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Mon-Thu. 11:30 a.m. - 2:30 p.m.
Mon-Thu. 5:30 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.
Fri. 11:30 a.m. - 2:30 p.m.
Fri. 5:30 p.m. - 10:00 p.m.
Sat. 5:00 p.m. - 10:00 p.m.
Sun. 5:30 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.
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Heavenly.
Especially the Clay Pot Cod. I have a hard time ordering fish in general. I'm very very picky about it because my parents owned a fish market while I was growing up. I wouldn't have ordered it and didn't even want it. That fish market thing also lead to a bit of a distaste for fish - too much of anything can turn you off of it. If it weren't for my dining companions, I never would have had it. And then I would have missed the best thing about this restaurant. Phew! If I were rating this restaurant on the Clay Pot Cod alone, it would be 5 stars all the way.
The service is also 5 star worthy (and not only because last time we were there our waiter gave us an extra dessert!!). The ambiance is fab. The drinks are delish.
Why might you ask, am I giving it four stars? Well. Perhaps it's because the Clay Pot Cod is so good that everything else pales a little in comparison. Perhaps it's because the side of green beans is covered in ginger and I am the only living human with a distaste for ginger (I feel "death by ginger," might be appropriate to add to the menu). Thank goodness not every dish is as good as that one, if it were, I'd be forced to go bankrupt by going there for every available meal. Everything else is quite good. Four stars good.
It is pricey. But go anyway. Mmmmm... Vietnamese food.
Tamarine is a thoughtfully designed and beautifully executed restaurant, from the flavorful food to the gorgeous décor. I bookmarked this restaurant to try a long time ago, and was excited to go here with my husband for a special dinner out.
When I made a reservation and I asked if they use MSG - they said they don't, just as I suspected of a fine restaurant like Tamarine.
We totally splurged and had a really delicious and decadent meal:
* Tamarine Taste - A sampler for two with Taro Root Rolls, Tea Leaf Beef, Fresh Spring Rolls (we opted for veg w/o shrimp) & Papaya Salad
* Ternion of Mushroom Soup - Shiitake, Enoki & Oyster mushrooms in a chicken stock infused w/ chili, lemongrass & Kaffir limes leaves.
* Clay Pot Cod - Alaskan Black Cod caramelized in onion, garlic, black pepper & molasses.
* Shaking Beef - Cubed beef tenderloin sautéed with soy, garlic & onions; served with a watercress salad.
* Empress Rice - Sticky rice, garlic, leeks, ginger & egg; served with a sweeted soy drizzle.
* Coconut Rice - Steamed long grain rice, vanilla & roasted coconut flakes.
* Chocolate Lava Cake with raspberry coulis, vanilla gelato, and a glass of the wine the sommelier selected that pairs with this dessert.
The service was attentive and helpful. The waiter suggested the Empress Rice, which was one of our favorite dishes. Other standouts included the soup, taro root rolls, shaking beef, and chocolate lava cake (which had the best, freshest raspberry coulis I've encountered).
Our taste buds were singing. It was expensive, but we felt, totally worth it.
The only discordant note in this 5 star dining experience was the music. It was obtrusive, somewhat jarring, and didn't seem to go with the vibe I was feeling that night. Maybe if I'd been drinking at the bar, I'd like the loud up-tempo music, but it wasn't working for me for a cozy romantic dinner.
I have to admit, my husband was dancing in his seat and playing air drums with his chopsticks. At first I thought it was a "happy food" dance, but it may have been because of the strident jazzy music.
At the risk of sounding like an old fogey, could you turn down that damn music?
People thought this was:
I went to Tamarine on Tuesday night with some friends. We ordered the Tamarine shrimp, the shaking beef, mushroom soup, and an aubergine dish recommended by our waiter. Ummm, hello, can I say DELISH?!
Every bite was spectacular. The beef was like butta, the shrimp were the size of my palm (and so good we ordered another plate).
The only reason I am not giving T-dogg all five stars is because it's pretty pricey, but still totally worth it. (Especially for a hot date night.)
