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Zitune - CLOSED
Categories: Restaurants Moroccan Restaurants Mediterranean Moroccan, Mediterranean [Edit]
325 Main StLos Altos, CA 94022
(650) 947-0247
- Attire:
- Casual
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Price Range:
-
$$$
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Good for Kids:
- No
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- No
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
123 reviews for Zitune
Review Highlights
"Duck confit pastilla: Wow wow wow."
(in 17 reviews)
"The Chocolate Pot de Creme, on the other hand, was GOOD."
(in 8 reviews)
"Cookies and date cake were just to die for."
(in 17 reviews)
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123 reviews in English
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Review from Kelly G.
La Quinta, CA
1/15/2011
Yummy!!! Amazing tagines and fantastic service.
I'm heartbroken that they're closed now! -
Review from Lis B.
2/11/2011
Sorry that I'm late to the party. I liked this place and I'm sorry it closed. It was an upscale place to have lunch with good food and excellent service. To be sure, it was pricey, but hey, the place was in downtown Los Altos and used very fresh ingredients.
There's not much else downtown and I don't know what's going to happen to the space. -
Review from Angela L.
12/23/2010 3 Check-ins Here
I can honestly say now I have been to this Moroccan restaurant located in the heart of Los Altos that my dear friend loves so much. It did not disappoint.
I made a last minute reservation via opentable. As such, I was able to get reservation within the last 30 minutes. It probably was because it was a late Sunday nite on a wet, cold nite. Surely enough, we were overly dressed even for Zitune. As we made our way to the hostess, she gave us the choice to be seated literally anywhere given probably because it was a Sunday nite.
The ambience was nice and warm. The staffs were very nice and inviting which made our first visit not the last . I decided to have ice water and my friend got the alcholic drink....Tanqeray tonic I believe. Given the fact we had a light dinner prior to coming here, we ordered two appetizers each in place of a main course. Of course, I got the ever so popular duck confit pastilla. That was absolutely delish because it was crispy on the outside and the duck meat just melt in your mouth. I also got the brussel sprout salad, interest choice of salad but nontheless, yummy!
My friend ordered the squash soup along with the scallop dish. The richness along with the creaminess of the soup, pleased my friend. A definite plus is that it was piping hot just like he likes it. He wasn't as keen with the scallop dish because they overcook it.
Overall, a very good choice of selections of dishes that we enjoyed. Service was reasonable. We definitely come back to try their many scrumpitous dishes along with their wine and cocktail lists. -
Review from John G.
12/19/2010
4.5 stars, rounded up to 5 and well deserved. The finest lamb shank I have ever experienced. Tender, falls off the bone, tasty, lovely spices, and in a reduction sauce to die for. Lovely setting and presentation.
Handsome restaurant on Main St. in Los Altos. Sharp interior with bar on right upon entry, and tables/booths for dining to the left. Very nice encounter with friendly greeter. We were seated promptly.
Excellent service all around. Nice wine selection. The Cab by the glass is really super with the lamb shank. Had the mixed green salad for starters. Lovely presentation of lettuce, olives, feta chees, onions and a superb dressing. Tasty for sure!
Following the lamb shank feast, I had the date cake. Yummy and very tasty. Chef got written up in the Metro as one of the 5 in the area to watch. I would agree with that for sure. Will be going back for some of the Moroccan dishes.
Great dining and great experience. Highly recommended!!!
ps: the photos on Yelp are accurate. -
Review from Jenny H.
11/16/2010 1 Check-in Here
I came here for the Silicon Valley Restaurant Week, so they had an appetizer, entrée, and dessert for $35. I tried some of my friends' food too, so here's a review of all of it:
BRUSSELS SPROUTS SALAD : Great brussel sprouts salad served with chorizo, julienne carrots, pita croutons and a cumin vinaigrette. The dressing wasn't too heavy, so it was a nice start to the meal.
DUCK CONFIT PASTILLA : This is highly recommended on Yelp, so we had to try it out. The duck was very flavorful, but the sauce was a little too sweet for me. I'm glad I only had a few bites of it. I'd probably be sick of it if I had ordered it myself.
MATBUCHA TART : This was a combo appetizer served with matbucha, spinach bekoula, eggplant, goat cheese, and pita bread. I enjoyed it because there was a nice selection.
SALMON TANGEROISE : This was pan roasted salmon served with escarole and clams. The salmon was a good size, and wasn't overcooked so it was very tender.
M'ROUZIA TAGINE : Lamb shank spiced with prunes, honey, raisins and almonds, served with couscous on the side. Similar to the Duck confit pastilla, the sauce was overly sweet which made it hard to enjoy.
PANNA COTTA : Very good, especially with the persimmon sauce. I love persimmons, and I don't usually see it on the menu, so it was a nice choice.
ORANGE BLOSSOM MAHALBI : Good dessert, too bad I coudln't tell what it was that I was eating.
Overall, it was a nice meal, where everything was good, but nothing was really great or made a strong impression. At the same time, nothing was bad either, so I would come back, because it's a nice place with good decor. -
Review from Bryce B.
8/22/2010
Moroccan flavors tempered with classic French technique, Zitune is a downtown Los Altos gem. The dining room is comfortable, warm and intimate; the perfect foil to the flavors to come.
And, speaking of those flavors, they are presented to precision and restraint, which can be a challenge considering how strong Moroccan spices can be.
