Dining Out …our favorites
Written By Larry J. Mickartz
S
ometimes we are asked what
our favorite restaurant is. That
is a diffi cult question to answer.
Why? Because we eat out a lot
and because depending on our mood,
time of day or a million other factors we
have lots of favorites!
In this article, we will identify some
of our favorite items at various restau-
rants in Gilroy and Morgan Hill. They
might be the signature dish, but then
again, they might not. They might be an
appetizer or a small plate because that is
what we often have instead of an entrée,
but then again they might not.
In no particular order, here are some
of our favorites. Since we live in down-
town Gilroy, we often walk to these
favorite spots.
At The Milias Restaurant , J.Chris and I
both like Spicy Shrimp (served with blue
cheese crumbles and chopped celery).
At lunch, I will often have The Milias
Steakhouse Sandwich (thinly sliced
sirloin served with horseradish aioli and
Vermont white cheddar cheese on an
onion and black pepper roll) with an
order of sweet potato fries. If you want
to have some fun or if you have young
kids with you, try the Mac and Cheese
Pizza (with ham or bacon).
Over at Old City Hall , J.Chris is
especially fond of the Fresh Grilled
Salmon (topped with artichoke caper
sauce). My special treat is the Cuban
Sandwich (roasted pork, smoked ham,
Swiss cheese, mustard, dill pickle, served
on a French roll).
We especially enjoy the wine selec-
tion at Bella Viva Entocia e Caffe . Kelen
always seems to know just which
vintage we would appreciate. The
seasonal Watermelon Salad (cubed
watermelon, arugula, basil, mint, red
onion, pepitas) goes beautifully with
their handmade New Yorker Pizza
(mozzarella, hand crushed tomato sauce,
sliced Italian fennel sausage, Calabrese
sausage, ricotta, chopped garlic,
and oregano).
J. Chris swears that the Calamari
Steak Sandwich at Garlic City Cafe is the
best she's ever had. She loves the sautéed
calamari with garlic, shallots and Cajun
spices in white wine butter sauce, served
on a french roll .
We might live in downtown Gilroy,
but we often wander into Morgan Hill.
We've been enjoying the famous Rosy's
at the Beach Fish Tacos (salmon coleslaw,
fresh salsa, avocado in a corn tortilla,
served with rice and black beans) with a
nice glass of Rombauer for many years.
La Niña Perdida's Chiles en Nogarda
We have a great time at Bubbles &
Brew , especially when we can bring
along our furry friend, Charlie. Bubbles
has a special Doggie Menu: Pupcake
(organic roasted chicken with vegetables
& chicken broth); Pupsicle (Greek
yogurt & peanut butter frozen treat);
and Cheese Plate (Havarti cheese).
The humans in our party often choose
the Spicy Drunken Prawns (white wine
garlic sauce and crostini) and the Ahi
Tower (with won tons, fresh ahi tuna,
mango, avocado, soy, balsamic, chili).
Over at La Nina Perdida , besides
liking just about everything, we suggest
that you always check out the specials.
They can be extraordinary! Chiles en
Nogada (This dish mimics the colors
of the Mexican flag with the white nut
sauce, green poblano chilies, and bright
red pomegranate seeds. The chilies are
filled with a peccadillo mixture of fresh
fruits, pine nuts, spices and meat in a
heavy semi-sweet cream sauce.
Odeum is just a taste treat, always.
We love the unique specials they serve.
GILROY • MORGAN HILL • SAN MARTIN
FALL/HOLIDAY 2019
Some of our faves are the Quintet
(Pita Bread (served with five artisanal
spreads: Tzatziki, Hummus, Tyrokafteri,
Melitzanosalata, Ricotta) and the Bietola
(local baby beets, barrel-aged feta cheese,
poached Asian pear, candied pecans,
aged sherry-walnut vinaigrette, fried
goat cheese).
Prova California Table 's small plates
are always a hit with us—which makes
this one of our favorite places to experi-
ment. The Lobster & Shrimp Sliders
(Canadian lobster, shrimp, avocado
crema, bacon, and garlic buns)
are heavenly.
Ladera Grill has never disappointed
us. No matter what we order, it arrives
beautifully presented and cooked to
perfection. My favorite is the Grilled
Wild Jumbo Sea Scallops (Ladera risotto,
beurre-blanc, tropical salsa, market
vegetables). J. Chris is a fan of the
luncheon-sized Petite Filet Mignon.
Back in Gilroy you cannot beat the
Tempura Green Beans (Saffron Aioli) at
Westside Grill and the Seared Ahi Tuna
(Seared rare, Ponzu sauce, crispy won-
tons). We don't eat much red meat, but
our friends say this is the go-to restau-
rant for a good steak.
And we would be remiss if we didn't
share with you our favorite place to
find some heavenly sweets for dessert.
Sweet Sicily just has the best assortment
of delectable no-no's around. They also
have some great Italian entrees.
In addition to eating at restaurants,
we have been known to grab one of First
Street Coffee 's tasty handmade sandwich-
es and head to a local winery for some
music and great wine.
Lacking the energy to go out, or too
lazy to cook, the fresh sushi at the Gilroy
Nob Hill makes it all right!
All this talk about food and especially
thinking about our favorites is making
me hungry. We are so thankful that we
live in an area abundantly rich with
amazing culinary choices.
Bon Appetit!
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