Great ambiance, and great food, but a little pricey. I felt like I was eating upscale chinese food half of the time. The clay pot cod melted in your mouth, and the shaking beef was delicious. The coconut rice was also good, but definitely not worth $6 per bowl. Everything tasted great and I would go back, but maybe only if someone else were paying!
Tamarine remains one of my favorite restaurants! We often bring our out of town guests here and did so last night! We also threw in celebrating my birthday a little early. The host was so sweet and had a cute little card wishing me happy birthday waiting for me at our table as well as a box of brownies! DEFINITELY a very thoughtful gesture and I appreciated it very much.
We always order the fried calamari, roti, clay pot cod, tuna tartare and shaking beef. The staff is very attentive and constantly filling our water glasses. We never had to flag them down for anything we wanted.
Vung Tau is nothing like Tamarine's. I went there over the weekend hoping for food like Tamarine's… Read more »
I can honestly say I couldn't have asked for better service. The staff at Tamarine were very well-spoken and knew their menu. The host was charming and warm, and the waiter knew the sources of most of the food on the menu. I really appreciate the frequent water refills.
The reservation was made for a Friday night with little advance notice. When we arrived, they were running slightly behind and offered to seat us at their communal table. I've never had a bad experience with communal tables, and this experience was no different. We met a lovely couple from Holland (who were thrilled with their meals) and a couple from Britain. Sitting at the communal table was especially nice for me because it is bar-height. I'm somewhat tall, and sitting at the usual table height is not my preference.
I had the Banh Mi Roti and Seared Nori-wrapped Tofu. They were spectacular. My dining partner had the Hoi An chicken and it was just as wonderful. His dish had some variety on the plate with tasty portions of different food. I was totally impressed.
Pricing was $70 for two after everything. I would definitely go back.
Since we became vegan over a year and a half ago, Tamarine has become the favorite eating/wine drinking place of my bf and I. The location is a great, and the parking is even good compared to other restaurants on Univ. Ave. in Palo Alto, since it's on the outskirts of the main shopping/dining area.
No, the restaurant isn't vegan, but the menu has several vegan menu items and others that can be made vegan on request. Earlier this year, they put a yuba (tofu skin) entree on the menu that we loved so much we had to try making something similar at home (from Bryanna Clark Grogan's blog: http://veganfeastkitch...) which my bf's whole family loved, and they are NOT vegan, so don't not try the dish just because you're an omnivore. Now they've added a vegan fish-type dish that my bf loves...the only problem with this is that it's not my favorite, it's okay but I like the yuba much better, so now instead of sharing an entree they've tricked us into each ordering our own.
There are usually about four starter plates on the menu that are vegan or can be made so. The bahn mi roti is delicious but probably not the healthiest choice, if we're feeling virtuous we skip it and have the spring rolls instead - the vegan version is minty fabulousness.
The side dishes are mostly vegan - the basil tofu is really tasty but with two entrees we don't really order it any more. There are many choices of rice you can order - brown, jasmine, coconut, garlic. The only thing that could make the rice better is if you could get say, brown jasmine coconut or brown jasmine garlic - it's the same problem I usually have at Whole Foods: how come you can get whole grain, OR a delicious flavor, but not whole grain WITH a delicious flavor added? Hmph!
The wine menu is pretty decent. We are very picky but we usually find something we like. Actually, we insist on drinking red wine but the food would probably be better served with white, or with the really super fantastically yummy peach sangria they seem to always have lately.
Finally dessert: Well, peach sangria makes a wonderful dessert. Otherwise since you're vegan they probably have some SORBET you can have (is it not one of the worst things about being vegan and going out to eat...having sorbet as your only dessert option?) Actually, Tamarine softens the blow by serving their sorbet in delicious tropical flavors with tapioca and some other...stuff...with it until it's practically like having Halo Halo.
They do make an even better dessert by special request. Just ask them for the "Rick and Laura". If they have no idea what you're talking about, gently remind them it's an order of coconut sorbet with Godiva chocolate liquor poured over the top. Yum!
