Parcel 104
- Price Range: $$$$
- Accepts Credit Cards: Yes
- Parking: Validated
- Attire: Dressy
- Good for Groups: Yes
- Good for Kids: No
- Takes Reservations: Yes
- Delivers: No
- Take-out: No
- Waiter Service: Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible: Yes
- Outdoor Seating: No
- Good for: Dinner
- Alcohol: Full Bar
9 reviews
San Jose, CA
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92 Reviews for Parcel 104
Best FOIE GRAS in town! My mouth is watering just thinking about it.
Definitely a place to take your date!
Prices are very reasonable for the type of presentation and the service you get. Diner is about $80/person it's a 3 courses meal. Dessert by Chef Carlos will make you want to come back for more.
Free food, free wine? I'm soooo there! With an invitation by an elite member, I attended my first ever Yelp Elite party. We had little snackies or so much stuff though I have to admit I left starving for more. Hey! I'm here for food! Ok, on to the food.
There was this oyster thing, a mini-shrimp taco thing, a small slider thing, some angel food cake thing, and a bread pudding thing with a thin slice of banana and caramel sauce. Lots of little things to taste and they were all really good. But I was hungry and it was slow.
Why I took off 2 stars? The food wasn't served as fast as I like and where I was standing, the servers had to pass by me so I know how fast they were going. Another reason was not from me but a cousin who so happen to have eaten in the private room. According to her, the service was slow, the meat was over-cooked!! and they gave her the wrong dish. Hmmm. . .
I wish I could click 3.5 stars. That 1/2 extra star bonus is for my favorite server. . . Crap! I forgot his name!!
Overall, I was satisfied enough to come back again for regular service.
Ok, so this might sound totally lame, but my company gave me Marriott gift certificates as "rewards". I had $200 worth. So when I realized I was never going to use them for a night's stay at a Marriott, I called and asked if I can use them for Parcel 104. And I could! I tell you that story to say that there's no way I could afford this place if it wasn't for that. Well, I could if it was a special occasion. But just as a night out? No way. My girlfriend is a student, I have a lot of bills to pay.
That being said - this place is what it is, a fine dining experience. We had a great time here! The server was probably the best I've ever had - he even gave us a business card at the end so we could ask for him next time. He asked us important questions and could get to the bottom of what kind of "tastes" we had - so his recommendations were spot on.
The pork belly was nearly orgasmic. For the main course, she had a steak and I had scallops. I take away one star because of the scallops. They were under seasoned and...well...bland. It made me wish I went with another entre. But they WERE fresh and my assumption is that the chef didn't want to hide the fresh taste of the scallop. But...it still didn't do it for me. Other than that, we were blown away. And I lucked out when my girlfriend couldn't finish her steak, so I got a bonus.
The desert was fun and delicious. It was the "theme" desert everyone talks about. Left us wanting more.
As for the atmosphere, it was a slow night, so we didn't fight any crowds that some people are complaining about. I guess there were no conventions in town - and it was a weeknight, so that helped, too. The decor was great and I really didn't get the feel that this was a "hotel" restaurant. It seemed detached from the hotel...even though it wasn't.
The total for 2, with wine, was $220.
Not sure I'll ever be back - unless I get more rewards at work. But we had a great time and it was a 4-star experience. If I go back and they blow me away, I'll add the 5th star.
Went here last night for the Yelp Elite party and had a blast! I've been here before on a work dinner (it's practically down the street from my workplace) and had a good meal then as well, so I was pretty excited to be able to come back and bring my hubby.
The passed appetizers were all pretty yummy, my favorites were the sliders and the mini-tacos, but I enjoyed the oysters, cheese-ball like thingy and the soup as well. Probably my least favorite was the salad/panna cotta one. I kinda wish there was more food, but that was ok since we had more than enough wine courtesy of J. Lohr! I tried all three varietals and my favorite was the cab...definitely better than their $3-4 stuff that they sell at Trader Joes...will definitely want to check their winery out later!
