate, swirl).  The stuff is
wrapped up but it was done by Shopper's Corner, i.e.  they have a big block of
it somewhere, behind some counter, and cut it and label it.

They also have Joyva near the candy.
-- 
This is just another example of how the healthy gum tissue of our
liberty is being eaten away by the periodontal disease of government
regulation.  --Dave Barry
Newsgroups: ba.food
From: HF.MMX@forsythe.stanford.edu (Marilee Marshall)
Subject: Re: Romantic Dinner Location
Organization: Stanford University, California, USA
Distribution: ba
Date: Tue, 15 Sep 1992 22:44:25 GMT

THE MOST romantic, elegant, delicious place for dinner to "pop the
question" is Emile's Swiss Family Affair.  How it ever got the name
Family Affair beats me... it's strictly elegant.  Expensive.
Reservations are a must.  IMHO.

marilee
stanford
Newsgroups: ba.food
From: garyh@sco.COM (< Gary H >)
Subject: Re: Good burritos (was Re: Three great meals under $5)
Organization: The Santa Cruz Operation, Inc.
Date: Thu, 03 Sep 1992 00:26:09 GMT


Does anyone know where I can get a Carne Asada Burrito just like they make it at
Robertos in San Diego (besides going down to SD)?? I love their food.

Gary
-- 
|^^^^^^|            _Yo_Man_____________________________
|      |          /            garyh@sco.com             \
|  _  _|        /             uunet!sco!garyh              \
| (o)(o)      /             425  Encinal Street              \
@      _)   /          Santa Cruz, California  95061          |
 | ,___|   /   W: [408] 457-0195 x7765 / Fax: [408] 429-1887 /
 |   /     \_______________________________________________/
/____\            The Santa Cruz Operation (SCO), Inc.
From: johnf@Auspex.COM (John Fereira)
Newsgroups: ba.food
Subject: Re: Romantic Dinner Location
Keywords: Romantic, Food
Date: 15 Sep 92 20:20:31 GMT
Distribution: ba
Organization: Auspex Systems, Inc.

In article <pt04j3c@fido.asd.sgi.com> leej@sgi.com (Lee Jones) writes:
>In article <1992Sep15.181900.20400@nsc.nsc.com> jwright@nsc.nsc.com (John Wright) writes:
>>A foolish, young co-worker I know is planning on popping "the Question" this
>>Friday evening.  We are both relatively new to the B.A.  He works and lives
>>in the heart of Silly Con Valley (Santa Clara).  
>>
>>What is the most romantic spot around 
>
>Mouton Noir in Saratoga is thought quite romantic by many.  Food is good
>and the ambience is French (how much more romantic can you get?)

The Adriatic, just down the street has better food and is more romantic (IMHO).

For shear elegance though I'd go with Les Saisons at the Fairmont.  It has
the additional advantage of not having to propose *in* the restaurant.  

-- 
+==========================================================================+
| John Fereira     | Auspex Systems | "Auspex does not share my opinions.  |
| johnf@auspex.com | Santa Clara CA |  So Why am I still working here?"    |
+==========================================================================+
Newsgroups: ba.food
From: whorfin@pixar.com (Rick Sayre)
Subject: Anyone know this place?
Organization: Pixar -- Point Richmond, California
Date: Wed, 16 Sep 1992 00:17:48 GMT

This is going to be a little vague.  Actually, very vague.  I'm looking
for a bakery which a friend discovered a few years ago.  Unfortunately,
she can't remember where it is.  The bakery in question was somewhere
between San Francisco and Palo Alto, off of 101.  The particular item which
makes this place worth finding is cinammon bread.  The bread came in an
aluminum tray, and had much hot cinnamon oil drenching it.  This is unlike
any cinammon bread I've ever had, and most tasty.  If any of you folks are
now going, "yah, I know that place!", please clue me in.

Thanks!

---
   	Rick Sayre				     "Use more honey;
       	   whorfin@pixar.com	              find out what she knows"
From: jet@win30.nas.nasa.gov (J. Eric Townsend)
Newsgroups: ba.food
Subject: Re: Bay City coffee..
Date: 9 Sep 92 16:58:52 GMT
Distribution: ba
Organization: Numerical Aerodynamic Simulation, NASA Ames

"aland" == Colonel Panic <aland@informix.com> writes:

aland> Some people might find the crowd outside a bit intimidating;

I can understand why, what with the tattooed folks from Tower taking
their breaks there. :-)

aland> The music is often excellent.  There was a very good jazzish
aland> group there on Saturday (?) night.  If only that chain-smoking
aland> drunk with the acoustic guitar would've left them alone...

