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Tue-Sat. 5:30 p.m. - 10:00 p.m.
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I break my yelp silence to say that Chez TJ deserves more love. I'm writing about the food here but let me get the bad things out of the way.
1) This place does not LOOK like anywhere you want to drop almost $200 a head on. I don't know what's going on with the decor, but it's scary bad. HOWEVER, I'm not going to take a star off for that because I feel that this is like some sort of little engine that could or something because people still come here despite the decor.
2) Service can be iffy. There seems to be one or two really strong servers and the rest aren't up to snuff for the type of place this purports to be.
GOOD STUFF:
The food. Yes you guys, this is a really decently priced meal for the type of food you're getting. Had the chef's tasting, and really 12 courses for $120 is a steal. I wasn't disappointed in a single dish. Also, I think they hit a perfect note with the portion sizes. I wasn't stuffed and I wasn't miffed at getting tiny portions of anything. Unlike many other temples to haute cuisine, there is never too much fat, never anything too precious, and they don't go crazy with molecular gastronomy. Beyond that, you can see that the dishes are firmly grounded in tradition, in some ways very classic, but always with enough of a twist to make it new.
High points-
the foie... I get foie whenever i can, and I think this is one of the happiest preparations. There was strawberry gastrique and a pistachio mousse terrine thing. Usually I can't stand extra frills on my foie, but this was PERFECT. This was clean.
asparagus salad- early spring on a plate. lemon, salt, egg yolk.
the branzino- perfectly cooked everything. all components easy to come together, super umami, woody morels, springy favas, tender tender sweet fish.
the kobe/wagyu- meaty and marbled. sometimes wagyu isn't beefy enough, but whatever cut we had stood up to the preparation. i just died.
the desserts- all were amazing. strawberry almond and some chocolate and some macarons. SO GOOD.
here are things my dining companions loved that i found good but not bonkers:
the amuses and the palate cleansers: throwaways to an extent but pleasant. of course i'm not necessarily expecting to be blown away at these bites anyway.
the scallops- i think the sear could have been more extreme.
the lamb- this was ueber tender, ueber sweet... not enough lamb taste for me. i could barely tell it was lamb. this was one of my dining companions' favorites.
cheese course- i love cheese and i loved their choices because it wasn't cheese for wusses 101. however, the cassis chip that their stilton was served on wasn't necessary and also evidenced a rare technical mishap- the chip had a small amount of oil left on it; sloppy frying. the tete de moine was really great though and it's daring to serve both cheeses on the same plate. not traditional.
was there anything that was actually bad? NO. zero.
let me recount a litany of fine dining disasters:
-manresa's uni shell soup bowl that reeked of decaying oceanic carcasses.
-atelier robuchon's onglet that had globules of coagulating fat and a menu that seemed to entirely consist of fatty + foamy the whole way through.
-chez panisse's meyer lemon tart that tasted distinctly of soap.
-french laundry's boring as hell hearts of palm salad and a service interruption of literally 45 minutes when i think the waiter forgot us.
-gary danko- overflipping priced.
-del posto- a dry pork chop? really? brining 101.
if these acclaimed restos drop the ball, don't you think we need to give chez tj like 10 extra stars for not having any courses that are even minor fails?
this place is in my backyard and i can not BELIEVE how long it took me to realize the gem that it is. need to spread the gospel.
People thought this was:
Dined here on a Wed night and we had the tasting menu with wine pairings. It was a lot of food, and we got home later than expected, I wished we went there on a Fri/ Sat night instead.
We sat in the front room of the little house, with 2 other occupied tables in the same room. Although the entire room had only 5 people, the noise level was pretty high.
From what I remembered about the food, I didn't care much for the amuse bouche nor the starters. But the meat and seafood courses and desserts were really good!! They totally made up for the initial tasting so I'm giving it 4 stars. Service was also good and professional. I would go back again.
The restaurant is in a cute little house in downtown Mountain View.
Service was pretty good. I took the boyfriend there for his Bday and brought a couple of friends. They didn't even complain when I kept changing the reservation back and forth from 4-6.
I was on a budget after coming back from a trip so we decided to not have the full tasting menu. We opted for the 3 and 4 course. FYI, the "petite (3 course) " is only available between 5 and 6pm. The waiter was nice enough to let us have the 3 course.
My only complaint was that the portion size was a bit small but the price was decent. The best part of the meal for me was the desserts!
People thought this was:
I dined at Chez TJ on a recent USA trip. I gather from locals that Mountain View is an unlikely place for a Michelin starred restaurant. Add the quirky location and you have a most unusual venue for fne dining food.