On to the real review...since we only had a few appetizers, my husband and I decided to stay for dinner. I thought that $64/3 courses was actually pretty reasonable...definitely cheaper than a lot of SF restaurants we've been to. For appetizers, I had a beet dish w/ a blue cheese souffle while my hubby got the pork belly...I was sooo jealous since his pork belly dish is freakin' awesome. I think even if I paid the extra $5 for foie gras, it may still be a close call between that and the pork belly, it was just that good. Since we like to get red meat at American restaurants, he had the lamb and I had the steak. While the meats were cooked well and pretty tasty, I wouldn't call it the best thing ever (that honor still goes to Alexander's). I was very surprised by the sides though...the "mac and cheese" that came w/ my steak was amazing...I could have eaten that thing all day. The desserts were pretty tasty, but by that time, we were pretty full so I prob would have enjoyed them more if I had more room.
Our total bill was a bit over $150 before tax/tip...not bad considering we also had coffee/cappuccino, and a couple glasses of wine (it did help that we walked in w/ 2 full glasses already from the yelp event!). I would probably come back when we're in the mood for simple, yet elegantly prepared American food...we've been going to a lot of French restaurants lately so it was definitely a nice change.
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A wannabe high-profile restaurant in a hotel. Yes, hotel restaurant. I've yet to have a 5-yelp-star hotel restaurant experience. You had 3-stars when I left, but then I slept on it and you will get 2-stars.
I had a luncheon seminar in the private back room. The decor/layout was nice. The restrooms were back over by the hotel side.
The waiters were all attentive. 5-stars to them.
Alas, the food was served. Three courses: salad, entree, dessert. Entree was a choice of chicken or skirt steak. Of course I chose steak.
Well, this being lunch, the steak portion was good. About 6"x4.5"x.5". It's served with thin o-rings, greens, mash. Get this... I slice it, it's raw. I slice another part, raw, I slice the other side, raw. I can't eat this. This ain't seared tuna, but that's what it seemed. I look over, I see the guy next to me chow down, maybe his was better cooked. I sent it back... expecting a new slice, I got back my slices throughly cooked. I hope it was mine and not someone else's. I see about four other steak orders sent back, there was about dozen altogether.
Rounded the tri-feca with the dessert. A shot-glass of shake with straw, a mini creme brulee, and a banana bread/cake square. All good. Thanks to the pasty chef Carlos (it was on the menu).
Plenty of parking, just make sure you get your stub validated. I would not come to this restaurant/Marriot hotel if I had to pay for parking. Pay parking in Santa Clara is stupid. Marriot is just trying to rip people off. But alas, this day your gate was open and eventhough I got validated, I just drove out... of your side gate.
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I am duly unimpressed by this restaurant. Upon reading the many good reviews from other yelpers my gf and i decided to head here for a nice romantic dinner. The location itself is built on the side of the Marriot hotl in Santa Clara.
When we got there to my astonishment there was a yelp elite event. Crazyness was what i though! It must be a sign that we are in store for some yummy food. The hostess was really friendly and let us choose our table out. The restaurant itself was pretty slow for a weekend night. Tee decor and the atmosphere of the place is nice. Nothing to brag about but it gets the whole nice dinner feel down. The mood is set right with the semi dim lighting.
Our server was SPECTACULAR!! She was very nice and attentive. She new all the descriotions and highlights of the dishes. She made her recommendations which we did also take. The menu itself is set in a 3 course meal fashion whereas you will pay $64 for 3 dishes choosing one from each category. In order to get the most bang for our buck my gf and i each order differently that way we could put our grimy fingers on each others dishes....hahaaha...I will provide the best descriptions of the dishes we ordered being that the names were way too long to remember.
1. Green salad with cheese hash brown- this dish itself was splendid the salad dressing was even mixed with a subtle taste. The cheese hash brown was delicious.
2. Foie Gras with a pea puree- I wasnt too fond of this one. I listened to fellow yelpers recommending this but was very sad after trying it. It came out totally different from what i expected. I probably shouldnt have set my own expectations on the dish before seeing it. The pea puree was horrid. I dont know if its becuz i hate peas which probably had a major factor in it or was the dish just plain not good. THe foie gras was kinda rare and there was a lil blood dripping from it. I dont eat this stuff much but i can never recall eating any type of poultry not fully cooked.
