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Palo Alto is located 35 miles south of San Francisco, and can be reached from highways 280 and 101. CalTrain stops at both University and California Avenues. It is adjacent to Stanford University and Hospital, a high-end fresh-air shopping mall, and home to many high-tech industry giants. University Avenue holds an eclectic collection of theatres, shops and eateries to delight college students and suited executives alike. Besides hosting many quality franchised establishments, it boasts unique local restaurants, both cutting edge and historic. Vintage movies shown at The Stanford Theatre star actors such as Maurice Chevalier and Marlene Dietrich, while the Aquarius specializes in independent and foreign language films. On the residential side streets you will find Victorian and Craftsman architecture nestled between modern townhouses. California Avenue is about 3 miles south. Between El Camino Real and the CalTrain station a dozen Cafes and Bistros offer indoor and sidewalk seating.

Pricing criteria considers the cost of one dinner-portion meal, excluding beverages, tax and tips as follows:
Inexpensive: less than $10
Moderate: less than $20
Pricey: more than $20

Darbar Indian Cuisine
Evvia Estiatorio
Jing Jing Chinese Restaurant
Joanie's Cafe
Mango Caribbean Restaurant and Bar
Old Pro
Osteria Cucina Toscana
Palo Alto Sol
Palo Alto Creamery Fountain & Grill
Rose and Crown Pub
Saint Michael's Alley
Tamarine
Thaiphoon

Darbar Indian Cuisine
129 Lytton Avenue
(650) 321-6688
Fax (650) 325-3586
Lunch buffet weekdays, dinner daily
Inexpensive to moderately priced
www.darbarcuisine.com

Dijon walls simply decorated with framed Indian artwork contrast with the bright orange exterior. From North Indian biryanis and kebabs, to southern vegetable curries, Darbar's extensive dinner menu is a local favorite. Tandoori offerings include chicken, lamb and buttery Naan bread. Appetizers and side dishes also provide glimpses of the many cultures that shaped this cuisine.

A long line of hammered copper cauldrons present the lunch buffet. Vegetarians enjoy cumin-spiced garbanzo bean Channa Dal, creamy spinach Palak, chewy potato dumplings, and carrot-sweet vegetable and cheese curry. Mild but aromatic brown gravy forms the basis of tender Lamb Curry. The heat from creamy tomato sauced Butter Chicken builds slowly with each bite until doused with a spoonful of yogurt Raita. Save a little room for some rice pudding Kheer and Gulab Jaman rose syrup-saturated donut balls.

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Evvia Estiatorio
420 Emerson Street
(650) 326-0983
Fax (650) 326-9552
Lunch weekdays, dinner daily
Moderate to pricey
www.evvia.net

Evvia presents dishes of ancient Greek origin, paired with fresh California ingredients. French windows light the warm interior, subdivided into intimate sections. A long central table accommodates larger groups. During a busy lunchtime, the front walls slide open, letting in the fresh spring air, and filling the sidewalk with the smoky aroma of grilling meats.

Diners can choose a la carte selections from a large menu, or a prix fixe family-style meal (4 persons or more, please). In addition to an extensive list of traditional Greek appetizers, dinner options include a daily rotisserie selection, grilled whole fish, lamb chops, and braised goat. For after dinner sipping, Evvia offers a wide selection of Ouzo, Port, Grappa and Cognac.

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Jing Jing Szechwan & Hunan Gourmet
443 Emerson Street
(650) 328-6885
Fax (650) 328-8889
Lunch and dinner
Inexpensive to moderately priced
www.jingjinggourmet.com

Bright red paper lanterns greet diners at Palo Alto's hottest-spiciest restaurant. The thick Hot and Sour Soup with tofu and tree fungus is lightly spiced. I love the chewy Dry Sauteed Shredded Beef, which is slightly sweet, cooked with carrots, green onions, bamboo shoots, and flecks of dried red peppers. The Kung Pao Lamb was the spiciest dish we tasted. Thinly sliced meat in a thick brown sauce, with whole dried peppers and cashew nuts, produced a pleasing tongue tingle by the third bite. Not all recipes are spicy, such as Sweet and Sour Pork or Chicken in Peking Sauce, and most entrees can be ordered mildly flavored. Delivery is available except during lunch on weekends.