At the time I dined, I found out that the 2 Michelin starredchef had left for new pastures and the new incumbent in the kitchen was trying to put his mark on the restaurant. I was impressed to see that he managed to keep one star in this year's guide.
The restaurant is in a residential house and the guests are divided into several rooms, which rather stilted some of the atmosphere. It was also sometimes hard to attract your server as they weren't in the room. Generally, the service was efficient but not up to 2 michelin star standard.
I was disappointed to find that non drinkers were restricted to a choice of Coke or Diet Coke! No fruit juices.
The canapes of beet and mission fig with bison helped to stimulate the gastric juices but no flavour punch.
I went with the tasting menu:
1. Amuse bouche of scallop sashimi, salad, passion fruit sauce
Nice sweet scallop but other flavours didn't stand out
2. Crab over barley consomme
The quality crab meat was lovely but again the accompanying ingredients didn't add much
3. Seared foie gras over peaches; duck & foie gras dodine
Easily the best dish of the evening. Generous lobe of perfectly seared liver enhanced by sweet peach and grape cutting through the richness. The dodine was accompanied by cherry gastrique and yuzu adding great depth of flavour
4. Scallop mousse with trufle foam
I always feel it's a travesty to destroy lovely scallop. 2 distinctive and strong flavours but again balance was slightly off
5. Cod with paprika
Unusual combination which was surprisingly nice
6. Pigeon pie
Wonderful gamey squab between discs of dough
7. Slow roasted shortrib
Meltingly tender but could havedone with a little more beef flavour coming through
8. Cheese - Explirateur and Tete de Moin
Served with peach reduction
9. Grape soda, apple foam, apple ice cream, chocolae straw
Excellent palate cleanser. The chef's inventiveness shown at its best
10. Donut
Nice little bites
11. Pineapple with chocolate biscuits
Surprisingly nice dish. Never thought the 2 would go together
12. Lychee pannacota with sable biscuits
Nice delicate flavours handled well
This place shows promise. A few flavours needs balancing but the ingredients and technique are first class.
People thought this was:
I had a cousin visiting from out of the country and this would be his first Michelin star dining experience. We booked last minute and out of all the south bay restaurants, only Chez TJ could take a last minute reservation (why did this not set off a red flag to me?). The whole place was empty except for 2 other tables the whole night, and this was a Saturday. I had really hoped for a nice Michelin star dining experience, comparable to the other ones I've had for my cousin. When the sommelier came out in non-uniform, it was a bit disappointing and didn't seem that "upscale". The wait staff was not as professional as I had hoped. The sommelier forgot our wine order and we got our appetizers before we could get our wine. There were only 2 other tables there, how do you forget our wine order? We got the 4 course tasting menu, portions were so small and that not great, bread was cold and unfresh. If bread was better, we could've at least stuffed ourselves with bread. Overall, overpriced and unmemorable. Afterwards, we went to in & out and got a great meal.
This place was one of the biggest dining disappointments of my life. Saved up a LOT of money to take a very special person to a birthday dinner. The staff was rude and unaccomodating to allergies, ignored us and spent exceptionally long periods of time with whomever they felt should be important. Insult to injury was the food. It wasn't even remotely tasty. A sad sad excuse for fine dining. For the same amount of money I could have had a brilliant dinner with excellent staff service at Aqua in SF (yes, that is despite all of their recent difficulties). Same tiny tasters on a plate as Aqua on TJ's is sub par. No taste. Nothing is unique. There is no flow from one plate to the next. I found nothing memorable. I did end up complaining to the manager about the appalling service I received and my disgust for having paid so much and they sent a decent apology and a certificate for dinner that would not even cover one person. I find no reason to use it. Why waste more time out of my life and give them an extra penny for poor ambiance (what is with the neon lighted glass sculpture in the back of the room), a "Victorian" setting that lacked any and all charm that a real Victorian house should have, more poor service, cramed spaces and bland food?
I say, if you're going to treat yourself, go to Aqua. At least you are guaranteed top notch service and good food. Make your money worth it.
Dined here last night for my first wedding anniversary. My husband chose this place after recommendations from co-workers. I was excited to dine at a fancy place like this - a first!
The restaurant is in an old house, very cozy and cute.
We had the chef tasting menu. Portions are small since it's a tasting menu. My poor husband was full by the end of the meal, but that's having eaten at least 7 pieces of bread (i.e., ~2 baskets worth)...hence 4 stars vs 5. He thinks there should be a menu for guys (i.e., larger portions). Each course was very interesting and full of flavors. I'm not a big of fan of foam though.