3. Pancetta crusted Halibut on a bed of shrimp, clams, and cabbage- This was huge piece of fish! Perfectly cooked to retain all its flavors and texture. The broth it was mde in was a saffron base. No complaints here aside from there was too much going on. However it was quite tasty.
4. 28 day Aged NY steak- Being that the steak was dry and aged the juicyness im used to in my slabs of meat was not there. Yet the overall taste of the steak was decent. My gf who normally stays away from any type of rare cooked meat really liked it which says alot. I personally thought it was ok. There was mac and cheese that was placed on top of the steak and there was sauteed asparagus on the bottom. You cant go wrong with asparagus so theres nothing to say about that. The mac and cheese however had this layer of crust sprinkled on top which made it taste realy nutty. I didnt enjoy the mac and cheese piled on top of my steak. Would have preferred it on the side.
5. Along with these dishes also came small lil orderves in between. They brought out a thinly sliced green tomato toped with a crab salad. A very fresh taste but the seafood juices from the crab was not doing it. Also gave us a steamed asparagus wrapped in smoked salmon. The smopked salmon was great...but you really cant go wrong with smoked salmon. The asparagus was WAY TOO SALTY though.
6. Chocolate cake stuffed with Nutella on a bed of strawberries w/ a side of mint ice cream- To any asian person when you mention nutella they are sold. I swear we love that stuff. However we didnt love it hear. The mint flavor was way too overpowering and the cake itself was very dry.
7. Napolean Tapioca with a crunchy pastry layer and sliced bananas w/ a carmel drizzle- I would definently recommend this. The taioca isself was very good along with the pastry gave it perfect texture of soft and crunhy. Im not a fan of bananas so i could live without those. The carmel drizzle was very subtle.
We tried two wines which i thought was terribly overpriced. They were 20 bucks a glass and did not complement our dinner well. The wines were way too overpowering.
Throughout the meal they changed your tools thus giving you new utensils to use for every dish. I thought that was kinda cool. The food itself isnt the best but the service is great. The decor of the lounge is also very nice. Our total bill came out to $222.00 which i thought was a bit pricey based upon the taste of the food. Overall I felt like i got ripped off. I could have gone somewhere and spent a quarter of the amount i spent here and would have had a better dinner.
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The food was absolutely delicious and they may quite possibly have the best service I've experienced at a restaurant.
They are a little bit pricey...but it is to be expected. An average meal per person is $64 per person.
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One of the few restaurants in the South Bay that I truly find amazing.
Granted I've only been here a couple times for lunch, I really enjoy the food here...particularly their seafood appetizers and entrees (tuna, salmon, bass, etc.) The menu consistently offers a variety of creative dishes that are surprisingly delicate in taste, fresh and flavorful without being too heavy or overwhelming. There's a bit of an Asian influence, perhaps.
Truth be told, I'd go back here just for the desserts. Creme brulee and chocolate cake, to be exact. Can't really comment on the wine except for the fact that the list is one of the more extensive ones I've seen around here.
The ambiance is very pleasant. Contemporary and not over-the-top fancy. Service is friendly, never too uptight.
4.5 stars for now...so I have a reason to go back (for dinner) and up-rate it to FIVE.
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The food highlighted the fare from local growers but I am disappointed to say that a lot of the "freshness" that we all brag about is lost with the over-saturation of oil and/or butter.
The proteins were delicious, however, the foie gras--sinfully delicious. The 30-day aged Kansas beef was cooked perfectly medium well throughout. The scallops were also prepared perfectly. But again, any vegetables were drenched in oil, overly sauteed.
The different tastes the chef provided with his amuse-bouche were delightful and fun, showing the variety of foods, but again, quite fatty and lacking in freshness.
Ambiance was modern. Service was polite, professional.
Overall, it was a pleasant experience. Would I come back? Not unless they decide to show off the locally grown fresh vegetables the way it's suppose to be....FRESH.
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I've dined here since they first opened when my buddies were interned here after graduated from CIA school... I took some of my clients here to wine & dine tonight & they were quite happy.
Parcel 104 is known for its daily-changing menu based on what is in season that very morning. Originally runs by Bradley Ogden, then his son (Brian Ogden/my buddy) and his staff create contemporary and creative dishes. .As always, they service was wonderful & so the food. They serve fresh farmer market & their menu does change daily & that's what I love about this place.