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Joanie's Cafe
447 S California Avenue
(650) 326-6505
Breakfast, lunch, dinner
Inexpensive to moderately priced

It's 12:30 on a Sunday morning and breakfast hopefuls are still lined up outside of Joanie's Cafe. The immaculate skylight bounces sun rays off the mocha tiled walls. My Eggs Benedict are perfectly poached, and covered with a buttery daffodil-yellow sauce. My fruit cup overflows with fresh melon topped with the first strawberry of the season. The special scramble today includes smoky salmon, a homemade cinnamon-vanilla scented peach muffin and freshly squeezed orange juice. While the local love affair with her breakfasts spans 20 years, Joanie's also serves lunch and dinner. For lunch, hot sandwiches such as Croque Monsieur and Grilled Teriyaki Chicken complement BLTs, salads and soups.

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Mango Caribbean Restaurant and Bar
435 Hamilton Avenue
(650) 324-9443
Lunch through dinner
Inexpensive to moderately priced
www.mangoca.com

Caribbean food is a fusion of flavors, combining indigenous freshness with ingredients brought by diverse immigrant waves. This small restaurant which serves meals all day, has a pleasant atmosphere, with Raggae and Calypso music in the background, cane chairs, thick woven table mats and bright cloth napkins.

Our server was welcoming and attentive. She warned us that the Mobay shrimp was very spicy. Noticing our eyes light up, she delivered two bottles of incendiary sauce to replace the papaya-tamed version on our table. Six large shrimp were basted with the promised searing sauce, and served with rice fried plantains drizzled with honey. The hot sauce came in handy for the Jamaican, a patty of finely ground beef in turnover pastry. I preferred the Indian-spiced chicken filling. Other specialties include tropical salads, chicken with jerk spices, curries, and pea and bean dishes.

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Old Pro
541 Ramona Street
(650) 326-1446
Lunch through late-night dinner
Inexpensive to moderately priced
www.oldpropa.com

The original El Camino location (being demolished in 2007) opened as the Bay Area's first sports bar in 1964. The new downtown venue has become a favorite for energetic fans sharing long tables during a Stanford basketball game. It's just like being in the arena, except you get forks and knives, and nice people bring you beer and food. And what a selection of food, including hand tossed pizzas, ground angus burgers, aged prime rib, house-smoked barbeque, and plenty of soups, sandwiches, salads, and sports restaurant munchies. I loved their impersonation of a club sandwich, with house-smoked turkey breast, bacon, tomato and hollandaise. For after-theatre dining, food is served until 1AM. If your team isn't playing on one of the dozen or so flat screen TVs, head upstairs for X-Box 360 games on 4-foot screens, or ride the mechanical bull with speeds for all ages.

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Osteria Cucina Toscana
247 Hamilton Avenue
(650) 328-5700
Lunch weekdays, dinner except Sundays
Inexpensive to moderately priced

Each morning, crates of fresh vegetables are stacked on the sidewalk outside Osteria. By evening, the small foyer will hold patient patrons eagerly awaiting their turn at one of the intimately situated while tablecloths. Toddlers practice motor skills grasping buttered penne noodles, while couples and business associates savor a wide selection of classical and innovative Tuscan creations. Dishes such as Pasta Carbonera with smoky pancetta, Poached Salmon with a light tomato sauce, and Rolled Veal with Prosciutto and Teleme cheese have earned Osteria many consecutive Best of Palo Alto awards. Reservations are recommended.

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Palo Alto Sol
408 S California Avenue
(650) 328-8840 or 938-2020
Lunch weekdays, dinner daily
Inexpensive to moderately priced
www.paloaltosol.net

 The Puebla region of Mexico lies on an ancient trade route, cradling a history of widely varied flavors. Each meal offers a taste of the owners' heritage, with rich mole, ranchero sauce and a variety of mild to spicy chilies, combined with seafood, beef, pork, chicken, and even catfish. A selection of fine sipping tequilas awaits the connoisseur. The walls, the color and texture of earthy corn tortillas, support paintings of sunburst flowers. We waited at the cleanly tiled bar on comfortable stools for our order. Of all the moles in Mexico, Pueblan is perhaps the best known. Our carefully packaged order of sweet, cinnamon-scented Mole Poblano was accessorized with creamy Refried Beans, spiced Spanish Rice, tortillas, chips, and containers of their 3 spicy salsas. At my next visit, I'll make time to sit outside, sheltered from the afternoon sun by a heritage tree.