Yeah, they have a wierd variety of music, but almost all of it is
quite good.  I think they guy with the guitar is known as "guitar
bob".  He's one of the many mentally unbalanced folk who tend to adopt
cafes as their home away from home.

aland> They also have some of the lamest chess sets I've ever seen.
aland> [-:

This is true.

Also, about the coffee selection, I was talking to one of the owners,
and he said they've been trying to find stuff that will set them apart
from the other coffee shops.  I've been lobbying hard for chickory... 
--
             J. Eric Townsend --  jet@nas.nasa.gov -- 415.604.4311
                              '92 R100R, DoD# 0378
 "Nude wheelies are probably the ultimate in squidliness."  -- someone at
                                                          Lissa's party
From: TONY@SLACVM.SLAC.STANFORD.EDU (Tony Roder)
Newsgroups: ba.food
Subject: Re: Another visit from Mom
Date: 14 Sep 92 22:47:41 GMT
Distribution: ba
Organization: Stanford Linear Accelerator Center

For red-meat-potatoes I suggest the Washington Square Bar & Grill (Washbag,
to the natives) on ... Washington Square, at Columbus and Union.  Can't
miss it, it's right up Columbus from where your parents are staying, and
right accross the street from the big Catholic (is that allright with them? :)
church.  If Italian is not too outlandish, there are a number of good
places further uphill, still on Columbus; I can't think of their names,
but they can't miss them since they have large windows to the street.


-----------------------------------
Tony Roder, speaking his mind .....
From: c60b-1gs@web-1g.berkeley.edu (Allen Tom)
Newsgroups: ba.food
Subject: Brunch, anyone?
Date: 11 Sep 92 22:29:34 GMT
Distribution: ba
Organization: University of California, Berkeley
NNTP-Posting-Host: web-1g.berkeley.edu
Originator: c60b-1gs@web-1g.berkeley.edu

A few months ago someone mentioned a few good places to go for a Sunday 
brunch. Anyone have some good recomendations? I remember that the 
Cliff House was mentioned as being pretty good after the tourists go 
away...

ALLEN
From: rice@enterprise.Berkeley.EDU (Daniel S. Rice)
Newsgroups: ba.food
Subject: Re: Wanted:  Sources for halvah
Date: 11 Sep 1992 03:58:10 GMT
Organization: University of California, Berkeley
Distribution: ba
NNTP-Posting-Host: enterprise.berkeley.edu

In article <1992Sep10.231431.4247@Csli.Stanford.EDU> olsen@Csli.Stanford.EDU
(Diane Olsen) writes:
>So, where can I get good fresh halvah here?  Anywhere in
>the Bay Area is OK;  I get around a lot.

	The pre-packaged commercial stuff (e.g., Joyva brand) shouldn't
be too hard to findi if you keep your eyes open for it.  Noah's bagels in
Berkeley sell it, so I would guess that other "New Yorky" places might
carry it as well.  Recently I have seen halvah in bulk at two mideast
groceries: Mideast Market on San Pablo just south of University in Berkeley,
and Samiramis (or something very much like that) on Mission near Army in SF.

						Dan
From: TONY@SLACVM.SLAC.STANFORD.EDU (Tony Roder)
Newsgroups: ba.food
Subject: Re: Wanted: Sources for halvah
Date: 11 Sep 92 16:15:55 GMT
Distribution: ba
Organization: Stanford Linear Accelerator Center

I haven't had much luck around our area (Stanford et al.) but there are a
few places in SF:

On Valencia, a few blocks from Market (near Duboce?) there is a Greek import
store that carries two or three kinds of halvah from ....Greece.
On Clement, at approximately 8th Ave, a place called Haig's has halvah which
I would guess comes from the Middle East.
Some of the Russian places on Geary in the Richmond (between 16th and 20th Ave)
have halvah from Israel.

Each o
ok
f these places have a
From: hunt@squid.Eng.Sun.COM (Jim Hunt)
Newsgroups: ba.food
Subject: A tenth Indian place
Date: 11 Sep 92 22:17:41 GMT
Organization: Sun Microsystems, Mt. View, Ca.
NNTP-Posting-Host: squid

There is an Indian place in Refwood City, and I think they make
a fabulous vindaloo.  Also, the papadum are the best I have had.
He likes to spice, I don't ask for a spicy vindaloo anymore, I say
medium, but then I may just be a wimp.  The menu is short; Curry
in regular or vindaloo form, Biryani, and a couple chicken dishes.
(However, I bet you could extend the menu just by asking.)

Run by a very pleasant couple, he cooks, she is out front.  They
do a buffet lunch, which is not as big as you can find farther
south, but each dish is quite good.  They really try hard to
please and listen intently to suggestions.  I prefer to go for
dinner, since the vindaloo wasn't on the table the one time I
was able to go at lunchtime.  I've never seen it crowded.