I had the Ceasar Salad with anchovi & they make the best sauce & they leave the whole lettuce without cutting it to pieaces. I love that ;-) I can cut them as I go.... The steak was fabulous for my client & so the Rosemery lambchop. I had the Tilefish & it was perfect crispy on the skin & melt it in my mouth ;-)
Chef Bradley Ogden (Bradley Ogden in las Vegas, One Market & Lark Creek Inn) have created 1 of the best, if not the best Californian/American (New) cuisine in the South Bay Area.
Beside the food, they also have over 500 selctions of wine... & the best of all they have almost 10 wine-flight selctions for you & about 30+ wine by the glass!
Dessert Chef Carlos Sanchez, he created the most tasty dessert ever & always have some fruits on it so you have to feel guilty to eat it ;-) The crepe with strawberries is to-die-for; however, request the samplers, you got a spoon of Creme Brule, a flute of Milk Shake, a petite size of Crepe & Strawberries & also a petite size of Chocolate Cake... YUM! (& I usually drink Dolce or Porto for dessert!)
I love to come here on midweek & sit at the kitchen table & watching them cook & serve you. It's the best ;-)
Note: They waive the corkage fee when you are a regular ;-)
PROS: The daily fresh-farm food, the wine selection & service
CONS: They are at the Marriott Hotel!
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I'd been a couple of times for lunch but this was my first dinner experience at Parcel 104 - it's much different than lunch - I'd even say much better than lunch which is actually quite good.
Overall the place deserves pretty high marks for ambiance and service. Don't be fooled by the fact that it's in the Marriott and next to the convention center, it's actually very tasteful and comfortable.
Food wise, I liked it. The chef specializes in fresh, local ingredients (who isn't these days?) and if you come at the right time, it can be a good experience. I think the theme of this menu was asparagus. I'm not kidding I think it was in 1/2 the dishes outside of dessert. Good thing we all like that vegetable!
The menu is small, which I also like, but there is enough variety to satisfy most palates. Of note were the asparagus wrapped with bacon, the aged NY strip (with asparagus and artichoke), the garlic dumplings (a very nice surprise) and the Alaskan halibut on bok choi. I'd recommend any of these dishes.
Beware though, portions are not large so either order another appetizer, or drive north on 101 after you eat and stop at the In-N-Out on Rengtstorff.
Considering the lack of quality restaurants in the southern peninsula, this is definitely worth a try.
My boss took me here when I was promoted and it was the best lunch ever. I had the shrimp cobb salad which is THE BEST. And their desserts were amazing too. It's her go-to restaurant when recruiting high profile candidates.
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Very delicious food. Great atmosphere especially for a romantic date. Each course is better than the next! If you go on a slow night, they will throw in "bonus" courses and the chef will come out to meet you. Highly recommend pairing it with their wine tastes. Someone knows what they are doing!
We ate Easter Brunch here and thought it was a fabulous experience. We got there relatively early for brunch so the we had a lot of the place to ourselves. They had a waffle, meat, oyster, cheese, bread and egg stations set up. The food was pretty good and the ambiance was quite nice as well. It's definitely on the pricier side but worth it for a holiday brunch. I ordered a mimosa and there was probably a splash of champagne in it, I couldn't really even taste the champagne, so a little on the weaker side. The drinks were separate and were not included in the charge for brunch. All in all, a good experience. The food was yummy and the wait staff were very very attentive. I don't think my coffee got to below the half way point. It was constantly being refilled. Only thing holding me back from going 5 are the weak mimosa's and the lack of fruit.
This Bradley Ogden restaurant nails it.
They've got the ambiance and style that makes you forget it's in the Marriott Santa Clara.
The food is consistently amazing. The flavors that jump from each dish.
The wine list tends to be a bit high end, but they have some marvelous finds that are well worth looking for.
Carlos is the most amazing pastry chef EVER. Several times we've dined here and have ordered every dessert choice...and that's with only two or three people dining.
This place really does it right as a special occasion restaurant.
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The kind of organic, delicious, upscale ambiance place that I am glad we do not have to drive to SF to enjoy! If it were not so expensive I'd want to come all the time.
