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SVDINING 32 KUBOTA Japanese. $$. A beautiful dining room that serves exquisite rice, luscious ribs and decent sushi. Full bar. 5:30-10pm Mon-Sat, 59:30pm Sun. 593 N. Fifth St. 408.279.8440.
KUMAKO Ramen. $. Japantown now has its missing ingredient—good ramen. Kumako’s menu is simple: ramen, curry rice and a few appetizers. 11:30am-2:30pm, 5:30-9:30pm Mon-Sat. 211 E. Jackson St. 408.286.2111. LE PAPILLON Contemporary French. $$$$. From start to finish, a meal at Le Papillon casts a spell on everyone who enters. The feeling is only broken when you walk out the door and abruptly step back into the real world outside. Full bar. Lunch 11:30am-2pm Fri; dinner nightly. 410 Saratoga Ave. 408.296.3730.
MAGGIANO’S LITTLE ITALY Italian. $$. Like a warm Italian embrace, this Santana Row superstar proves a welcome haven for company lunches and congenial dinner parties. The food is a cut above standard, with roast chicken and veal marsala standing out. 11am10pm Mon-Thu, 11am-11pm FriSat, noon-10pm Sun. 3055 Olin Ave. #1000. 408.423.8973.
MENARA Moroccan. $$$. Since 1977, Menara’s been throwing back the pillows and bellying up to mint tea rituals, b’stilla (pigeon pie) and rabbit tagine. Full dinner menu includes vegetarian option. Solid wine list. 6-10pm daily. 41 E. Gish Rd. 408.453.1983.
THE MYNT Indian. $. The Mynt’s lunch buffet is a Silicon Valley standout, while the sit-down dinner menu has plenty to offer as well. Lunch 11:30am-2:30pm Mon-Sun; dinner 5:30-9:30pm Mon-Thu and 5:30-10pm Fri-Sat. 5210 Prospect Rd. 408.973.9673.
OMOGARI Korean. $. Omogari makes getting to know Korean food easy. The menu includes pictures of many dishes, the service is friendly and the food is consistently good. Try the dae gee bul go gi, spicy marinated pork. 11:30am-9:30pm Mon-Sat. 154 E. Jackson St. 408.280.6588.
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ORLO’S New American. $$$. On the lush grounds of the historic Hayes Mansion, this is one beautiful, luxurious dining room, with menu and excellent service to match. 5:30-9:30pm Tue-Sat. Hayes Conference Center, 200 Edenvale Ave. 408.226.3200. PASTA POMODORO Italian. $. Exuberant, inexpensive and fast cuisine made to order and served with sparkle. High concept and low costs make Pasta Pomodoro a dream trattoria for lovers of robust Italian flavors. 11am-10pm daily. 1205 The Alameda. 408.292.9929.
PIZZA ANTICA UPTOWN Pizza. $$. The stony ovens of Pizza Antica turn out thin-crusted designer pies with gourmet toppings in casual environs. Fine pasta and meat dishes also available. 11:30am-10pm Sun-Thu, 11:30am-11pm FriSat. 334 Santana Row #1065. 408.557.8373. PRESIDENT RESTAURANT Mongolian barbecue. $. This mom-and-pop eatery gears itself toward the common man with the uncommonly large appetite. Thrown into the bargain is a Chinese steamtable buffet. 11am-3pm, 4:309pm daily. 1190 Hillsdale Ave. 408.978.7188.
RAMEN HALU Japanese noodles. $$. Surfer-themed, casual-but-comfy, chef Kumao Arai’s noodle house imports traditional techniques to produce hearty, aromatic bowls stocked with pork-, sea-saltor soy-sauce-flavored broth. Cash only. Call ahead; hours are irregular. 375-M S. Saratoga Ave. 408.246.3933.
RASA MALAYSIAN Malaysian. $$. Rasa Malaysian is a homey restaurant that offers a number of solid examples of Malaysian food including satay chicken, char tway keow and sambal kangkung. 11am-3pm, 5-9pm Mon-Fri, 11am-9pm Sat. 1290 Coleman Ave. 408.980.0668.
REHOBOTH Ethiopian. $$. Japantown isn’t all Japanese food. Rehoboth adds spice to the neighborhood with its diverse menu of Ethiopian standards. Carnivores, vegetarians and vegans are all well taken care of. Good coffee,
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too. 11:30am-9pm Mon-Thu, 11:30am-10pm Fri-Sat. 665 N. Sixth St. 408.947.1717.
REYHAN Persian. $. Reyhan restaurant is located in the most unlikely of areas—an industrial strip of Almaden Road in south San Jose. As such, the place is kind of an oasis—an oasis of kebabs. 11am-8pm daily. 1625 Almaden Rd. 408.293.3600. SELAM Ethiopian and Eritrean. $. Often it’s the places you have to work to find that turn out to be the good ones. Selam is tucked away in a mall off Winchester Boulevard, but the food is a real standout. 10am10pm daily. 3120 Williams St. 408.984.9600. SIAM Thai. $$. Siam is a sweet little Thai restaurant between Valley Fair and Santana Row. The menu offers a lineup of Thai standards and crowdpleasing combinations with Americanized names like “cashew lover,” “Thai angry” and “pleasing garlic.” There’s plenty to recommend. 11:30am-2:30pm, 5-9pm TueSat. 2910 Stevens Creek Blvd. 408.246.0304. SIENA MEDITERRANEAN BISTRO Mediterranean. $$$. Tucked into picturesque Willow Glen, this tiny bistro offers big tastes. Entrees such as Moroccan Cornish game hen, venison medallions and seasonal risotto battle for your appetite with a bread pudding dessert. Patio dining available. 1359 Lincoln Ave. 408.271.0837.
SINO RESTAURANT AND LOUNGE Modern Chinese. $$$. Sino is owned by Christopher Yeo, the restaurateur behind Straits. The restaurant offers both traditional Chinese cooking and a few modern riffs. Good dim sum, too. 11am-10pm SunTue, 11am-midnight Wed-Sat. 377 Santana Row. 408.247.8880.
STRAITS RESTAURANT Asian fusion. $$$. By night it’s a jampacked hipster clubhouse; by day it’s Singaporean chef Chris Yeo’s latest chic fusion venue. Small plates share the menu with entrees such as the lobster and shrimp pad thai. Outdoor seating available. 11am-10pm Sun-Wed, 11am-midnight ThuSat. 333 Santana Row #1100. 408.246.6320.