I like the fact that he makes the mango lassi fresh when you
order, you can hear the blender running in the kitchen.

India House, Broadway, Redwood City.
Between train tracks and El Camino.

--
jim hunt@Eng.Sun.COM		yatta yatta disclaimer
George Bush is 68 years old and Dan Quayle is an idiot.
In '96, George Bush will be 72 and Dan Quayle will still be an idiot.
Newsgroups: ba.food
From: HF.MMX@forsythe.stanford.edu (Marilee Marshall)
Subject: Opinion Palo Alto restaurant
Organization: Stanford University, California, USA
Date: Tue, 15 Sep 1992 23:07:35 GMT

Has anyone out there gone to Polermo's Restaurant on University in
Palo Alto?  I heard it's outstanding, but would like some more
opinions.

marilee
stanford
Newsgroups: ba.food
From: J032300@LMSC5.IS.LMSC.LOCKHEED.COM
Subject: Re: All-you-can-eat Japanese Food
Organization: Lockheed Missiles & Space Company, Inc.
Date: Wed, 9 Sep 92 21:50:31 GMT

There is a place called 'Korean Garden' in Sunnyvale on El Camino Real
and Bernardo that serves an excellent Japanese/Korean buffet for lunch.
The price is around $6.00, for sushi, several types of Korean pickles,
noodles, excellent ribs, tofu, fried veggies/chicken. Yum yum.
From: TONY@SLACVM.SLAC.STANFORD.EDU (Tony Roder)
Newsgroups: ba.food
Subject: Re: Wanted: Sources for halvah
Date: 11 Sep 92 16:24:43 GMT
Distribution: ba
Organization: Stanford Linear Accelerator Center

As I was saying when I so rudely interrupted myself by hitting the wrong
key, each of the places I mentioned in my immediately earlier posting
carries its own variety of goodies, the thought of which drives me to
distraction....

-----------------------------------
Tony Roder, speaking his mind .....
From: bchen@diva.Berkeley.EDU (Benjamin Chen)
Newsgroups: ba.food
Subject: All-you-can-eat Japanese Food (summary)
Date: 12 Sep 1992 00:35:43 GMT
Organization: University of California, Berkeley
Distribution: ba
NNTP-Posting-Host: diva.berkeley.edu


Here is a list of some AYCE Japanese food places based on the responses
I received.  Thanks for all of the input.  I probably hit one tonight!

Name                    Location
--------------------------------
1. Natori II            Redwood City, 1/4 mile south of Woodside Road,
                        west side of El Camino
2. Sushi Horikawa       Redwood City, El Camino near Whipple 
3. Korean Garden        Sunnyvale, El Camino and Bernardo,(also has Korean food)
4. Natori I             SF, 327 Balboa Street (415) 387-2565
5. Korea House          Santa Clara, El Camino btw San Tomas Expressway
                        and Los Padres Blvd.
6. Bonsai               Redwood City, near Middlefield Rd.
-- 
Benjamin Chen
Office:   550-A4 Cory Hall, 2-4332
UUCP:     !ucbvax!diva!bchen               
HEPNET:   LBL::"bchen@diva.Berkeley.EDU"
From: dave@berlioz.nsc.com (David Hawley)
Newsgroups: ba.food
Subject: Monterey Recommendations?
Summary: Need restaurant info
Date: 15 Sep 92 23:45:45 GMT
Distribution: ba
Organization: National Semiconductor Corporation

I'm looking for recommendations for nice places to eat in the
Monterey area (Carmel, Pacific Grove, Monterey).  Cost is not
really an object, unless it's outrageous.  I know this has been
hashed over fairly recently, so maybe someone can just mail me
a copy of the most recent discussion.

In payment, here's a recommendation on the peninsula:  Little
Hunan in the Safeway shopping center on Polhemus Road in San
Mateo, just of 92 near 280.  Best Chinese I've found so far
between San Mateo and San Carlos.

Thanks, Dave Hawley (dave@berlioz.nsc.com)
From: leej@sgi.com (Lee Jones)
Newsgroups: ba.food
Subject: Re: Romantic Dinner Location
Keywords: Romantic, Food
Date: 15 Sep 92 19:33:58 GMT
Distribution: ba
Organization: Silicon Graphics, Inc.

In article <1992Sep15.181900.20400@nsc.nsc.com> jwright@nsc.nsc.com (John Wright) writes:
>A foolish, young co-worker I know is planning on popping "the Question" this
>Friday evening.  We are both relatively new to the B.A.  He works and lives
>in the heart of Silly Con Valley (Santa Clara).  
>
>What is the most romantic spot around 

Mouton Noir in Saratoga is thought quite romantic by many.  Food is good
and the ambience is French (how much more romantic can you get?)