Among the dishes tried were:
Pastilla (duck wrapped in phyllo dough): A fantastic starter. Crispy exterior and warm, moist duck confit interior. Complimented with caramelized onion and sweet reduction sauce.
Mezze (selection of olives, eggplant dip, hummus and pita bread)
Octopus and squid: Intensely smoky and with just the right amount of chew.
Lamb Tagine: Probably the most traditional of all the dishes sampled, this was served with prunes, honey, raisins, almonds and couscous.
Alaskan Halibut: Perfectly seared and served a top a summer succotash and couscous.
Zitune also features an amazing list of original cocktails, notably the Lavender Blood Orange Cosmopolitan, Cilantro Margarita, Raspberry Thyme Lemon Drop and the Cucumber Martini.
Service was merely "OK". Our server didn't seem to be into it and was merely going through the motions. -
Review from Sharon P.
Los Altos, CA
This is one of my favorite restaurants, and it is right here in my neighborhood. It is probably the fanciest restaurant in the entire town. The decor is lovely, but it is the food that we come back for almost every month!
What got my attention at the first place was their famous house specialty - the lamb tagine, but what truly impressed me was their fois gras. To me, it was the dish to die for. So it was a big disappointment to me to find out earlier in the summer they had taken the fois gras off the menu temporarily. But there are other dishes we would come back for.
With a visit at least once a month, my husband and I have tried almost every dish on the menu, and not a single one we don't like. My new favorite appetizer (since fois gras is not available) is the duck confit pastilla, our favorite salads are the Zitune salad, and from the summer menu, the heirloom tomato and water melon salad. Who would ever thought putting water melon with tomato together? Simple yet absolutely delicious, you can even duplicate that at home.
Their menu really doesn't change much, occasionally there will be a special of the day. The chef/owner is changing the presentation of some dishes to give them a new look and a slight change of flavor.
During a visit last week, I was thrilled to hear that the fois gras might be back on the menu very soon! I can't wait to return! -
Review from sandra m.
San Bruno, CA
7/29/2010
This is one of the best restaurants I have ever been to. We were welcomed in by what seemed like the entire staff. The waiters and manager were hilarious and joking about each other around our table. Made the night very entertaining.
The wait staff is very knowledgeable with the menu and made excellent suggestions based on your taste and what it is you're looking for. We all decided on traditional Moroccan food.
Everything was delicious and the head chef even came out to wish my boyfriend a happy birthday. -
Review from Sina O.
San Francisco, CA
Updated - 1/14/2011
Los Altos Town Crier bottom front page "Distinguished downtown restuarant Zitune closes suddenly"
TOLD YOU SO!!!! except...the article is full of bullshxt and not taking accountability, on behalf of the Los Altos Town Crier AND the restaurant owners.
"Suddenly"? First off that is contradicted by quotes of the restaurant owners in the article. It was not sudden at all, they had been not getting enough business, ever. I can attest to this, walking by the restaurant and usually there would be the dismal site of 1 or 2 tables with people sitting out of the many.
Second, the town crier cites the Bay Area & Wine Country Restaurants 2011 rated Zitune recommended, and that it is a "distinguished honor". OooOohhhHH "recommended" what an AMAZINGGG honor! Never heard of Bay Area Wine Country either, not exactly a Zagat. So eh not really something to blatantly brag about...plus the Wine Country Restaurants 2011? aww too bad, the restaurant just closed before 2011.
Restaurant owner Kim Auerbach says the honor "was a reflection that even though we were struggling (financially), we never compromised"
perhaps never "compromised" after the fact, but perhaps because you compromised from the very beginning with mediocre dishes and high prices. AND even if you didn't compromise, you never exceeded! Which is what you need to do to have a new restaurant flourish, especially in downtown Los Altos.
Auerbach said "We thought there were enough people who would appreciate our food and not go to San Francisco or Palo Altos for dinner..."
LMAO, of course we rather go to SF or even Palo Alto for dinner. Do you know the kind of restaurants they have in SF?? They are innovative! They are exceeding expectations! Many pride themselves using local organic produce! They have unique and lively environments! And many at the same price you charge for your experience. Not to mention in SF, perhaps there would be something to do after dinner, instead of having to pop a valium when you look at the depressing ghost town downtown los altos is starting after 5 pm. Yes, maybe that last aspect is not completely controllable by the restaurant owners, but choosing to open in this shxthole of a downtown WAS.
She continues "Unfortunately not everyone came back frequently enough...People don't come into town to support businesses enough"
Well first its pretty simple that when people didn't come back enough they didn't like it enough. That is like 1+1=2 or ABCDEF...hello?
And second, like I said above, people come, they want to come to support businesses...but two things....there is barely any businesses! Most places close after 5 because they are boutique stores, or random "typewriter stores" that are probably fronts for some shady immigration deal because they have stayed in business all these years and last time I checked, no one fuking uses typewriters anymore!
2nd, there is one restaurant in downtown Los Altos that isn't mediocre, it's called Los Altos Grill (formerly Bandera), so you can blame all you want on "the Los Altos downtown revitalization we had hoped for never materialized" and all that jazz, but last time I checked, Los Altos Grill was packed to the brim, on a weekday!
Let me make myself clear, I never had it in for Zitune, I don't mean to gripe about Zitune, but I do have a bone to pick with anyone who decides to march into downtown Los Altos open a mediocre restaurant charge embarrassingly unfair prices and cry all the way to the bank when their business fails, and Zitune did just that.