Our server was very friendly, timely and knowledgeable. He brought out an additional plate of sweets for our anniversary, nice touch.
Total cost with tax & tip (we had $25 off from Passport discount card) was $300, without alcohol since we're neither not big drinkers nor wine connoisseurs.
Overall, it was a nice eating experience.
People thought this was:
Chez TJ is headquartered in a somewhat plain looking house. It could pass for Aunt Mollie's place on Elm Street, anywhere. Inside the place is also plain, a bit tacky almost. Service is OK but distant. Polite but restrained. The absence of warmth or enthusiasm by the staff is entirely in keeping with the feel of the house.
I go with the four course prix fixed menu and start with a terrine of vegetables on the side of which is an interesting coconut foam. An interesting and, for me, novel beginning to the meal.
Next spanish mackeral with ginger in a dashi broth. I had expected that an assertive taste of ginger would make for an interesting plate. Not so. The seasoning here was so subtle as to be non-apparent to my taste buds.
A tasty beef filet is sided by bright and tasty tomato confit. The meat is tender, properly medium rare, and is nicely contrasted by the sparkling confit.
The cheese platter that concludes the meal is properly sized and the almonds and jam that accompany it end the meal on just the proper note.
Good food but it's not all that... (I'm rolling my eyes)
Decor sucks - I don't know what's up with the decor. If they are trying to make it look like a warm and romantic setting - it ain't working.
Service is average - When you are spending $250 for a dinner for two, you'd expect better service. The service staff has a smile stuck to their faces but they are not very knowledgeable about the menu.
Food is good - but that's about it. It's just good and no more.
People thought this was:
I can't believe I forgot to yelp about this place - frick! i can't completely remember what we ordered, but here we go.
As with tradition, hubsy made reservations for this particular French restaurant the day before Valentine's (we never celebrate on the 14th - too chaotic). I have to admit, the house is cute but a little tooo house-like. Kinda felt like I was intruding on a houseparty. Plus we could hear every word of conversation at the tables near us. I found myself whipsering most of the night.
We sat by the window, in one of the back rooms with a fireplace, with a view of their garden. Yes, I said their garden, where they grow fresh herbs, veggies, and whatever else is green back there. I was mighty impressed when I saw the chef (hat, jacket and all) back there plucking herbs himself.
This is not an ordinary restaurant - more like a cozy house turned upscale dining establishment. The interior was classic and modern at the same time. The staff is very patient and attending - which is a good thing, especially considering the pricetag for dinner - ouch!
So, this review is a few months late, but here were the few memorable courses:
- Fois Gras 3 ways was awesome. By far, the most memorable part of the meal... and that was the appetizer!
- Sashimi was fresh and cut perfectly. Kinda weird that it was served at a French restaurant (?) but lucky them, I love me some raw fish.
- Beef with truffles was a little bit too.... truffle-y for my taste.
- Lamb was divine. I am a lamb lover and this place did not disappoint. I think I picked the bones dry!
- Dessert was a trio of stuff. I remember chocolate mousse...and I remember liking it....
Considering we each had a different 5course meal, this list isn't quite long enough to deserve more than 3 stars.
Not quite the detailed review as usual I know - sorry. But the tidbits that stuck out weren't mindblowing. I look back thinking - the food was ok but we may not come back here. Seems a bit too pricey for what you get. Well - can't say we didn't try.
People thought this was:
The food was great. It was tasteful but light. The only issue is that the portion is really small.
Overpriced and over-rated. Beautiful presentation of nearly tasteless and lukewarm food. Good service and interesting concepts could not make up for the bland food. Extremely disappointing.
I had dinner here tonight with my mom and sister for my mom's bday. Horrible experience from start to finish.
1) When the restaurant called yesterday afternoon to confirm our reservation for dinner tonight, I told her its my mom's bday so she told me she'll put a note in the reservation and that they will put a candle when dessert is served. When dessert was served at the restaurant, there was no mentioning of "happy birthday" to my mom and no candle
2) When the hostess showed us to our table, she started explaining how the menu at the restaurant works (4 course v.s. chef's tasting menu) without at least waiting for all of us to sit down on our seats .. so we were still standing and trying to sit down while she was talking which seemed rude and not patient
Service) was one of the worst experiences I have ever had at a fine dining restaurant. The server or hostess did not give us the wine menu until we asked (at other fine dining restaurant in my experience its normal for them to give us the wine menu with the food menu at the sametime). The server did not come around to even introduce himself and not take our order for a good 10-15 minutes. I asked the server if they have the foie gras duo since it was not on the menu and he did not know if they had it so he had to go ask somebody else. I would have expected for all of the servers at a 4-5 star fine dining restaurant to at least be more knowledgeable about their menu. Anyways we all ordered the 4 course menu and each course took a long time in between after the server taking our plates away. It seems the kitchen is bad at timing preparing plates. The service is just not attentive at all which I would expect from a fine dining restaurant.
