Aldo Los Altos

Elite '08

26

141

Christina P.

Los Altos, CA

Rigatoni del Bosco is what keeps me coming back here, I absolutely LOVE this pasta!!  I have even tried to recreate it in my kitchen, and while I've come close, it still doesn't taste as good as Aldo's.

There are only two great restaurants in Los Altos, and this restaurant is one of them! Their service is top notch, the servers are personable, amiable and they are always VERY accommodating.  Every time my Dad and I come here, I swear he asks for so many substitutions that they have to create a new dish for him, and they do it without a hitch every single time!

Try the Rigatoni del Bosco, you won't be disappointed!!

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Elite '08

1143

825

Connie C.

Cupertino, CA

Don't let appearances deceive you. Girls who are thin are usually the ones who can eat the most!

I was very impressed by the portions at Aldo, but even more impressed by the lovely ladies of Yelp who managed to eat, and finish, these big portions. Tiffany T, who is one of the most adorable and petite girls I've ever met, got the most massive dish - a plate with a huge mound of fish and chips! Slender and sweet Irene S got the spinach lasagna and split an endive and beet salad with me. I only managed to eat half of my super yummy rigatoni del bosco (which I substituted with penne), and the leftovers were plenty for dinner tonight. Jessica's squash raviolis were the size of pot stickers. Nicole B's angel hair pasta with crab looked delicious. Lily R's huge Caesar salad with grilled chicken was the healthiest choice of all, but it could have also fed the entire table of 11.

We sat in the upstairs mezzanine area, which was perfect for our large group.  Our server took good care of us - how could one not pay attention to a group of hotties - it seemed that our wine glasses were magically refilled every few minutes. It doesn't take much wine to get this group of girls a little tipsy.

I've got a newfound respect for this group of what most would assume are the girliest of girls who don't eat. Don't be fooled. They can eat like lumberjacks!

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1

27

Russell Q.

Sunnyvale, CA

One visit.  Slightly under 4 stars.  I wasn't blown away but it's good enough that I'll try it again.  Partially as there aren't too many good Italian restaurants in the Los Altos, Mountain View, Sunnyvale region.

Food: 4 stars.  Slightly uneven.  A spectacular pappardelle, with the pasta made and cooked as well as can be done.  The sauce was good, but not great.  Stuffed, breaded and deep fried olives were well done.  The fennel and sausage salad was done fairly well.  I didn't eat any of the aldo small plates my companions ordered, as I wan't that hungry (sorry!) and the papardelle had my atttention.

Wine: I had the Montepulciano by the glass and it was a lighter red that had nice cherry tones that went down smoothly.  A friend's Chianti wasn't as nice.  My wife's dry prosecco was still somewhat sweet.  A surprise to her but not to me.  There were some potentially interesting Italian bottles but we didn't try any.  A solid wine list for this restaurant.

Service: Quite friendly and not very competent.  Our server had a smile but got some dishes wrong.  And things took forever to come, and then forever to get the bill.  One of the bus boys was very enthusiastic about clearing any dish that looked like it might be finished, but he was deaf to any other request as he roamed the restaurant.

Value: A good value.  My pappardelle was $13.  Glass of wine was $7 or $8, which is just a tad high.

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1

23

Adrian K.

Mountain View, CA

Comfortable Italian restaurant in Los Altos with great pastas.  The Capellini Crab is excellent.  Waiter was attentive but not intrusive.

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49

535

Kit E.

Mountain View, CA

Came here for some local Italian food.  Started with crab and artichoke dip, fried zucchinis and artichokes, mushroom puff pastry, and a caprese salad.  Wasn't too impressed with the freshness of the caprese, but it wasn't too bad.  Then we ordered rack of lamb, buccatini pasta with fennel and eggplant, and roasted squash ravioli in a pancetta sage sauce.  All dishes mentioned were good, definitely worth coming back since we live so close.  Good value for the price.

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Elite '08

53

209

Liz L.

Palo Alto, CA

Aldo is excellent.  I got a $25 for $4 certificate from Restaurant.com and decided to check it out.  I looooved the complimentary bread basket they give you with the menus.  The food was also very very good, as was the service.  Even without the certificate, the prices are reasonable considering what other restaurants in the bay area charge for the same dishes.