Let this please be the final lesson for any future potential businesses, especially restaurants, this is NOT the first time this has happened, and quite frankly, I am getting sick of it.1 Previous Review: Show all »
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12/29/2010
Once again a restaurant in downtown Los Altos makes me suspect most the money goes towards the rent… Read more »
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Review from Penny Y.
San Francisco, CA
I love lamb. I love spices. I love dates. I love all of them combined! And what cuisine has all that? Moroccan food!! Zitune really takes a place in my heart!
I came with a large group of coworkers so get ready for the breakdown of almost the entire menu:
- Cucumber martini: I'm not much of a martini fan, so yes this was good, but not my 'cup of tea'
- Lavendar blood orange cosmo: I'm a bit wary of lavendar in foods / drinks since it can easily taste like drinking soap, but this was amazingly delicious! I couldn't get enough!
- Monterey calamari & octopus: Not your traditional fried calamari, but nicely done and tender.
- Dungeness crab cake: This was BIG! One could probably be enough for 3 people. Also very flavorful and perfectly fried - one of my favorite appetizers.
- Duck confit pastilla: Wow wow wow. That's all I have to say. This was, hands down, my favorite of the night! The caramelized onions lend a fabulous sweetness to the duck and the almonds / pastilla added a great crunch.
- Duo of Morrocan Spiced Lamb: I really wanted to get the M'rouzia Tagine (which is the lamb shank cooked in a tagine). However, the waiter convinced me and several colleagues to get the Duo of the Spiced Lamb (which was similar to the shank) and kefta (Moroccan meatballs). It came out on a plate with couscous on the side. The lamb was good - tender and well-spiced, but it wasn't in a tagine and it wasn't bone-in! I was REALLY feeling like having bone-in shank with meat that melts off the bone, but unfortunately this wasn't it. The kefta had nice flavor, but I couldn't get over the fact that the spices weren't ground enough because I kept getting crunches between my bites. So, although this wasn't what I was expecting, the food itself was good, so I didn't deem the annoyance enough to dock a star.
Vanilla bean Panna Cotta: YUM! The vanilla bean flavor was incredibly pervasive and I loved it!
Briouats: These are the Moroccan version of baklava. I have to say they're not my favorite. I found them a bit too sweet, but they did have a good orange blossom flavor. I ate more of the ice cream that came with it than the briouats themselves.
Date cake: My favorite dessert! It was wonderfully warm and moist. We had to order more for the table.
Pot de Creme: This was rich, creamy, but not cloying. Not my favorite, but I really liked it. What made this even better was those Moroccan cookies. I don't know what they used to flavor it, but it was so delicious that I couldn't get enough!
Overall service: The host was funny and even offered to take our group shot at the end. The waiter was helpful, but his personality was a bit stiff - didn't really crack jokes... or get our jokes. But overall very attentive and knowledgeable. -
Review from Glynn E.
Los Altos, CA
1/17/2011
I am sorry they closed, the food was the best in downtown Los Altos
It was kind of pricey but we enjoyed the lamb dishes -
Review from e f.
San Francisco, CA
7/16/2010
Mediocre at best. When the cost of the meal is considered, this place is well below average. The cocktails are first rate. However, my delicate salad was over dressed and oily. My meat entre (one of their signatures) was cooked perfectly but there was no accompanying vegetables and the sauce overpowered the dish. My dessert tasted like a cellulose sponge (literally).
The service was very good. However, I did not experience any of the delicate or pleasantly unusual flavors that I would expect of a restaurant at this price. Even at half the price, the meal would have been mediocre at best. -
Review from JR L.
San Jose, CA
This is probably the only place so far that's deserved my 15 dollars for lunch in Los Altos. The "downtown" area here is notorious for being over priced but I felt comfortable paying for the quality of food and service I got here at Zitune.
I came here with two of my coworkers and the first thing I noticed as soon as we all got our food was that everyone became completely silent. That's always good sign when food is concerned; we were all too busy enjoying our lunches to drum up chit chat. Since this was my first time here I went simple and order chicken so next time I come by I'll be more adventurous and give one of their lamb dishes a shot. -
Review from Dave L.
Los Altos, CA
9/5/2010
Excellent food with creative presentation, hit and miss service, nice decor, Los Altos prices.
We arrived at Zitune around 8:50 PM on a Friday night. I asked if they were still serving dinner thinking it was really more of a rhetorical question since their stated hours are until 10 PM. The host informed me that the kitchen was thinking of closing soon, but they MIGHT serve us -- he had to go check. Of course they rushed everything -- "are you ready to order yet?" etc. All while they aren't supposed to be closing for another 70 minutes. (minus 1 star)
Otherwise, the food was delicious and creative, as usual. Wine list is very limited. Prices are Los Altos. -
Review from Jeff H.
Menlo Park, CA
8/6/2010 Seated via OpenTable
My wife and I went here for our 10th anniversary. Neither of us had ever been here before, so thought it was a good reason to try a new restaurant.
We made a reservation for 2 for 7:00 and showed up about 6:45. The restaurant wasn't busy at all so we sat at the bar and had a few drinks. They had a happy hour special for $3 for any draft beer and while they only have three beers on tap, the choices were good... a Belgian White, a Porter and a Pilsner.