Food) The bread was cold and hard. I would have expected for it to be warm at least. All of the dishes for our 4 course dinner for my sister, my mom and myself was not memorable at all. Its not terrible to the point where I cant eat it but its nothing special in taste. We all could not feel like "oh this is so good" while i was eating my food.
we had 2 glasses of wine total, no tea/coffee and for the 4 course menu for 3 of us plus 15% tip (very low tip for a fine dining restaurant) it was $350.
When I want to spend $350 I would expect the service and/or the food to be exceptional. The food is not good at all. Service is horrible. I would not ever go back and not recommend it to anybody to go.
People thought this was:
The best possible local restaurant for a memorably great meal.
Their 10 or 12-course tasting menu is worth the trip.
How this place earned 2 Michelin stars in 2008 and 1 star in 2009 is completely beyond me. Do not do your fancy dinner here. I repeat, do not do your special occasion here. Galactica actual out.
Amuse bouche of tiny beignet, caviar: Cafe du Monde has a million times better beignets. This one was tough, not hot, and didn't taste like anything. Not even chicken.
Beets coloriage: Did they just take beets from the farmer's market and rearrange prettily on a plate?
Butternut squash soup: Pretty good, but I can never bring myself to hate a buttery soup.
Wild mushroom & shrimp medley: If only every course tasted like this! God do I love fresh mushrooms that are just bursting with flavor. Perfectly cooked, expertly seasoned. The last time I remember such delicious mushrooms were morels at Chez Panisse several years ago.
Kobe: Couldn't taste the Kobe in this beef. Sigh.
Pigeon pie: A "signature dish" that was horrible undercooked. I was practically eating pigeon blood. I sent this dish back and got sauteed tofu instead. The tofu was pretty tasteless, but wow the spinach and cream was delicious.
Chocolate-raspberry dessert: Not even as good as Tartine's chocolate. Oh, and another cardboard beignet?!
Coconut-citrus dessert: Actually pretty good. Really liked the granita.
Ambience-wise, this is an elegant, quiet space. It's not particularly comfortable. In each small room (seating about 5 couples), everyone can hear everyone else's conversation.
I feel like this place is overly formal. It's California, lighten up! I would much rather have servers who wear a genuine smile than those who address you as "The Lady" and walk backwards out of the room.
For $200 for 2, you can do way better than Chez TJ.
People thought this was:
My dinner at Chez TJ was the best meal I have ever had! The waiters and waitresses were friendly and nice, and totally not what I was expecting from a French restaurant. Let's be real folks, if you act like you've never had a fancy dining experience you will most likely get a glare served with your escargot at any other French place. But not at Chez TJ. Their servers were cool and also explained what everything was and how to eat it, for newbie fancy diners like myself.
The food itself was magical (yes, I said magical). Being served 10+ courses made me feel like a queen minus all the monarchy crap. My favorite dish had to be the Mishima Ranch Kobe Sirloin Turnip, with Black Trumpet Mushrooms. It literally melted in my mouth and I think I cried a little. The dessert was orgasmic; the chocolate ganache and ice cream made me want to leave my husband and run off with the chef. And of course everything in between was delicious (Foie Gras, scallops, lamb, etc -mmmmmmmmm!).
Lastly, the ambience of Chez TJ was just perfect. My favorite feature that I stared in awe at when I was in a flavor-tastic coma throughout part of the evening was all of the colorful glass lamps at each table and around the room. Very much like the Chihuly glass art at the Bellagio in Las Vegas. It created both a beautiful and warm atmosphere to match their cozy location off of Franklin Street.
If you have the money and want to treat yourself and your significant other to an evening of fine dining, I highly recommend Chez TJ.
People thought this was:
If you know food you will love this place. Quality ingredients and masterful preparation. They offer great service in a warm and inviting atmosphere.
There were divine moments in the meal:
-O-Toro/Hamachi Appetizer was perfectly melt in your melt sashimi
-All the Amuse Bouche were creative and excellent
But overall this restaurant felt like a restaurant on the way down. Scallops were slightly overcooked. Meat was not perfectly tender. This is not the precise sumptuous meal that you'd expect from Chez TJ's previous accolades.