Went here for Valentine's day and gorged ourselves at every course. Dishes were creative without getting into the bizarre fusion zone. Dessert came in a tiny trio of treats which were all amazing. Service was attentive and friendly without being hovering. Wine flights were good too.
Yes, the Marriott location is sort of random, but it was YUM.
Not worth the money.
This place is outrageously expensive, which I wouldn't have minded if the food was worth it. The portions are very small, bringing to mind the Citibank commercial where the couple in the fancy restaurant look at their plates and say "It looks like elf food," then hit the 7-11 for munchies. The menu is limited and not all that exciting. I settled for the Alaskan cod, which was bland and a little bit slimy. One dinner companion's Scallops were sandy and nearly raw. Two others got the steak, which was really good.
When we arrived the place was nearly empty, yet we (party of 4) were seated at a table near the bus station at the entrance to the dining room, and I felt like I was directly in the main footpath the whole night as waiters and busboys swarmed around our table.
The drinks were large, generous, and well done. Thank goodness, because if I didn't get mellowed by booze I probably would have been cranky by the end of the meal. The restaurant was clean and the hotel very elegant.
I'd heard good things and was impressed by their ads, but all in all, the meal was a huge disappointment.
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Although the location of the restaurant, being attached to the Santa Clara Marriott, makes one question whether the food will be enjoyable, Parcel 104 serves fine, fresh creative meals.
The three course dinner meal, at just under $70 is fairly priced, however, the industrial setting may trick the suburban crowd who would balk at such prices, more common in larger city settings.
Validated parking of 3 hours is available for diners.
I was sadly disappointed with my trip to Parcel 104. The service was lacking...eg: the staff plopped down my utensils (yes, I had to ask for them) in a disorderly fashion. Service took FOREVER and we had to ask for water and for our check-- sort of felt like I was on the moon and people forgot we were there. The food was ok, but for that price I expected better. Underwhelmed.
There are 104 reasons why Parcel bores me, but then I get to 8 and the lights go out. This is the new way to count sheep.
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I was here with fellow yelper Sheila D. I agree on all her points. Why not 5 stars?
1. It still had that "I'm in a hotel restaurant feel."
2. For $115 a person, I think it needed more shazaam.
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An uber-pleasant surprise of a restaurant - located inside a decrepit Marriott Santa Clara complex constantly undergoing some sort of renovation without any visible improvements.
Great service, delicious food (a funky way of presenting Caesar salad - whole grilled chicken breast with two huge pieces of romaine lettuce on the side (tossed with just-right amount of Caesar dressing), and little pieces of croutons, and free validated parking.
I had an enjoyable time, much to my surprise.
Parcel 104. Name sounds like a UPS delivery of military grade bio-weapons material. Unfortunately, the food tasted like an experiment as well. I guess I can't be too harsh since I was at a business meal and it was paid for, and the service was friendly enough. But for these prices, I expected a lot more.
If I start to sprout 4 arms, 3 legs and my eyes start to glow, the name will start to make sense.
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I was excited when I found out one of my co-workers was going to take us to Parcel 104. More than excited - ridiculously chatterbox-y excited. This is the sort of place I read reviews for but would never spend the money to go here myself since it's $20+ for lunch.
First the apps:
Fried Calamari and some fried fish - The spicy aioli was addictive. Everyone liked this and it was the best thing I tried.
Boar Sausage Flatbread - The boar sausage wasn't gamey at all. The cranberries were a nice addition.
Then the entrees:
Radiatori with Vegetables - $23 for a vegetarian pasta dish? (Especially when the steak is $27?). The most impressive thing about my dish was the assortment of different vegetables - especially the rarely seen purple cauliflower.
My co-workers came back from lunch and we discovered no one was all that impressed with their meals. Apparently the Mahi Mahi Sandwich was dry and the Hamburger wasn't that good (except for the fries). The Caesar Salad with Chicken was laughable with a giant head of romaine lettuce leaves (all still attached and in one hunk) with the chicken on the side. The only entree with fans with the Linguine with Shrimp and Chorizo.
Excellent service but for the price it's a really nondescript atmosphere and you could get better food elsewhere.
