Sakoon, Santa Clara

With two native Indians backing the biz, diners at Sakoon may expect traditional fare. But while familiar dishes aren't hard to find, the owner and the chef aren't slavishly devoted to their homeland's dining experience, either. Instead, they've updated both the menu (think bar bites and cocktails with cheeky names like the Kamasutra, made with X-Rated liqueur) and the decor (mixing patterns, textures, and colors). This contemporary experience has attracted crowds of young tech workers, who are "our first priority," the owner told the Wall Street Journal. Read on to learn more about this highly praised and highly delicious restaurant:

Sample Menu

• Bread: rosemary and garlic naan
• Meat entree: butter chicken
• Vegetarian entree: paneer peshawari
• Dessert: gajar halwa

Meet the Team

Owner Balkar S. Tamber was born in the small Indian town of Khanoor, where he grew up with a passion for cooking. His fellow chef at Sakoon, Alex Paul Xalxo, also has a fire in his belly when it comes to food. In fact, Mr Xalxo started his career at India’s Hotel Juhu Centaur in Mumbai, where his clients included such guests as President Bill Clinton.

Press and Praise:

In its recommendation for the restaurant, the Michelin Guide says "Sakoon draws big techie crowds for its lunch buffet—and transforms into an upscale, contemporary dinnertime experience come sundown."

Vocab Lesson

Paneer: a white South Asian cheese made from boiling cow's or water buffalo's milk and curdling it with whey; it dates back to at least 6,000 BC.

Gajar halwa: a North Indian and Pakistani sweet pudding made from grated carrots cooked in a pot with water, milk, and sugar.