They should hire the original chef back from Meadow Wood, and maybe Chez TJ will earn back its star.
It was quite awhile ago when we came here so I don't remember the details...sorry. But I wanted to make sure they got my Yelp points, because I do remember walking away full, happy, and impressed.
Date attended: Feb 10th, 2009
Motive: Anniversary Dinner
Thoughts: SO WORTH IT!
E-chan and I celebrated out first kiss anniversary, (we aren't married yet so we need SOMETHING to celebrate), at this charming French restaurant set in a beautiful Victorian house in Mountain View. The evening was quiet and the service spot on!
We decided to go with the 4 course prix fix menu and we were NOT disappointed. The intermezzos between the meals were also delightful and delicious. E-chan and I almost ordered the same entrees and the portions were perfect in that after the meal was over we felt full but not too full. Just right!
I had the mushroom soup, cod, kobe beef steak and for dessert a banana flan sorbet with tiny donuts. AWESOME!
Thank you Chez TJ for making our anniversary feel special!
People thought this was:
I live and work in Mountain View, and it makes me proud to have a Michelin rated restaurant in your own backyard. However, after going to Chez TJ, I'm confused as to how this restaurant received a star.
The restaurant decor was original (located in a converted old house near Castro St.), and the menu was original. However, my thoughts on the food was that the serving temperature of each dish was consistently inconsistent. The dinner just did not leaving me wanting to rush home to see when my bank account would allow me to return.
I've been to other one star Michelin rated restaurants in California (i.e. Gary Danko, Auberge du Soleil, Chez Panisse, Bouchon, and Plumed Horse), and Chez TJ does not measure up.
People thought this was:
It is really sad to write a negative review of what used to be one of my favorite restaurants. I just got back from my Birthday dinner with my wife and I really wanted to like it.
First, I think the service was okay but nothing outstanding. I'd expect better but Chez TJ has always been hit-or-missing. The only faux-pas was serving a desert course while my wife was taking a trip to the bathroom. Honestly, just wait a few minutes.
The concept of the food was not bad-- clearly the chef has technical skills. Lots of foam/gelee/sous-vide was going on. I don't have a problem with trendy food styles, but it still has to taste good.
Taste was the biggest let down. The food was generally poorly seasoned. I'm not talking exotic seasoning here either. A touch of salt, a little pepper, some acid to the a fish dish-- it was all missing. Honestly, this is chef-101 stuff. I also was amazed at a lack of sauce use given the chef's French background. This is part of what makes French cuisine remarkable.
The wine pairing was a mix. Given the under-seasoned sous-vide lamb, it was a good choice to go with the lightest Pinot Noir I've ever had. However, the harsh red we had with a cheese course was horribly mismatched. This really called for a sweeter wine not a tanic red.
I previously gave this restaurant 5-stars. It was a rare gem of haute-cuisine in Silicon Valley. This place has really changed for the worse and that really saddens me. I hope the chef can get over technique for technique's sake and turn things around by making good food.
Chez TJ is our "go to" high-end restaurant and when the Michelin ratings came out last year we felt… Read more »
I went to this French place and the head chef had an unhealthy obsession with putting Nori into everything he could. I guess the French go ga-ga over anything Japanese, so I'm sure it reflects cutting-edge French-copying-Japanese cuisine, but I was disappointed.
I've never been much for high-end French cuisine... from LeBec Fin in Philadelphia to this place, you pay a lot for food that does not delight. Instead, it is like listening to progressive jazz (I'm thinking of when I saw the Allan Holdsworth Band at Yoshi's back in November), or appreciating a Martin Puryear piece... it's only for people who are students of the art, who geek out on technique, deconstruction, fine details, masterful artistry, but it's not for the casual diner looking for a delicious meal.
People thought this was:
It's not worth the money. Period. The tables are too crowded and everyone can hear your intimate conversation. The presentation of the food is nice, but is exaggerated. It's really too expensive to spend a whole evening and leave hungry! The decor is old,if you like it.
People thought this was:
I was really excited to come here to try my 4th fancy restaurant, but sadly, I was a little disappointed with the quality of food and service. We arrived with reservations of course, and they were about to seat us in this tiny table with barely any space to move your chair between a big tabled party and another already seated two table. I mean come on now... you come to a fancy restaurant and you don't expect to be seated like that. Luckily the bf asked the Maître d' if we could change to another table, and she moved us into the next room that was empty. This place is/was a house turned into a restaurant. Service was pretty scarce in the beginning of the meal, and thereafter we only saw them when they brought us our food and gave a description of everything that was in it.