The reason I am giving this place four stars not five even though I love it and it's our favorite place to eat right now is because I feel the place only rates five stars if you're sitting at the bar, which you can't make reservations for but you MAY be able to get them to hold some space for you at if you call before you arrive and request it. The bar is crowded and for good reason...the bartenders are awesome, the service is great, the other people at the bar are interesting and friendly, and it's the best place to sit in the restaurant. By contrast, especially if there are just two of you, the rest of the restaurant just isn't the same fabulous experience. Most of the seating for two is banquette style with small tables for two placed in a long row so close together you may have to drag your buttocks along the top of the table next to yours to get to the far side, which may be somewhat disconcerting for the people sitting at that table (but just wait until the people on the other side of you sit down and someone drags the family jewels along the top of YOUR table. Suddenly buttocks don't seem so bad.) The person on the aisle side of the table won't really be able to connect with the server or anyone else that comes to the table and it just become a crowded, rushed and impersonal experience.
My advice would be: if you aren't going to sit at the bar, come with at least four people so you don't get stuck in banquette purgatory. Oh also, reservations are highly recommended as that place is almost always crazy busy.
People thought this was:
good food...large variety of drinks...
yup...expensive~
The service was bad.. The food was medicore to say the least. The attitude of the hostess was abhorrent to say the least.The bartender did not even bother to spare 2 seconds to listen to my drink order.
Over rated snooty Palo Alto place ..... Complete waste of time and money
Anticipation. The handbag you've had your eye on. The Hugh Jackman film you're dying to see alone in the theater so that you can just stare without interruption. The man you've gotten to know around the office / club / neighborhood and have wanted to get to know better. You've wondered what the handbag / Hugh film / powerful man would be like; of course, the fantasy is golden and life exists on a pink cloud of ecstasy. And then...
Reality. Never quite what you thought it would be. The handbag goes out of style three weeks after purchase. Hugh's latest movie flops. The man finally asks you out and he is a narcissistic windbag with halitosis.
Tamarine was on my radar. There was anticipation. Significant anticipation. Reality was not as good as the fantasy.
I dined with three friends / colleagues for a dinner / meeting. Our server, Brandon, was awesome! Five stars for him all the way. The following is what was consumed at our table:
*Starters*
Summer Corn Fritters
Shrimp Cupcakes
Lime Cured Beef Salad
Onion Rings
*Entrees*
Three orders of Shaking Beef
One order of Hoisin Lamb Chops
Jasmine Rice
Coconut Rice
I had a glass of the Zinfandel
*Dessert*
Carrot Cake
Coconut Rice Pudding
Chocolate / White Chocolate Pudding
No, this meeting was not for the lumberjack convention. The servings are not that big! :)
Honestly, the service and atmosphere deserve five stars. The food was okay. I didn't care for the Lime Cured Beef Salad at all, and the Shaking Beef was marginal. I was hungry so I ate it, but it wasn't over the top. The Hoisin Lamb Chops were excellent! The Onion Rings were a bit greasy.
I hope to go to the bar at some point but may not eat at the restaurant again. Brandon, you rocked!!
People thought this was:
since bong su is gone, this is it now. Tammy Huynh offering a contemporary fusion menu
like slanted door, 3.5 food, pricey of course
shrimp cupcakes were interesting, got that dim sum like presentation
shaking beef was prepared expertly, tender
chili red snapper was a bit tangy, but flavorful, added hainan rice
looks like a special occasion type place for stanford folk
People thought this was:
Never in my life have I been rejected. Princess? Sure, I get everything I want. Every since the blonde met the black, aka Miss Suan W., it's only gotten better. No one can say no to the blonde and black. I was wrong.
I had a terrible day at work and needed booze and calamari since everyone knows that those are the secret ingredients to fixing any problem. The bartender told us that we had to come back at 5pm. So 20 mins later we come back and proceed to order tons of food. All I really cared ABOOT was the calamari.
Next thing you know Suan and I are having a Lifetime for Women moment while we have amazing Mango Mojitos. In every great Lifetime movie there is a mysterious heart-breaker. Enter old man, who claims to be a doctor (can't fool me). He proceeds to talk about his lady woes and I, being the kind soul I am, have to drink to endure such treachery. I never said I wanted to be a shrink when I was young! Next thing you know the old geezer buys me a shot of tequila and since I asked for a pineapple chaser the villain of the film (enter Mr. MEAN BARTENDER) tells me I'm cut off!