We sat for dinner about 7:15 and ordered appetizers and dinner. It was slow enough that the bartender was also serving as the waiter. Service was good and the menu has a wide variety of interesting choices from fish to lamb to steak to vegetarian options. My wife had an appetizer of some sort of spinach/mushrooms/goat cheese in a pastry shell and I had the sweet corn soup appetizer. Both were excellent.
For dinner, my wife had the rock shrimp risotto and I had the sea scallops with parsnip puree, a saffron sauce, and interestingly enough watermelon ball garnish. I thought the risotto was good but not extremely interesting. My sea scallops were excellent and the dish had a great combination of flavors. The only thing I'm not sure about is the watermelon. When I tried including it with the scallops it would overwhelm the flavor of the scallops. So while interesting on the plate, I don't think it worked in the same bite as the scallops.
We passed on dessert as nothing on the menu really caught our eye. Total bill for dinner and drinks including tip was about $105 so not a bad value for the whole evening. I would certainly go back and try this place again! -
Review from kim n.
12/30/2006
A brand new restaurant opening in Los Altos' Main street drag. I had read about it online and was intrigued since in the south bay, there's not too many Moroccan places to choose from. In fact I think Menara in SJ is the only other place I know of but have yet to try.
As you walk into the large glass facade of the front there is a small reception podium, a medium sized bar to the right, dining tables taking up the rest of the space until you hit the kitchen in the back. The space is dimly lit with dark earthen tones and art covering the walls. The service staff are clad in black and are very attentive. As we sat we were offered both sourdough and olive bread accompanied by a white bean puree spread and cured olives.
We started off with the duck confit pastilla, which was a phyllo-ish pastry filled with the shredded duck confit. It was served with a spiced honey sauce that proved to be quite tasty. For the entrees I went with the monk fish while my dining companion went for the scallops. The monk fish was served atop a sauce of grapes, tomatoes, sausage and surrounded by mussels. The scallops were seared and served with parsnip puree, mushrooms, and a turmeric cream sauce. I'm always intrigued by the Mediterranean/African flavor intersection and the entrees here were all well cooked and complex in their tastes.
As noted earlier the servers are very attentive and took care of all of our needs. They also make some tasty mixed drinks here and I think my only complaint is that the menu is a bit pricey for the portions you get. I must note however that this is Los Altos, so you're going to be spending accordingly. A pretty smooth grand opening and I'm looking forward to trying more things as it was mentioned that the menu will change at least seasonally. -
Review from Jess C.
1/11/2009 8 photos
The hostess looked a little like... a hostess swirl cake. Unflattering body in an unflatteringly tight, sleeveless black dress and chunky tall boots. Zing, I said it, I mean seriously, not appropriate attire for a restaurant like this.
There are a LOT of employees here. Customers (me + 2) were outnumbered 5 fold by employees, which you'd think would guarantee quick and attentive service - however, it did not. No points docked here because the manager was so nice. Check opentable for 1000 point dining!
The food was solid, my favorites were the beef tenderloin which was thick, juicy and flavorful served over a bed of rich pureed potatoes. The leg of lamb was good too (I've never had a bad one yet) and I loved the cous cous, cooked in chicken broth I think?
Dessert:
I hate to admit it, but I'm a chocolate pot de creme SNOB. I like it creamy, rich, not too sweet... none of that 3 ounce ramekin business. I want a POT of cream. Miette, that's right, I'm talking to you and your tiny portions. The toasted, crispy hazelnuts was a nice twist.
The date cake was warm, moist, and tasted like it had a touch of molasses. It's something I'd never have ordered had I not seen the rave reviews here, but I highly recommend even if you don't like dates.
I guess Los Altos is now more than a public library and Satura Cakes! Make reservations, dinner picks up at around 6:30pm. -
Review from Beah B.
Lansdowne, PA
1/2/2009
kinnnnnnnnd of disappointing. I sort of hate to bring the rating down with a two-starer, but our meal just wasn't that good. Call me a snobby ex-San Francisco Range-loving, marrow-eating, wine-swirling blowhard, but I like a little more complexity in my flavor profile when the entree price jumps up over $20.
I got the lamb tagine -- and I LOVE a good tagine -- but it was mostly just sweet and goopy. And the lamb wasn't even THAT tender.
Service was friendly but not oustandingly professional. And my glass of wine was a bit of a let-down; I don't think they stored the bottle cool enough. This is not uncommon, but always disappointing at more upscale venues.
Maybe my standards will drop as I settle into South Bay/Peninsula living, at which point I will try to remember to update this review with an additional star.
Eh. Sorry. -
Review from Shanna K.
6/28/2007
Only open a short while, the folks at Zitune are eager to please and doing a great job.
The bartender, Josh, is an artist. REALLY knowledgeable guy...makes his own syrups, infusions and what not. Don't miss the specialty cocktail list. Lots of tasty treats.
The wine list is small but steadily growing according to the management and we were happy with our choice of St. Innocent Pinot Noir. The Torii Mor Pinot Gris is also good, as is the J Vintage Brut Rose. The complimentary bread with hummos and eggplant dip is also a nice start while you contemplate the menu. Careful not to fill up.
The food is excellent if a little rich due to the French influence on the menu. It's hard to pass up some of the interesting twists on Moroccan classics though. For example, the duck confit and foie gras bastilla. (Bastilla is usually stuffed with squab or chicken.)