As far as the food went, we both ordered the menu gastronomique and tried to order different things so we could try everything. The bf ordered Dungeness Crab, Day Boat Scallop Paire, Meyer Angus Sirloin-Beef Cheek, and Duo of Pumpkin and Black Walnut. I got the Hudson Valley Foie Gras Trio, Poached California White Bass, some duck (can't remember the full name), and the Thai Coconut Ice Tea Cream, Lychee Clafoutis, Coconut Disc. Throughout the meal, they would also give you a few hors d'oeuvres. What I thought to be the highlights of the meal was the Day Boat Scallop Paire (so flavorful and soft) and the Thai coconut ice tea cream (not too sweet, perfect combination of tastes). Everything else was pretty mediocre. The bass was slightly over cooked and the beef cheek was soft but had a horrible aftertaste of I don't know what.
Overall I would have expected more from this place, and all the food just wasn't cutting it. Our meal ended up being $200 which included our 30% off discount.
People thought this was:
CHEZ TJ was....
A-OK!
I came here a day before the valentine's day rush, expecting more than i imagined.
We went along and got Chef's Tasting Menu, Which was nine courses with wine pairings. So I'm going to cut to the chase and tell you what i really enjoyed at Chez Tj, which was the....
Poached White California Bass
Kobe Beef
& the Piegon pie
..... for $500, meal for two
I would have to agree with what "Gloria L." too... "The ambiance-wise for me was quite weird. I felt that no one wanted to carry on a conversation because they were afraid to be "too" loud.
Of all the times I drove through downtown Mountain View, I'd never spotted the cute little house that is Chez TJ. My best friend and roommate took me there for a birthday dinner, and good company obviously made the meal even better.
The dining room was quiet, with only 4 other tables, but then again, it was a Wednesday night.
We did the full tasting, which included a foie gras duo, crab, pigeon pie (not a huge fan), lamb (not too gamey), and other unique selections. My favorite by far was the scallop mousse with uni - the texture was firm yet melted in my mouth, and the sweet and fresh scallop taste was very prominent. This is definitely the most innovative and best tasting scallop dish I've had.
We had a bottle of Riesling that was on the dryer side, but it complimented the course better.
It's nice to have such a hidden gem in the south bay!
Ample parking across the state of this old Victorian house. With the lights dimmed and the small tables, this was a nice setting for an intimate dinner.
Tried the tasting menu for our anniversary, with wine pairing. The pigeon pie was the standout of the tasting menu. The lamb had a very mild lamb flavor. The scallop dish was innovative and flavorful.
Service was o.k., but not great. There was some garbage on the window sill by our table left from the previous diners, and it seemed that they may have been short-staffed the evening we were there.
Overall, I'd recommend this for those looking for a romantic dining experience in the South Bay/Peninsula area.
I used to love to go to this establishment for my anniversary and other celebrations.
My LAST TIME THERE was awful. My husband, mother and I were celebrating my husband's and my wedding anniversary. We made reservations for a specific room, but instead we were seated by a window where the mildew smelled just like concentrated cat urine. I was gagging. I asked to be moved, and we got a table in the room with the fireplace.
The meals in the past were fantastic, but this time, everything came out either undercooked or half-assed. The food was awful ... I was heartbroken because this was such a special event for us.
I complained to the management, but was totally ignored.
The bill for the three of us was $450.
NEVER NEVER EVER AGAIN.
Save your money ... go to SCOTT'S Seafood in Palo Alto instead.
PS - the cat pee stench mildew was so bad that I had to take my jacket to the dry cleaner's the next day.
I like eating "little food" because it makes me feel like my biceps and surrounding muscles are bigger than they are.
Got the tasting menu and I must say, while each individual portion was enough to feed a 2 foot pygmy dwarf, the entire array of plates was the perfect amount.
Everything was perfect except for one dish that had a slight taste of fennel which I dislike.
Not as much as I dislike sprouts though.
Sprouts are the Amanda Peet of the food world.
How so?
To me, just the hint of the presence of a sprout has a way of ruining an otherwise great thing.
Much like Amanda Peet has a way of completely bringing down and destroying whatever movie she's in.
I wonder what would happen if Amanda Peet invited me to a vegan restaurant for a sprout sandwich?
Cataclysm.
People thought this was:
WOW best meal I have ever had!
My husband and I both had the tasting menu. I got the wine pairing with it but I would recommend not getting the wine. Although the pairings were excellent, I was too full from the food and the wine made it worse. Had I skipped out on the wine like my husband did, I would have been fine but because I had about 6 glasses of wine I nearly threw up after dinner.