Since when did wanting to have a nice tasting cooter become a bad thing?
Tamarine, I cut you off!
People thought this was:
When Tamarine first opened it's doors it was sensational. The flavors were extravagant and the attention to detail extraordinary.
You can't go wrong with the Shaking Beef or the Ha Long Bay Crab Won Ton Soup.
Sadly it dips into 4 star territory these days which still makes it worth a trip, if not the $$$ you'll pay to sit with blue shirted VC folks on expense account dinners.
TACKY!!!
Your in Palo Alto on University. Not some back alley in Kansas. When someone orders a $28 glass of wine, DO NOT come back and make sure they know the price, in front of everyone. It is not one of those upscale menus where there are no prices. What do I think that a Pino Grig is really from 1928 or something. SO EMBARRASSING I clearly saw the $28, just cause there was nothing else that interested me i felt like the $28 was worth it. The economy is bad but not that bad, learn to read your customers.
Whew now that that is out of the way and I wont be returning, but those that go the shaking beef was amazing as well as the sticky rice. This is a closer version (aka South Bay Knock Off) of Slanted Door. Go if you must!
People thought this was:
Pricey but lives up to reputation!
Went for the first time on my birthday and the waiter was extremely nice and helpful with suggestions! Definitely better than Three Seasons which used to be one of my favorites. Before I go into my favorite dishes, I highly recommend making reservations, the place was packed on a Tuesday night at 9pm.
Apps:
Scallops are to die for and I don't even like scallops! Perfectly cooked with a sweet corn sauce.
Shrimp cupcakes were buttery and a treat.
Main Dishes:
Shaking Beef was great - a favorite of our table.
Duck was perfectly cooked and came with a refreshing rice.
Sea bass was a recommendation from our waiter and a great one! Very light and perfectly encrusted.
Extras:
I LOVED their sticky rice - it was delicious and could easily be eaten on its own.
Dessert:
Banana Beignets were soooooo yummy! They were the perfect size and really delicious!
Things I wouldn't get again....
The spring rolls were pretty standard - if you like spring rolls, go ahead but if you pass on them, you aren't missing too much.
The garlic crab noodles should be renamed GINGER crab noodles because they had an extremely powerful ginger taste - a little too overpowering but a great amount of crab!
I really look forward to dining at Tamarine again - definitely a place to eat at for a special occasion or when you just feel like treating yourself to great food, great service and great ambiance!
People thought this was:
I've been to Tamarine many times. The food was as good as usual. I definitely recommend the Calamari and Shaking Beef.
I'm not sure what was going on tonight, but the service was pretty terrible. The waiter may have been overworked, but we felt very neglected. After making a point to find out if we wanted tap water vs. bottled water, the waiter forgot to bring us water. We had to ask 2x, and finally got a bus-boy to bring us some towards the end of our meal.
After continued neglect, we decided to forgo dessert and walk down the street for dessert.
Also, be careful where you sit. My seat was in the room to the right of the entrance. I ended up in a seat with my back facing the main aisle. The waitstaff and other passerbys must have clipped my chair 30 times during dinner. I've had a more settled dining experience on an airline flight seated in front of 4 year old kicking the back of my chair.
I probably won't go back for awhile, and if I do, I may sit at the bar. The waitstaff and crowded atmosphere definitely didn't earn them any points tonight.
Tamarine is the best restaurant in Palo Alto. The food is of the highest quality - I always love the Crab & Garlic Glass Noodles and the Clay Pot Cod. Crazy delicious.
What comes to contemporary Vietnamese, I like this place way more than the more popular Slanted Door in the City. Perhaps Slanted Door was like this back in the day, when it wasn't spoiled by its own success yet.
While most of their dishes are pleasant surprises, Tamarine's Shaking beef is the best of the best. It is way better than what I have had in Slanted Door. Tamarine has style and the noise levels are always fairly low (a big plus in my scale).
Four stars for ambience n the tasty ban mi roti~! ...
loved the shaking beef~! tender n simple but combination with arugula n tomato salad? hmm... not a brilliant idea
totally loved the ban mi roti with curried-peanutty?- sauce
3 for price...