** update 4/4/08
Aldo has just officially become my favorite restaurant.  Came back here again tonight and took the waiter's recommendation on the Caramelle pasta and my boyfriend ordered the special, filet mignon wrapped in pancetta with a balsamic sauce.  SO SO good.  Such great food and service for such good prices?  Love it.  Also, where else can you walk in at 7 on a Friday night and get seated without waiting (the restaurant wasn't dead either)?  Certainly not anything good on University Ave.

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1

18

Annie R.

Amherst, MA

My rating is based on Ambiance, Food Quality, Price, Service, and Accessibility.

Ambiance:  This is a nice, cafe-like set up.  High ceilings and the second level dining area are very nice.  It can be romantic or a good place for a friendly lunch.  A very versatile and pleasant atmosphere.  I appreciate that Aldo isn't cluttered by boisterous high school students.

Food Quality:  Superb!  The Gnocchi is the best gnocchi I've had, and the home made potato chip appetizer is nothing short of miraculous.  the portions are perfect; they appear small, but the food is so rich that they are satisfying without making you feel bloated.  If you want something that isn't on the menu, just ask.  I have been accomodated several times, much to my enjoyment.  Aldo doesn't have the best alfredo sauce in the world, so watch out for that.

Price:  This is one of the least expensive restaurants in Los Altos.  The quality of food is excellent, and if you have any doubts, you are able to watch the cooks prepare your food in the kitchen, which is in view from all the tables.  Being able to eat dinner without dealing with take home boxes or stomache aches is something I'm quite willing to pay $20-$30 per meal for.  

Service:  This is the perfect wait staff.  The cooks are always accommodating to special requests, the waiters are attentive to your needs, even when you're the only party seated in the upper level area, and everyone remembers you if you come more than twice.  My husband and i have been to Aldo several times.  the first time, we requested to sit in the upper level, even though no one else was being seated there.  They allowed us, and led us to the exact same table the next time we came.  That has since become our spot, and any time we go, whether together, or separately with friends/family, we are remembered and led to the same spot.

Accessibility:  I've never seen the restaurant completely full, and the upper seating area is usually left open, so hosting  a party of 10-15 up there would be simple.  Aldo is boredered by a jewelry store on one side and Wolf Camera on the other, so even though there's only street parking, there are usually plenty of spaces.

Aldo is INFINITELY better than competitor Pompeii on the other side of Main Street (see my Pompeii review), so you should definitely give it a try.

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Elite '08

238

876

Cynthia C.

Union City, CA

Humble interior, generous portions & reasonable prices.

Wandered in on a Sunday evening & there were actually other clients dining.  

Mini-plasma tv set in the wall rolling Italian architecture & landscaping.  

Diner style booth seating available.  

FOOD
Insalate Mista $6
Balsalmic vinaigrette was good and there was heaping amount of salad.
Caesar $7
Nothing special, but no complaints either.  Bonus: shaved parmesan.
Lamb Shank $19
Braised nicely with fragrant porcini mushrooms & polenta.  I thought the gorgonzola chunks were oddly placed, but I just disposed of them.  Their presence did not disturb the entree.
Aldo Burger $13
Grilled Angus chuck burger on a toasted ciabiatta w/thickly sliced roasted potatoes.  The boy gave it a thumbs up.  I think normal FRIED fries would have been a better side-the potatoes were super heavy.

A nice local place to wind down from a weekend.

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0

14

RoHa V.

San Carlos, CA

Had a great lunch with girlfriends here recently.  My panini was great, and my friend loved her soup.  Would definitely recommend it, and will go back for sure.  So many tasty-sounding things on the menu to try next time!

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Elite '08

34

371

Gloria H.

Foster City, CA

3.5 stars - their Cicchetti menu caught our eyes.  It was a bit hot and we've walked around, drank and ate plenty of the Art & Wine stuff but still a bit hungry (yeah, we are piggys)...so we thought small plates in an air conditioned place is just what we need.