Dungeness Crab = 3 stars (this was the most disappointing plate)
Foie Gras = 5 stars
Bass = 5 stars
Squab = 6 stars (yes, on a 5 star scale)
Kobe Steak = 4 stars
Scallop = 5 stars
Cheese = 4 stars
Chocolate = 4.5 stars
People thought this was:
Uninspired.
The food wasn't bad. However, for the price we paid for, it was way under expectation. The portion was tiny, the taste is bland. even the setting was only so-so. We too were stuck to a small table like Gloria. The largest disappointment was the Foie Gras. They served patie instead of seared. My wife was very disappointed.
We think we wasted both our time and money there.
I got the 4-course menu with wine pairing. Fois gras trio, Scallop, Squab, and Exotic chocolate.
Fois gras trio was good. It was cooked just right, but I was expecting a more creative way for flavoring. The fois gras paste was a bit of .. mehh good ingredient though. I really like the wine pairing here - 2007 Trefethen Dry Riesling.
Scallop with truffle, sugar pie squash and cauliflower was great. The side scallop mousse was an interesting demonstration of molecular gastronomy. Not too impressed by the Chardonnay from Esterlina.
I liked my Squab a lot too. Cooked just right. The balsamic sauce was great. Not too impressed by the Cab.
The dessert, Exotic chocolate, was a disaster IMHO. It was made of several different types of chocolate desserts but none of them was too good and all of them didn't create a coherent tasting experience.
Overall the food is good for what it costs; I wouldn't do the wine pairing if I'm going again. I felt a bit awkward for being able to hear every other table's conversation word by word. The music they played was pretty...ad-hoc. It started with pop/smooth jazz in piano, then some light french chanson, and then John Coltrane, and then at the end it was some north-african style french songs. I'd say it's .. 3.5 stars.
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Yay! I'm a fan.
Chez TJ and Manresa (Los Gatos) are the two Michelin-rated South Bay restaurants, both getting 2 out of 3 stars if you care about such things. I think Manresa is a little better mostly because it is more overtly inventive than Chez TJ I also like Manresa's more modern decor and the option of outdoor garden dining. I'd recommend Manresa to people who are more adventurous and Chez TJ to those who want a more traditional French dining experience. Manresa is a bit more bold, Chez TJ's qualities are a little more subtle. However, the overall dining experience is extremely high at either place.
While Manresa has been pretty much the same quality each time I've gone, Chez TJ somehow keeps getting better. If the trend continues perhaps Chez TJ will become the other Michelin 3-star restaurant in the Bay Area. I hope not, however. So far I haven't had much trouble getting reservations at Chez TJ which is certainly not true for the French Laundry.
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I wasn't really even aware of Chez TJ's existence, which is sort of embarrassing because it's right next door to a place we frequent relatively often (the Tied House). It's a contemporary French restaurant situated in a renovated house; the rooms are very cozy and the wait staff is the most attentive I've ever had. (They actually refold your napkin while you're away from the table if you get up for any reason.)
We opted for the Chef's Tasting Menu, which my husband got paired with wine. The items were:
* a trio of appetizers: melon with bison, something yummy with caviar, and another one
* scallop sashimi amuse bouche with passion fruit; because I was pregnant they actually substituted fig for mine (without even asking), which I thought was thoughtful :)
* lobster salad with mango and a yogurt creme fraiche -- very mild tasting
* foie gras duo; the seared with peach was AMAZING (one of my top three), and the one surrounded by duck was also very good (paired with 2007 Trefethen Dry Riesling)
* day boat scallop mousse with corn and chanterelles; this was one of my top three, as well (paired with 2004 Macon Cruzille "Les Avoueries", a burgundy)
* seared Alaskan halibut with fennel and saffron; the fennel was very pungent and smelled great (paired with 2007 Moreux Chavignol Sancerre)
* pigeon pie with Swiss chard, morels, star anise jus; the presentation on this dish was downright brilliant but I personally found the bird too gamy and gave most of it to my husband (paired with 2004 Sarah's Vineyard Pinor Noir)
* slow roasted lamb shoulder with squash and summer truffle; another of my top three. Incredibly tender, and the flavor of the lamb was superb (paired with 2004 Sarah's Vineyard Pinot Noir)
* Coach Farms paire of chevre frais; I am a HUGE fan of goat cheese so these were a delight. Also, the wine pairing could not have been better (paired with 2002 Chateau Peryuchet, a bordeaux)
* an intermezzo of homemade kiwi soda with banana ice cream and a chocolate straw; something I'd gladly have on a daily basis
* pineapple carpaccio with passion fruit gelee and a coconut disc; which was very tasty and refreshing
* orange mocha trifle with chocolate gelato; my husband tried to convince me that the gelato was only passable in order to steal mine (paired with 1988 Chateau La Grave)
* lychee "sashimi" with passion fruit
* little house finishers
Overall, I'd say this is the most amazing dinner I've ever eaten. Everything was exquisitely prepared and presented, and the meal took long enough (a little over two hours) that I didn't feel overly full or heartburny while eating. I jokingly told on of the waiters that our fetus was eating better than any other fetus in the world that night :) My only complaint was that they forgot to bring us a glass of wine as well as one of the dishes, which they brought later, but it was somewhat jarring considering how fancy the place is.