I passed on that this time, and went for the Lamb Kefta - which was delicious, but with it's rich demi-glace like sauce I was glad my entree was lighter. In between, I tried the White Asparagus and Beet Salad... which was not necessarily unique in that this type of salad is common on many menus these days... but it was a welcome refreshment. For my main I had the Star Anise Sea Scallops with parsnip puree, mushrooms and saffron sauce. This was delicious and I highly recommend it for anyone who loves scallops.
We skipped dessert this go round but I look forward to returning to try the Almond Bastilla (dates, cardamom honey sauce & lemon lavender ice cream). I will report back. ;)
This is a great addition to Bay Area dining (nevermind Los Altos in particular). It's high time we had an upscale Moroccan restuarant on the Peninsula/Southbay. Gorgeous to look at, with it's warm tones and granite counters... plus excellent service, great food and drinks. What a gem. -
Review from David A.
Fremont, CA
7/3/2008
3 1/2 stars. Lunch Review.
It is a few minutes before noon as we walk into this completely empty restaurant. This is not a good sign. Other restaurants in easy walking distance are getting crowded. We consider walking out but just then someone comes out from the back and seats us and not just anywhere but at the smallest most crowded table in the entirely empty restaurant.
I order a couscous tagine with lamb sausage. This was very tasty and sufficient quantity for a light lunch. A co-worker friend orders the vegetarian sandwich which comes with a small salad. He tells the waiter, "This exceeded my expectations." He later told me he said this because he wanted to give me something I could quote in a yelp review. Thank you, Andy.
After the meal, the waiter recommends the Turkish hot mint tea. It comes with a pot full of fresh mint leaves, honey, and sugar. It was very good. After we drink all that, the waiter fills it up again and we finish that as well. This is a nice way to end lunch.
It is well into the lunch hour now and there are still very few customers. Why is a place with excellent food, good service, and nice decor nearly empty? Maybe because it is rather expensive for lunch? A typical lunch entree with salad or desert and a drink will run over $30 per person with tax and tip. For me, this makes Zitune a place to celebrate a special occasion like someone else saying "Lunch is on me, where do you want to go?"Listed in: Best Palo Alto Area Lunch…
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Review from Cynthia C.
Alameda, CA
7/2/2007
Reservations were simple to garner online. So we expected no wait for a table when we arrived 20 minutes early for our 9pm reservation. The dining room was full and the bar had only three stools left.
Stop the presses!!! There is LIFE in Los Altos!
The warm hostess let us know that she was waiting for the 8:30pm couple to come straggling in and then she would seat us. She saw our hesitation about approaching the bar and confirmed that the wait would be minimal. We sat down at the bar, but didn't even get a chance to order.
We were whisked through the bustling dining room, up a small ramp and into the Marrakesh room. In no way did we ever feel neglected, but the runners did have tunnel vision: we had to flag them down for extra water and bread. Our server was fantastic: never intrusive, warm and knowledgeable.
The prices for the wines by the glass were high: $9 for the Pinot Gris and $13 for the Riesling.
The food on the other hand was reasonable & bold in flavors:
Zitune green salad $8
Presentation was delightful: the leaves were all stacked neatly and formed in a cylindrical shape.
Rock Shrimp M'chermel $12
Delicious. 3 crunchy triangles of pita, 4 would have been nice. The shrimp had a terrific pop, indicative of perfect cooking.
Tenderloin of Beef $30
An 8 oz. portion of lean rare meat, flavored with Mediterranean spices, the bf liked it, but I thought the cut of meat could have been better.
Lavender Duck Breast $20
Comes with a ramekin of rich & flavorful cous cous. The sauce on the duck was worth sopping up. I enjoyed the golden raisins and quince corresponding with the savory.
Finished up with something sweet:
Chocolate Pot de Creme $10
Priced a bit high for a dessert. Chopped hazelnuts and topped with generous amounts of whipped cream.
Great food, service, FLAVA, and energy. -
Review from Sheena L.
New York, NY
5/19/2007
I like preserved lemons as much as the next girl, but that doesn't mean they have to go in everything.
The white asparagus and beet salad, with its light, joyous lemon vinaigrette, was my favorite part of the meal, and the mint tea is well worth the $8 tariff. But we were not so impressed by the lamb kefta or our entrees (orange lavender duck breast, which sounded phenomenal but ended up being one-note, and the cornish hen). Desserts were very good (loved the lemon curd), but conventional... that extra drizzle of pomegranate syrup was not enough to make me feel transported.
I still think this is a pretty decent dining option in Los Altos. The service was very good and the presentation of the food was creative -- all in all, it was a pleasant evening. But if you're looking for inventive, complex, passionate Moroccan food, my suggestion would be to take the time to go to Aziza or Baraka in SF. -
Review from NguyenCat L.
San Jose, CA
12/12/2010
This is my first review. Here's the positive: I'd come back and try it again.
We had hanger steak, and the duck breast; both were on the "too" sweet side, perhaps the cook gotta take it easy on the glaise. Service was a bit slow and they did run out of one thing we wanted to order.
Nice ambience! -
Review from Jim P.
San Francisco, CA
10/18/2008
Another spectacular experience, but this one was spectacularly good. We had a reservation for a quiet Friday night dinner, and it started with the parking spot in front being wide open. Surely an omen of good things to come!
The menu is an intriguing one, probably best described as Moroccan with a healthy dose of classic French applied. As we pored over it, our server guided us through any questions we had until we finally decided.