For Thai food I thought it was bit over price...
2 1/2 for service....
our server wasn't very attentive
4 stars for ambiance...
a bit overpriced for what you get (even thought the food's pretty good!)...
A friend picked Tamarine for a celebration of my upcoming birthday, when we arrived, there is a surprise happy B day card and a gift box on our table-a very nice gesture from the maitre d', I usually come here for lunch but this place is packed for a Tuesday dinner. We ordered several dishes and have it served family style, all dishes were with intense flavors except the lemongrass seabass, it was massaged with too much salt, none the taste of fresh lemongrass, a pity; handsome decor, trendy crowd, full bar, great choices of desserts and teas, adequate wine list and friendly service. Overall, this is a top choice in downtown Palo Alto for fusion/Vietnamese food without driving the distance to the city.
Usually when black and blonde are together, all the boys drool and pitch trouser tents. Not so this time! Justine H. and I came here 20 minutes to 5:00 PM on Wednesday for early drinks and appetizers. The bartender told us to come back when they were open. REJECTED!!! We took our wounded hearts elsewhere for alcohol until Tamarine finally re-opened for dinner. The same bartender told us he would give us a free appetizer to make up for turning us away earlier. Score!
We ordered three appetizers and eight Mango Mojitos. Can you tell we like our cocktails? These alcoholic concoctions are God's gift to women. We even made friends with the employees: Oscar, Luis y David. Hola guapos! And then, a horrible thing happened. Justine wanted another Mango Mojito and the bartender wouldn't let her have one.
HE CUT OFF HER ALCOHOL SUPPLY AND SHE WASN'T EVEN CRUNK!
What a bully!
Anyway, I've obviously tried the food here too:
-Calamari is a must order! The pieces are thickly cut and accompanied by a cilantro sauce.
-Chicken Skewers are average. Good but nothing outstanding.
-Delicious Tuna Tartare!!! An anorexic's dream meal!
-The Taro Root Rolls are deceiving. I could not taste any taro at all!
-Clay Pot Cod tastes like a salt mine.
-I was excited to try the Shaking Beef, but my experience was anti-climactic and sodium-rich.
The moral of the review is: come here for the ambiance, appetizers and Mango Mojitos. Skip the entrees and make sure to sit far away from the bartenders so they don't know how much you've been drinking.
Oh, shit. I just remembered they confiscated one of my unfinished mojitos. WHY?!
People thought this was:
We had a reservation yet they made us wait for 30 mins because the previous customers wouldn't leave the table. Restaurants should always have extra tables available for the situation like this.
Food was great ( However, I found the cod salty )
located at the far end of university ave away from stanford
nice ambience, i've been here multiple times - whether in an intimate setting or in a large group with the private room in the back, the food has always been good and consistent - can you find tasty cheaper vietnamese food somewhere else - sure. but they do things a little bit differently and it's a nice place to take a date or your parents
One of the best Vietnamese restaurants in the Bay Area. Great bar and wine list. Beautiful presentation of dishes but priced on the high side. Must try the Vietnamese fresh Sping Rolls.
I LOOOOOOOOOOVE this place. The first time I came here, my taste buds just about curled up and died from pleasure. I especially recommend the tuna tartare appetizer, the shaking beef, the seared duck (OMG, soooo good), and the empress rice. I seem to remember there used to be this halibut which was pan fried and DELICIOUS but it no longer seems to be on the menu. Please, treat yourself to a culinary adventure by giving Tamarine a try. It's not cheap, but it's definitely worth it!
This is definitely top of my list when I want to take someone out for a celebratory dinner.
People thought this was:
This is a dessert rating:
I simply love the panna cotta and the tapioca. In my opinion, you just can't go wrong with panna cotta. But the tapioca, OMG, blew my mind when I tried it. I asked for the green sauce on the side as it would've been too sweet for my taste but everything else was brought out just right. I gobbled that thing down in a matter or minutes. And it's big enough to feed 4. Must of been an easy 1000 calories with all that coconut milk and tapioca, and it'll probably show up on my waist line in the not too distant future, but it was worth it. As long as I don't make a habit of it. ;) $8 for a little bit of dessert heaven.