This is strike 3 for me for Bradley Ogden. If someone ever wanted to take me to one of his restaurants again I'd gladly go, but I wouldn't want to pay my own money. One Market was okay but nothing exciting and Yankee Pier had good dessert and a good lobster roll but wasn't worth writing home about.
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This was my first time here, and it was a great first experience. My dad and I made a reservation beforehand, and when we walked in, we were given an option of seats (the restaurant was not too busy tonight).
Pros--
*Warm, non-hard bread! One of my restaurant pet peeves is inedible, cold bread. No matter how much butter I put on it, it still ends up tasting like crap. The bread here is delicious, fresh, and I have to make myself stop eating it.
*Delicious cheese selection. The portions are just right. It comes with three types of cheese, almonds, some dried fruit, and cranberry nut bread.
*Scallops. My dad had the scallops and said it was amazing. For $37, you get three scallops. A bit pricey, but what do you expect?
*Steak. I had the 30 Day Aged Kansas Steak, Medium Rare. Delicious sauce, nice and juicy, easy to cut. Even the vegetables on top were tasty.
*DESSERT. I ordered the pot de creme. The chocolate is flavorful, but not too rich. My ideal type of chocolate. I highly recommend this. It's not too filling and doesn't leave you feeling like you just gained 20 lbs.
*Service is very fast and friendly.
Cons--
*Like everyone else, it's in a hotel. There was some type of gathering, and noisy kids kept walking by.
Overall, this restaurant really impressed me. Usually when I eat American food, I'm overwhelmed by the large portions and fatty oils. Parcel 104 leaves me full but not bloated. It's portions are generally small (IMO a major plus). I am definitely coming back here sometime soon.
I have always like this place ;-).
The food is fresh and delicious (quality not quantity people).....go to McDonald's if you want a cheap super-sized meal!!!
I have been there on quite a few occasions. I have always had a great time. The servers really know their stuff and you can tell they take pride in what they do.
The deserts are to die for!!!!
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We went here for the Valentine's Day Special. $79/person, wine extra. My fiancee also got a custom wine flight...it made her VERY happy. The meal was amazing...particularly the pre-pre-appetizer and the pre-desert. There was a lot of food...I had to be rolled out of the restaurant and I eat a decent amount for a man. She had a whole meal left over for the next day. The main course was really good, but all the other stuff around it was amazing. And ALL the food is locally grown and organic. This means it is a LOT better on the environment, which we all need to start putting into our daily thinking/living now. Save up some money and take your loved one here for an anniversary or special surprise.
The hamburger, fries, and lemonade make a wonderful lunch. The hamburger is the best I've had in any restaurant and the fries have the right amount of crunch. The lemonade is like a blended, frothy drink.
It's unfortunate I do not live or work near Parcel 104 or I'd eat lunch there more often. As it is, I feel a bit envious when my husband tells me he had lunch at Parcel 104 since he goes there all the time with his work friends. I don't believe the restaurant is open for lunch on the weekends which is too bad for me!
I've been to dinner at Parcel 104 about 2-3 times and the food and service were good, but it's the lunch meal that sticks out in my mind!
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My wife other had requested I take her here for her B-day and made sure that I had made reservations well in advance
I was supprised to see that you have to pay for parking?
I mean this is not down town LA or SF
I had to go park up on the 2nd level of the hotel's parking structure.
We went on a week night and were seated quite promptly.
We started with a drink order and it took a very long time for the drinks to show up.
There was another couple seated next to us that came in about 10~15 mins after we had sat down and it seemed they were served before we were weather it be drinks, the first course, the main course, and desert.
Not a big deal but it didn't give me that warm fuzzy feeling either.
It took a long time for the "bread" to show up to the table
and when it did it was just a small dinner roll.
They very kinda stingy with these for soem reason.
The serve told us it was a very slow night for them.
I decided to skip the Prix fixe and just go the main entree.
I ordered the beef cut they had on the menu
when it came to the table it was a little bloody even though I made it clear that I am a not a fan of bloody meat.
And the meat was warm, more like luke warm
I was not impressed with the cut I was served.
There was a good 3/8 of an inch of fat all the way along the top of the cut.
I dunno about most people but fat and gristle gives me heart burn so I try to avoid it at all costs.