I started with their cucumber martini, which was outstanding: deliciously refreshing without coming on too strongly. After reading some of the other cocktail descriptions, I feel like I would be well served coming back for happy hour some day. These aren't just drinks made from liquors thrown together; there's some serious talent on the part of whoever is pouring.
We skipped appetizers and went on to mains. I had the lamb tagine while my dining companion settled on the quail. The tagine was not so much the traditional presentation as it was a slow-roasted lamb shank in the clay vessel with couscous on the side.
Really, though, a delightful interpretation, and just beyond delicious to boot! The meat was succulent and sauced to perfection. The couscous alongside was likewise a picture of excellence.
Her quail was served in halves, stuffed with a mushroom duxelle and lovingly bathed in some sort of demi-glace, accompanied by squash and farro heady with garlic.
The gentleman who served us counts among the friendliest and most pleasant I've encountered in a long time. Many, many kudos to the entire staff; our experience was truly outstanding, and I will be back! -
Review from Selene K.
San Francisco, CA
11/1/2008
Spectacular doesn't do this restaurant justice. For the first time in my life, I'm at a loss of words. I'll try to sum it up as simply as possible:
Ambiance - nice and quiet, but not so quiet where you can hear the next table's conversation. Great place to bring a date, gentlemen!
Service - top notch. From the time we were greeted until the time we were given our check, the whole staff was attentive without overkill and our waiter was very knowledgable about the whole menu, its ingredients and the way they're prepared. It was our first time there last night and everything that was recommended was nothing less than amazing.
Food - For starters, we ordered the Moroccan Oysters. Can I say MORE PLEASE?? Next time, I think I'll have a whole order to myself. Sharing this dish should be illegal! For the entree, I opted for the Quail. It was boneless and stuffed with wild mushrooms. The taste and how everything ties together was impeccable. The hubby went with the Lamb Tagine. The flavors were again, amazing...rich and deep with a tangy kick at the end.
By the time we finished our entrees (part of mine had to be taken home because it was too much food), there was absolutely no room for dessert. I wish we saved room for it, as their dessert menu looked quite unique as wel.
This is by far our new favorite restaurant in downtown Los Altos!!! Can't wait to come back!! -
Review from Leslie R.
Santa Cruz, CA
4/5/2007
As my parents live in Los Altos and usually can't be motivated to drive very far in search of dinner, I was excited when Mama mentioned a new Moroccan restaurant downtown. I was even more jazzed once I realized how delish this place is!
I could probably make an entire meal out of the hummus and eggplant starter spreads. Apparently Zitune means "olive", so they felt obligated to throw those little suckers everywhere (including in the bread), but as a non-olive-eater I can vouch they were easy enough to pluck out.
Our vegetarian pastilla appetizer (flaky pastry atop a blend of perfectly seasoned spinach, mushrooms, goat cheese and onions) disappeared immediately. After deliberating through all the yummy sounding options, I decided to be bold and go with the seared scallops with star anise and saffron sauce, and I was rewarded with one of the most unique dishes I've ever had (unique in a good way!). Truly tasty. Mama and Boyfriend both ordered the lamb tagine deal and adored it as well.
My only complaint would be with the actual restaurant space... It was quite noisy, and it didn't help that we had the open kitchen immediately on one side and a table of five that seemed to really enjoy their wine on the other. Come here for the food, not for a romantic and/or quiet meal. -
Review from lucy k.
Redwood Shores, CA
6/12/2009
Just enjoyed an amazing birthday dinner at Zitune. Don't want to be redundant with the other five-star reviews here, so I'll be brief: Damn, this place is great.
The restaurant's warm, vibrant ambiance is coupled with a management staff that is gracious and helpful. Brian (manager? owner? not sure) took care of us that night. His enthusiasm about the various offerings was boundless. And, fortunately, also incredibly accurate. The three of us had lobster, monkfish, and quail. We each could not have been happier.
We skipped the apps, but shared two fantastic desserts: Pecan Cake and Chocolate Pot de Creme. Unreal.
Thanks a lot, Zitune. Great birthday gift! Back soon. -
Review from Ian D.
Palo Alto, CA
8/20/2010
Not totally Moroccan, but not bad at all.
First the complaints:
I had the Lamb Tagine, and the shank I was served was practically down to the hoof. The best leg cuts are up near the joint so you get a nice thick marrow bone, which is a key part of the lamb tagine tradition. Secondly the accompanying couscous and garbanzo beans were a bit dry and hard. Finally the mint tea should have been MUCH sweeter and was over-priced.
Now the good stuff:
The restaurant is elegant and the meat was delicious. If you're not nitpicking authenticity you'll have a wonderful meal with great service. Highly recommended! -
Review from Jakub K.
Sunnyvale, CA
11/10/2010
Great appetizers, good food, service few weaker spots, but fine overall. Crab cake, warm oysters excellent, duck pastilla very good. Among main courses scallops and swordfish very good, quail not that great. Pana cotta and date cake very good.
No corkage fee on Sundays - big plus, but they can run out of some dishes even by 6 pm (no lambshank today :-( ). - big minus. If you go on Sunday, now you know what you are getting! ;-) -
Review from Christine Y.
San Jose, CA
3/30/2009
I started out with dessert first I guess :) I ordered the "Chocolate Vacation" cocktail (Godiva white and dark chocolate, vanilla vodka) which was deee-lish! The bartender was helpful, friendly and attentive!