I'm going back to try the food soon.
Nice atmosphere, quiet and calm. Seated promptly walking in on a Tuesday night. Mainly Americanized Vietnamese food, good size menu, lots of selection.
Shrimp Cupcakes were tasty, prawns were good, had nice coconut flavor, slightly salty but still good.
Crab and garlic glass noodles reminded me of filipino noodles but better because of he crab.
Peppercorn Hanger Steak was cooked perfectly.
I would definitely go back.
People thought this was:
My girlfriend and I came in here for a bite and some wine around 9:30, almost closing time. We ordered a relatively inexpensive bottle of Rose which was fruity and tasty. They even cork it for you and let you take it home. We started off with the tuna tartare app which was spicy and the crisp of the chips was a great accompaniment to the mushy tuna. Then we ordered the hoisin lamb chops. Minus one star for the chewiness of the meat. We ordered it medium, and it came cooked right but the quality of the meat just didnt do it for me. I like my lamb to melt in my mouth. The hoisin sauce was tasty however.
Minus another star for feeling like we were being rushed by our server. It wasnt 10 yet, but our server said we had to order right then because the kitchen was closing.
People thought this was:
We're in a recession? Yeah, riiiiiiiight.
At Tamarine, diners seem to be oblivious.
This swanky place is great for special occasions or business functions. Everyone looks good. Me, I showed up in jeans and felt very self-conscious telling the hostess that I had a reservation there. But I ate like all the beautiful people around me.
Our server, Kami (something like that) was exceptional. She gets five stars--hands down. Gracious, friendly, knowledgeable, and right on the mark with her recommendations. Though the food is good, it doesn't quite get the same marks.
The run-down:
Tartare-- good, but not excellent. (It didn't strike me as having jumped right out of the ocean.)
Black bean seared tofu (looks like filo dough, but made with tofu skins) - a bit salty, but excellent with lots of rice.
Banana fritter type dessert - good, but again not excellent
Riesling - excellent
Since I'm mostly-vegetarian, I did not touch the quail appetizer or lamb chops, but my dinner companion seemed to enjoy it.
Sum: fine dining in Palo Alto...nice you don't have to go the city for it.
Can't believe I've forgotten to write a review on Tamarine. Tamarine is one of my favorites in Palo Alto. Great small and large plates. Love the hoisin lambchops and shrimp dish (can't remember the name). The only downside is how close the tables are. I really don't enjoy hearing the next table's conversation. There's literally about a foot in between the tables.
People thought this was:
The ambiance of the place was very nice. Perfect for a date or even a night out with friends. The bar area was happening and I liked the fact that they had enough seats for people to sit on.
For dinner, we ordered the following dishes:
* Sweet Potato Fritters: these were delicious with the right crispiness! I would highly recommend this dish!
* Papaya Salad: this dish was fine but I expected it to be a bit spicier. It was topped with beef jerky which was a nice surprise.
* Crab with Garlic Glass Noodles: this dish was different and very tasty...and they were very generous with the crab meat...but beware of the giant ginger pieces. I bit into one thinking it was crab meat :)! hehe
* Honey Miso Duck: the duck was perfectly cooked...moist and non-fatty.
* Clay Pot Cod: probably one of my favorite dishes of the night. The cod was light and very tasty.
* Long green beans: this was probably my least favorite dish...didn't have much taste to them.
For dessert we shared an order of the beignets which came with vanilla ice cream.
For everything we ordered, the bill cost a bit over $100...which isn't bad for all the food that we ordered. I would definitely come back here again.
People thought this was:
This place is incredible. Maybe my favorite high end restaurant in the South Bay.
Here are my favorites:
- Banh Mi Roti (the best I have ever had)
- Hoisin Lamb Chops
- Chili Lime Aubergine
- Crab Glass Noodles (not currently on the menu for some weird reason - bring it back!)
I would suggest booking a reservation because I do not like to get stuck on the community table (a long table where you sit next to strangers). The tables are much nicer with better ambience.
I'm Vietnamese and have had Vietnamese food all sorts of ways - at home by my mom, in Vietnam (Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City), and various Vietnamese restaurants in the US.