My wife ordered the Prix Fixe
It started with foie gras
She liked it but said it wan't really her favorite thing to eat
Next they served her a scallop disk which she describes ad heavy but she liked it
Her Favorite part was the desert.
A mini chocolate milkshake, devil's cake, pot de creme, and a small spiget of nutelle swirl ice cream
I had the sorbet desert.
Mango, Pear, Passion fruit?, and Coconut was really nice
The Coconut sorbet was the part I enjoyed the most.
This place is pretty nice with it's Eathan Allen regardez a comme interior.
But I would not go back here for dinner.
Our server seemed more intent on getting the reasturant closed up for the night than to provide us with service, even though we came for an 8pm dinner.
I would pop in though just to order desert for a special occasion.
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It's hard to find a really good top end restaurant in the Silicon Valley. Most would think that Chez Tj or Alexanders would be the most notable ones around and that's it, however Parcel 104 makes it's own little niche on my list. I'm actually surprised at how unknown this place is. I wouldn't classify it as a hidden gem, but it could be considered one. It's located in the Marriott hotel next to the Santa Clara Convention Center and Great America. You can't see it from the highway or the street, so thus the 'hidden' aspect of it.
The food itself is great! I've had both lunch and dinner here and the quality and taste are spectacular. From the barley meatball soup, tri-beet salad, to one of the most perfectly cooked and seasoned NY strip steaks I've had...... my taste buds dance with joy whenever I eat here. They get farm fresh ingredients daily and everything is made on the spot throughout the day. One of the addicting things is the fresh bread rolls they serve. Careful not too load up on too many, but they are addicting.
Their desserts are so delicious I kind of wish I could eat nothing but dessert here. Their pastry chef is pretty well known throughout the world, however he seems like a pretty grumpy fellow. The Creme Brulee is delightful and their shot of an Oreo milkshake is sheer magic.
What I really like about this restaurant is how they offer two unique experiences that I've seen in very few restaurants. The first is a chefs table that has a 50" LCD TV that shows all the stations in the kitchen live, so you can see your meal being prepped. The other experience are a bar-style seating right at the kitchen counter. It's not a large area, but a couple or a group of up to four people can sit right at the kitchen counter and get a full kitchen experience there. It's great if you really love high-end cooking and want to see how so called 'fancy' food is created.
Pricey, but worth it. Parking can be validated, just don't forget your ticket in your car.
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The food here is 5 star. As several others have noted, they really concentrate on acquiring local ingredients and then showcasing them.
I had this little mini steak-and-eggs for an appetizer that was just awesome. Salmon with a pancetta and tomato ragu for the main course. Ooooh, man, I'm starting to drool just remembering it.
Unfortunately the whole thing was marred by our waiter. Dude, shut up. I really don't care to hear a long involved story about what some table ordered last night. Especially when I didn't even ask for your recommendations. And if you ever screw up decanting a wine for me the way you did for the table next to us, that $300 cabernet is gonna be gratis.
Sorry, getting off on a rant. We did notice there's a table in the kitchen and we'll definitely go back to try that. I'm sure the chefs don't have time for jibber-jabber.
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Even though this is a pricey dinner at around 80 dollars a head (inc tax and tip) without drinks if you get the 3 course meal, I would say this is well worth it. The quality of the food and the presentation is great. They gave us some complementary mousse prior to our starters and I almost wanted to lick the bowl... or maybe I was just starving.
I would definitely come back. The best is the desserts which they serve in sample sizes so you can taste 3 different types of desserts with the same theme. You can choose from sorbet, apple, caramel and chocolate.
Also make reservations as this place seems to be always full... or maybe it was cuz Oracle OpenWorld was going on that week. But never hurts... reservations can be made on opentable so you can get points too!!
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One of the best restaurants in the area! The food is always excellent and the servers are very knowledgable. Try the signature or chef's menu - excellent desserts. Also good as a breakfast spot. Not cheap!
My experience at Parcel 104 was short but surprised by the quality of food they offered.
I had breakfast here and decided to go with the All-You-Can-Eat.. Very well worth the "$$$". Eggs, bacon etc were all fresh, It didn't taste like it was out there for long. They offered a great variety of bread which I loved, cause a man gots to have his bread in the morning.