They provide hummus and eggplant with tiny slices of bread. I passed on the eggplant (wasn't that good) and had a bit of hummus (OK.), bread was EH. For appetizers, my group and I ordered the Duck Confit Pastilla (duck confit, diced foie gras, caramelized onions and almonds) - this was Great! I recommend it! We also ordered the Sumac Lamb Kefta, which was mediocre, forgettable - PASS!
For my main dish, I ordered the Moroccan Cassoulet (saffron beans, duck confit, merguez, ras el hanout braised lamb shank)... WAY too much meat for someone who rarely eats meat, OOPS! It's kinda pathetic but I enjoyed the saffron beans the most - the duck and lamb were OK and I hardly touched the merguez (sausage). I don't think I'd order this dish again just because it was a lot of food, and TOO many animals on one plate, haha.
We all split the Panna Cotta and Chocolate Pot de Creme for dessert. The other girls enjoyed the panna cotta - however, I don't like the taste of lavender so I didn't enjoy too much (they use tangerine lavender sauce). The Chocolate Pot de Creme, on the other hand, was GOOD! It tastes like chocolate mousse/pudding, has whipped cream on top, is sprinkled with hazelnut crunch and comes with moroccan cookies. I think the girls would vouch for it when I say that we all LOVED it - what girl doesn't like chocolate?! and with hazelnut crunch! YUM.
The service was good, but the place was pricey(!!) (especially since I didn't like my entree very much) - I don't think I will visit Zitune again, but I'm glad I tried it... -
Review from Adam G.
Palo Alto, CA
6/19/2010 Seated via OpenTable
Overall we had an excellent meal here. The only real snafu was that the online menu still had foie gras listed, but 3 of the 4 paper menus did not. Call us confused! I'm not a particular foie gras fan, but two others who were there were. They were disappointed, but it seems like there's a grassroots effort to get it returned to the menu.
Anyhow, on to the actual food we got! Everybody loved the sauces and the spices all over everything. The flavours were well integrated but not overwhelming. Had the rock shrimp and chorizo appetizer, and we decided that the sauce must have had some sort of crack in it - we couldn't stop eating it! Main course was the Cornish hen on lemon gnocchi. Yum. I also got to taste most of what else what ordered, and all of it was delicious.
A win! -
Review from Dominique N.
Menlo Park, CA
7/6/2009
Good service and inventive food make this a great place for a 'date night' with your SO.
While it's located in staid Los Altos, this restaurant is actually quite inventive. I had a beet / goat cheese salad; scallops and the panna cotta for dessert (my husband had the corn soup, lamb tangine and chocolate cake) - all were very solid. Perhaps not the best ever, but very good and the service was attentive, attitude-free and unrushed.
Additionally this summer on weekdays (I think) they have something called the Marakkesh Special that allows you to get 3 course (salad or soup, entree and dessert) for $37. While this isn't 'cheap' per se, it's not a bad price for a 3-course meal a top-notch restaurant. -
Review from Ajay J.
Palo Alto, CA
6/8/2007
I heard of this place from some major foodies within the "family", so I knew I wasn't going to be disappointed. The chorus was "A welcome change to a ritzy yet boring neighborhood."
I like eclectic cuisines like Moroccan because geography of these places demands culinary skills that must accommodate a variety of influences, while still attempting to retain a sense of authenticity.
This is Chef Chafik Larobi's (the karate kid in the kitchen :) ) dream come true. Kim Larobi, his wife, greeted us with a welcoming smile at the entrance and we got seated promptly. I can already assure you - these folks will open up more places.
The first thing I noticed was the open kitchen in the back and the general noise levels. For a quiet neighborhood, it certainly was a wee bit noisy.
Let me dive right in - I am convinced that the "Marrakesh Mojito" is the original bing-bang. One round and I felt I had gained magical powers. The man within me did error with the "chocolate vacation" cocktail but hey, I went back to the Marrkesh Mojito to wash my errors away. The sourdough olive bread was allright.
You can't go wrong with Chafik's creativity with the "M'rouzia Tagine".
The lamb shank married to "ras el harout" had "yum" written all over it. The couscous on the side was a welcome addition. My guest happened to try the well done steak (yes, I frowned). I tried it but I don't like steak well done hmm. . What to do ?
In short - Yup - certainly one of the better afterwork dinner options in the South Bay. -
Review from Susan T.
Milpitas, CA
6/17/2010
Food = Delicious
Service = Fantastic
Ambiance = Nice
My girlfriend took me here for my birthday. Really good food, but the service was outstanding. It really made my birthday when they gave us a half bottle of Chappellet Cabernet Sauvignon FREE!! It was yum times 10. I'm sure wine snobs everywhere are disgusted with my description of a $135 bottle of wine, but who the hell cares. It made my spine tingles.
Anyways, we drank, we ate, and we felt very merry. It's what a dining experience should be, especially on one's birthday. I recommend it. Go forth and enjoy. -
Review from Joseph B.
Mountain View, CA
6/17/2007
Stuck in the middle of soul-less Los Altos, land of the Stepford wives, Zitune would be a very hip place were it located anywhere else.
Very nice place. Friendly waiters. Food was very good. I had the monkfish, my wife had the salmon. -
Review from Polly K.
Denver, CO
9/1/2008
Zitune made me sad...sad because it was so good and I live 1000 miles away and can't go here as often as I would like!
A local friend of mine suggested we go here for dinner while I was Sunnyvale a couple of weeks ago and I am so glad she did!