We tried the Straccetti di Maiale (slow roasted shredded pork with spicy bruschetta sauce), the Prosciutto, Pere e Gorgonzola and the Capesante.  All were very tasty and just the right portion.  We saw some pasta dishes passed by and they looked good in large portions.

The waiter was very nice and the assortment of bread and crackers were very tasty.  

They are about to celebrate their 2 year anniversary...we hope to visit again when we are in the neighborhood but there are so many other restaurants to try!

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26

73

Lila T.

Mountain View, CA

I've been here twice - the first time was not too long after this place opened up, and at that time I would have given it four stars. The second time was recently, and I thought it had gone downhill. but it's still a good option if you find yourself in Los Altos in the late evening and it's too late to drive anywhere far away and Los Altos Grill is just too damn crowded.

In addition to the regular menu (featuring appetizers, salads, pasta dishes and entrees), Aldo also serves up some small plates, including one very strange one: olives stuffed with meat and then deep fried! it sounds kind of gross, but it was pretty good. On our first visit I really enjoyed the gnocchi with gorgonzola sauce - the gnocchi was really well made, the kind that practically melts in your mouth. But I ordered this again on my recent visit and it was just average. I did like the Aldo salad (though it's strange to eat sausage in a salad) and they had a good pasta mushroom dish (I think it was called 'carmelo').

Random Fact: I am annoyed by the amount of culinary words the Firefox spell checker is highlighting in red as I am writing this review - ok, maybe gnocchi is too much to ask for, but gorgonzola? come on, it's almost 2007!

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5

10

Aya M.

CA

Mmm.... this place is yummy! Definitely mid-range in terms of price and portions but service, food, atmosphere, everything gets a thumbs-up nonetheless. Your water glass will never go dry and the menu has quite a number of seasonal items which makes the return trip on another day worth it. Definitely go check it out!

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7

26

rob m.

San Jose, CA

cozy italian restaurant with palatable explosions of flavor. I was able to stop by and enjoy quite a tasty meal earlier this evening. A minor negative note: the location is a bit small and there's a high amount of traffic around your table from the staff but, on the positive side, the tables are sectioned quite well so you don't feel like you're at mcdonalds and all of the floor staff are very attentive to what is happening on your table. Drank half of your water? Cup reaches table, 2 minutes later it will be filled. Most importantly - the food : delicious - although it seemed a bit rationed - 6 potato wedges type of rationing but it's all about the taste. At the end - I was more than satisfied. Try the espresso w/ vanilla ice cream (Afrogatto or something like that) - hmm hmm good.  The cost - mid range - go after a payday.

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6

18

Matt L.

Los Altos, CA

Finally Los Altos has a restaurant that gives you hope that the downtown area is on the way up to take the whole family!   Aldo is a very good Italian restraurant that is child friendly.  They offer a solid diversity of  salads, pastas and main courses--I recommend the Aldo Salad...very tasty with its sausage bits on top. Everything is very fresh and the portiions are manageable.  Service is excellent.  We were impressed how hard everyone from the bus boys to the owner make feel at home.  The owner stops by everyone's table to check how things are going and to make conversation.  He is really committed to making downtown dining in Los Altos successful.

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22

147

monkey l.

Palo Alto, CA

we were hoping for wow, and got ok. where is all the good food in los altos? seems like for now, the los altos grill is the best place to go.

so.. our take on this place. they have some cute appetizer dishes. the seafood we had was all very fresh, and admittedly, the preparation was innovative but, the concept was better than actuality. the polenta with mushrooms was extremely salty (too much gargonzola), and the pasta was ok. everything was flavorful, but almost too flavorful. so much so that my taste buds were kind of hurting at the end of the meal.

i think what knocked this place down to a definite three is the service. our waiter seemed pissed off, and almost angry at us when the other waiter mistakenly put in a double order. i was taken aback by the "what? you didn't order two?"  followed by a gruff sigh and a stomping off.  then, he sort of ignored us for the rest of night... i wanted to order more but was a little afraid of him. the other waiters were nice, but his curmudgeonlyness made my meal less enjoyable.

so decor is nice, yada yada yada, but eh, i'm not sure i'd be too excited to go back. admittedly, it's due to the angry waiter.

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