SHAY TEEJAY was great!
It's like Manresa and in a little house. It has a frou frou Chez TJ sign outside that makes it easy to spot and the front door has its name in Paris subway font (that Halloweeny/haunted house font). Plenty of street parking all around.
The waiters are young and knowledgeable. They refer to you as "Sir" and "Madame," respectively. They also have good ears, one of the waiters popped his head in from the other room and reminded me that the circle fois gras was not a turkey burrito as I commented to my bf, but a something-something-something... I can't remember what he said, but he said it with a smile. They do summarize what each part of the dish is when it comes out, but at 100 mph. Another memorable moment was when I commented that our half-bottle of reisling was "so cute" he said that he's never heard someone say that before. I told him that all women think that, but are too scared to say it at a foo-foo restuarant.
Minus one star for not asking us what the occasion was (my birthday) and accordingly, dessert was presented sans candle (partially bf's fault - grrr). Also, the square glass vase had one week dead, murky water in it with a comparably dead flowers/shrub of some sort. The view of the backyard also revealed shoddy paintjob on the house and a less than manicured garden (you would think they could afford).
We had the menu gastronomique (sp?) for $85 each and half a bottle of reisling ($24). Dinner was only about $250. woo! No need to overspend and get the pairing if you're not a wine snob/foodie.
Overall, I enjoyed my time there (two hours) and thought the food was more memorable and tasty than Manresa. I really enjoyed the pineapple carpaccio (pineapple is my favorite fruit). Le bf's Kobe beef dish was great. My lamb dish was O-Kay. We had seven additional small bites including our four courses, one of which was a dessert sampling of five tastes. Another small taste included a cute little choco milkshake (I forgot the name of it - Can you tell I like sweets?).
Verdict: Highly recommended for a special occasion.
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It's like having a mini French Laundry in Mountain View. The house that was converted into the restaurant is pretty charming and transports you into a different world, especially knowing it's so close to the bustle of downtown. The front room is set for smaller parties and as we approached the back room we were actually sat near a fairly large celebration which seemed unusual for a place like this, but it was good to see that it didn't have to feel stuffy.
You can do a small 4 course menu or a 12 course large menu. Since I was meeting a friend for dinner before he left for his homeland of Greece, we just did the former for times sake. Since my friend has this interesting criteria where he'll eat only land mammals (and that's not necessarily all of them) he substituted one of the seafood courses out and the staff were glad to accommodate. So for my portion, I had:
- Artichoke Veloute
- Seared Day Boat Scallop
- Angus Prime Sirloin
- Apple Melange w/ Cinnamon Beinet, Caramel Panna Cotta
I wish I could describe all of the flavors that were both very complex and intriguing. The sirloin however was very simple and extremely tasty. I wish we had time to enjoy the restaurant more and perhaps sit down and try the full menu. The staff were very professional, refined and laid back. Will definitely be returning and give myself several hours to get the full experience. Don't rush a Michelin rated restaurant! 4.5 stars.
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Does writing a review one year after I ate at the restaurant break any kind of Yelp law? Hope not.
I enjoyed the tasting menu with wine pairings just before this place received it's second Michelin star. Although I can't remember the details I can confidently say that it was a cozy setting with beautiful, tasty dishes that created a very memorable first date.
I'll never see the guy again...but I can't wait to give Chez TJ another try!
My boyfriend took my here last year for a special occasion. He chose this place because of its 2 Michelin star rating. We ordered the tasting menu. One or two of the dishes were good, but the rest were nothing spectacular. Definitely not worth the price. The ambiance is sleepy. Too plain inside. It felt like being in an old, small house.
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Mountain View, CA
Category: French
Mountain View, CA
Category: Italian
Palo Alto, CA
Category: French
Menlo Park, CA
Category: French
San Jose, CA
Category: French
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