8FFLFOE MOUNTAIN VIEW VOICE
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STORY BY DALE F. BENSTON PHOTOS BY MAGALI GAUTHIER
ON CASTRO
LA FONTAINE A SOLID HIT WITH ONLY A FEW MINOR MISSES
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mechanical engineer by training, Hasan Yildiz has a passion for food that has led him on a quest to cook and learn. After several apprenticeships, he became the head chef at Mountain View’s Vaso Azzuro, a position he held for eight years. For his first restaurant, Yildiz embraced the name La Fontaine, to honor the great 17th-century French poet and fabulist whose books he was read in nursery school. There’s much I like about the fivemonth old Italian-French restaurant and bar on Castro Street in Mountain View. The food is well prepared by a sure hand in the kitchen: flavorful, fresh, with ample portions at reasonable prices. Service is attentive, the wine list is adequate and a full bar never hurts. I also like the cosmetic upgrades, which give a more refined contemporary feel than predecessors B’Zu and Zucca with new tables and chairs, hardwood floor and a viewing window into the kitchen. A long-out-of-use wood-burning oven is being restored for making pizzas. Many familiar elements remain: the extended mirrored wall, the angled bar, indoor/outdoor seating options. It’s just much snazzier now. There are, however, some front-ofthe-house details that need tweaking. Details that taken independently might not be significant, but cumulatively affect the overall impression. As in so much of life, details spell the difference between ordinary and remarkable. For eating establishments, it is the difference between being regarded as someplace exceptional or as just another dining option along restaurant row. On a recent visit, I found the bound menu was accompanied by an untidy creased sheet of paper listing the restaurant specials. That evening, there were seven specials including kunefe, which is neither Italian nor French. First up, the grilled octopus ($11) came with asparagus spears and celery. A first-rate dish, the cephalopod was meaty, just cooked through, delicately flavored and sauced with a Continued on next page
Dishes served at La Fontaine in Mountain View are, clockwise from top: “quatre bruschetta,” grilled octopus, profiteroles and pappardelle.
August 16, 2013 ■ Mountain View Voice ■ MountainViewOnline.com ■
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