Service was impeccable. The waiter was an older filipino so I joked around with him, great personality and even started speaking tagalog to me LOL.
People do say it is pricey but I believe the quality of the food and the ambiance as well with the service is all well worth the price. Hell if you don't like it go to Denny's.
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The fried artichoke is so good! Steak was good and dessert was good. The service was excellent. My boyfriend had the sausage, pork chop (too dry) and pineapple upside down cake. Not bad. They didn't have oysters, which sucked!!!! But I woulkd go back.
We dined here last Friday, I have always heard good things about this place and thought to give it a try.
The restaurant locates outside of Marriott Santa Clara, or should I say it an extension building connecting to the hotel. As soon as we enters the place, immediately we felt that this is something different than anything we have tried before. The receptionist at the door was very professional, he took my coat and seated us within a few seconds. The place was not too crowded at the time ( our reservation was at 7:30pm ), and there's enough room for people to walk and sit comfortably, it's pretty spacious.
The server was quite attentive, he started by introducing himself and the special menu of the night, and drinks. We decided to try the Chef's Indulgence Tasting menu, which is a 6 course meal that has to be order for the whole table. A nice piece of bread and butter for each of us followed after we placed the order, and it was delicious! About 5 to 10 minutes the first course arrived and quickly followed by a small chef's compliment dish.
Through out the night we've asked for many other things, such as utensils, hot water, refills, and even just wanted to know how to eat a certain dish. The service was so good that we didn't even need to raise our arms to catch their attention, just looked at them and immediately they knew we needed something. And their attitude was terrific as well, very sincere, very welcoming.
The 6 course meal plus a total of 3 extra chef's compliment dishes lasted us for about 3 hours. The pork belly was too greasy, the crepe was too sweet, and the Kobe steak was a bit tough. But all this did not ruin the experience. The fact that they provide the great atmosphere and outstanding service with decent, although not perfect, food gave us an unbelievable and unforgettable dining experience of the night.
There is one course I need to give credit to: the Alaskan Butterfish with White Truffle Sauce. My Goodness, this is by far the best fish I've ever had at any restaurant. The butterfish and the truffle sauce created a perfect duo, and when you put it in your mouth the fish melts right away, then the sauce gently folds around your tongue to let the flavors be absorbed all at the same time. Just pure magic!
I would definitely recommend this restaurant to anyone who would like to indulge their special someone to something really exquisite and unique. Parcel 104, however, IS on the expensive side ( though not nearly as ridiculous as dining at a French restaurant ), but the experience should be able to last you long enough for the money's worth.
Cons: Selective dishes not prepared to our taste, Price, Might get noisy when the crowd build up, Shared bathroom with the hotel which is kind of far away.
Pros: Overall extraordinary food, Outstanding services, Lively and courteous servers, Warm and elegant atmosphere/environment.
OMG! This is an awesome place! The night started off with our appetizers which were so good. We had the prime rib piece and the pork belly. Both were made great! Then, we had the entrees. I was debating on which fish to get and the waiter convinced me on the alaska black cod and so I ate that! And boy, was I happy about that decision! It is one of the best fish I have ever had. It was made perfectly. It was absolutely amazing. The fish was moist and flaky and just the perfect blend of flavors on the dish. I loved it! I also tried the veal chop and that was really good too.
But it didn't end there since we got the dessert tasting menu of 5 courses! All were excellent...the flan, the french toast with peach and caramel, the lava cake, the tahitian vanilla ice with berry compote, and the grape sorbet! All were tasty and we also got to meet the pastry chef which was a special treat.
The atmosphere was perfert. We got a large booth in the corner where it was quiet and private and quaint. Service was excellent. They knew exactly when to come and get our dishes.
I was just amazed at how good this restaurant was! I will definiltey come back again. I can't wait to see what fish they have the next time I come since their menu changes daily!
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Update: Oh, this gets better. We double-tipped because we didn't realize the tip was included. We found out later that the waiter was supposed to highlight the itemized bill! I saw this bill and so did my stepdad, and I am 100% certain I did not see anything highlighted. Obviously two of us mysteriously missed the in