Tamarine is one of my two favorites (the other favorite is the Slanted Door).
The flavors are authentic but much more refined. Presentation is fantastic (no wet utensils nor dishes here).
I wish there were a Tamarine in Boston.
People thought this was:
Tamarine is our go-to place in Palo Alto. The ambiance reminds us of being in NYC -- cool yet comfortable, with a hip urban edge.
The food is consistently good. Our favorite dish is the shaking beef -- amazingly delicious. The appetizer sampler is a great choice, too.
If they replaced the chipped dishes and had friendlier hostesses at the podium, I'd give it 5 stars.
People thought this was:
Incredible food - can't believe it took me 5 years of living in the Bay Area to come here.
As others have mentioned, the shaking beef, clay pot cod, empress rice, and crab and garlic glass noodles are top notch.
The white wine sangria is also an excellent cocktail. I'd definitely go here again.
The food was all tasty, no complaints at all. We had:
Hoi An Beef Roll
Tuna Tartare
Tamarine Prawns
Shaking Beef
Honey Miso Duck
Coconut Rice
+ a few things I forget
It's one thing to be expensive and serve a good portion, it's another to be expensive and give you very little. Tamarine falls into the latter. The small plate portions are just that - small. $26 for chunks of beef? So this is not a place I imagine most people would be able to afford on a regular basis. You're paying for the atmosphere, which isn't all that spectacular anyway.
Great wine list and cocktails. Because we ordered a $170 bottle of Billecart-Salmon rose Champagne, waiter said he wouldn't card us but implied that he really should. I showed him anyway. I know we look young, but seriously.
Inside is dark and sophisticated. Our table was somewhat close to the door and I felt a cold draft every time the door opened. And not the good "Coors Light Cold Activated Bottle Super Cold" kind of draft.
I don't know if it was because our bill was so much, but they accommodated our complicated payment (certificate, and split 2.5 ways etc). We closed down the place shortly after 10 on a Friday night. Not a late night place, even though there is a full bar.
I'm perfectly happy to pay a lot for good quality, much happier to pay very little for it, and quite averse to paying a lot for so-so or poor quality/value.
Verdict: I'd come here again. If I wasn't paying for it.
People thought this was:
In the words of Borat..."I liiike". This place is always packed. The food is consistenly good and the ambience is pretty nice as well. IMHO, this is a much better version of Slanted Door. If you live in the Peninsula, go here and save yourself a drive and some $.
People thought this was:
There is nothing else I can add to give credence to this place.
Last Saturday, my kindred spirited girlfriend and I decided to break bread here post-Cantor Museum afternoon inundation.
We enjoyed the Hibiscus Martini, the jasmine rice served on Banana Leaf, the silver noodles with the perfect spices, ahi tuna apps, the spicy green beans side and the large prawns apps.
Our cocktails were followed by a few glasses of red, our service staff excellent, the crowd predictable: well, during prime time dining hours, the droves of your typical rich suburbia and obnoxiously bejeweled yet plain-minded folks arrived, while my free-thinking mind soared in conversation.
The venue is great. A good sister of Bong Su of SOMA in the city, in my terms, it's even better than Bong Su.
People thought this was:
Tamarine is a great restaurant for a party of more than two so you can order a few pre entre apps and share. The scallops and green curry was tasty but very, very mild and the wok pho noodles with beef were standard. The service was perfect and the ambiance decent if a little on the older side.
Honestly, I felt full and not much else after walking out of Tamarine. There are many Vietnamese restaurants that I prefer.
Best part of the night was my cute dress and the specialty drink I ordered (wish I could recall the name.)
People thought this was:
the interior is very nicely designed, and the ambiance is elegant. the food was ok, but then again i'm not a big fan of vietnamese food. i got the cherry glazed sonoma duck, but it was nothing to write home about. now the shaking beef, on the other hand...oh, shaking beef!
Palo Alto, CA
Category: Vietnamese
Palo Alto, CA
Category: Greek
Palo Alto, CA
Category: Chinese
Palo Alto, CA
Category: Cuban
Palo Alto, CA
Category: Italian
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