We started out with yummy cocktails and appetizers. Highly recommend the duck confit. I made the mistake of not ordering it and then wishing I had. I won't make that same mistake twice. For dinner, my friend and I split the Scallops and Halibut and both were excellent.
For dessert, you must get the Date Cake. Normally, I would never choose this off of the dessert menu, but it was so moist and was the perfect way to end such a lovely dinner.
Mmmm...looking forward to my next trip back to the area...Zitune is at the top of my list for a repeat visit. -
Review from Kevin C.
Los Altos, CA
6/13/2009
Zitune has the potential to consistently earn four stars if the service was better.
Without covering the same ground as the many reviews here, I reckon its simply safe to say that Zitune's food is very good - it's only the service which seems erratic and which can dampen an otherwise enjoyable evening.
We were left unattended for lengthy periods of time, and the food (and drinks) took a while to arrive. Very slow. Which is a pity because the restaurant itself has a nice atmosphere and is one of downtown Los Altos' better looking venues and has great potential.
I think its just the luck of the draw, because some of the reviews say the service was excellent. So it may depend on your waiter, or simply the night in question. But unfortunately our service was below par.
The other important point to mention is that Zitune is divided into 2 dining areas - a very convivial front dining section, and a quieter back-section (which seems to cater for overflow). If you are making a reservation, insist on the front section which has a much more upmarket and lively atmosphere.
All in all, good food and definitely worth taking a chance if you live nearby Los Altos. -
Review from Jessica D.
Sunnyvale, CA
5/10/2010
Came here with a big group of people for a friend's birthday a few days ago, and I was highly impressed.
First off, despite it being a Saturday night and incredibly busy, they were surprisingly fast serving our group of 10 (everything came out at the same time as well, be it drinks or dessert). We started off with a round of drinks, and I had the Lavender Blood Orange Cosmo - which was fantastic. It had a bit of a bite without being overwhelming, and was a delicious drink.
For dinner, I had the star anise seared sea scallops, and I was completely blown away...probably one of the best dishes I've ever had. The scallops were perfect without the anise being too much, and the saffron sauce was to die for. I also got to taste my fiance's lamb tagine, which, if I ever get to go back, is what I'll order next time. The lamb was so tender it basically fell off the bone, and the honey prune sauce it came in I would have eaten with a spoon, had I could have. And, I got to try a friend's quail, which again, was cooked to perfection.
For dessert, I had Moroccan mint tea and cookies, and the servers brought out tea for everyone and extra spoons/forks to share. The cookies were typical almond tea cookies, but the acai sorbet my fiance and I shared was another out of this world dish. Refreshing, not too sweet, and just plain delicious.
The service was really friendly - they ended up taking a bit longer on one of my friend's orders, so they bought him dessert and a salad while he was waiting, and were extremely apologetic the whole time. They seemed surprised that our group was so easygoing - doesn't seem like people are nice to the service here, seems like they're used to getting told off by yuppies (or told how to cook their food, as the couple at the table across from us did...). The atmosphere was good, we were in a separate room from the main area, and at one point said couple complained that we were being loud, so they turned on music, but ended up turning it off soon after (it was a bit loud). Can't please everyone, I guess. We also stayed later than closing on accident, and we were really apologetic about being there so late.
I would say GO HERE! It's delicious, and definitely a 5 star restaurant if I've ever been. Yes, the portions are small, but definitely filling, and it's worth the trip for a special occasion. -
Review from K J.
Campbell, CA
2/18/2010
Come for the appetizers, ambiance and great service.
Seared Foie Gras was heavenly and literally melted in my mouth bursting with flavor. It was so decadent and you know something that rich has to be bad for you but who cares! Amazing...
Lamb Kefta was flavorful and really juicy. Nice accompanied with the mint yogurt cucumbers and pita bread.
Crab cakes were good. I feel like crab cakes are either good or blah anywhere you go. These were good.
Main Dishes: Eh. They didn't blow me away as the appetizers did. Unfortunately a bit on the salty side, but maybe it is just because I typically like my food bland. The portions were good and there was a lot of flavor but it was salty! We had the salmon and the cornish hen. Cornish hen was pretty good but the salmon was a little boring. Maybe it was because I was comparing again with appetizers.
Great wine list! Great place to take a date, especially for a last minute intimate, comfortable, non-busy like atmosphere! But be careful to keep your conversations low and people friendly because the voices echo across the room and you can hear other peoples conversations. ;) -
Review from Greg G.
9/7/2008
My friends took me here for my birthday and to be honest I had never heard of the place. It was pretty cool. It's sort of dim. Each table is covered with a white table cloth and it sort of continues down a long straight room and loops around with a bar on the other side. Our server told me that the chef has sort of a modern twist that he is trying to achieve. I don't know any traditional Moroccan dishes so I can't compare, however on what I did have it was very good. (Forgive my ignornace of the actual name of the dishes)
The lamb shank ... very good. The meat came right off the bone and was pretty moist and tender too. It had a flavorful sauce but the best part were the prunes. They were I think added to the sauce to give it a bit of sweetness and when they mixed with the lamb ... delicious
Had some decent sides dishes too. Couscous with a sweet chutney on top.
They have duck and quail also on the menu. Both looked pretty good. It's hard to sample when you are full though :)
The staff is pretty cool too. Very kind and very informative. So that was very much appreciated.