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Palo Alto Creamery Fountain and Grill
566 Emerson Street
(650) 323-3131
Fax (650) 323-3132
Breakfast all day, lunch through dinner
Inexpensive to moderately priced
www.paloaltocreamery.com

The building's facade reads "Peninsula Fountain and Grill", but the menu confirms that this is the Palo Alto Creamery. Regardless of nomenclature, this diner with tin ceiling panels and beaded paneling has been the real thing since 1923. Breakfast, which is served all day, is comfortable in the overstuffed burgundy booths. The coffee is hot and the quality of ingredients in my bacon and spinach omelet, superb. Other offerings include homemade Granola, Eggs Benedict and Brioche French Toast. Behind me sits a small bakery, the case stocked with freshly baked pies, breads and treats. Even when the milkshake crowd is at school, every lunchtime table buzzes. Burgers and sandwiches share the menu with memories of Grandma, such as Turkey Pot Pie and Meatloaf with Mushroom Gravy. The creamy malts and shakes make a decent meal all by themselves. The staff here is efficient, pleasant, and always moving at hyperspeed.

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Rose and Crown Pub
547 Emerson Street
(650) 327-7673
Lunch and dinner
Inexpensive to moderately priced
www.myspace.com/roseandcrown

At the rear of a parking lot sits a cinderblock building, decoratively painted to resemble a half-timbered country inn complete with thatched roof. Here you can kick back with an unpretentious brewski. The real draw for this windowless pub is its wide selection of beers on tap from major European and American manufacturers as well as some unusual microbrews. A narrow patio sports umbrellas advertising Pilsner Urquel, protecting smokers from the afternoon sun. Popular pub fare such as Bangers and Mash or a Ploughman's Lunch of cheese, complements 1/3 pound burgers. The plentiful Caesar Salad with walnuts is topped with a giant mound of Stilton blue cheese. The Guiness-battered Icelandic Cod and fresh hand cut potatoes make Rose and Crown a Fish and Chips destination. Entertainment includes darts, Tuesday Trivia, and occasional live music in addition to televised sporting events. Minors are welcome when food is being served, i.e. 11:30AM-2PM and 6- 9PM.

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Saint Michael's Alley
806 Emerson Street
(650) 326-2530
Lunch Tues-Fri, dinner Tues-Sat, weekend brunch
Moderate to pricey
www.stmikes.com

With so much food and so few meals, I graze across borders in the course of a dinner. On the winter menu at Saint Michael's Alley, the Thai Steamed Mussels, Creamed Spinach Risotto, and Grilled New York Steak with Shallot Sauce caught my eye. It was difficult to pass up the French-American handshake represented by Salade Nicoise with ahi tuna and avocado. Warm Mediterranean colors, an art show on the walls and outdoor sidewalk tables create a pleasant ambiance. In 2007, St Michael's will be moving to its bright new location one block away, at 800 High Street. The summer menu is expected to include a Corn and Smoked Salmon Blini, Cider Cured Double Cut Pork Chops with Chipotle BBQ Glaze, and Grilled Moroccan Spiced Chicken.

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Tamarine
546 University Avenue
(650) 325-8500
Fax (650) 325-8504
Lunch weekdays, dinner daily
Moderate to pricey
www.tamarinerestaurant.com

Artistically presented small plates fill the menu of this fashionable Vietnamese restaurant. The spotlights on each table leave darkened corridors separating each set of diners. Richly colored Vietnamese artwork graces the walls, and is periodically auctioned to benefit selected charities. The Salt and Pepper Calamari gets rave reviews, but we chose the Tamarine Taste to try small portions of four popular dishes. A sweet fish sauce accompanied the Taro Root Rolls and tea leaf-wrapped beef. The Shrimp Spring Roll hinted of mint and was livened up with a bit of good quality Vietnamese Chili Sauce. I especially liked the Papaya salad in a red cabbage leaf bowl, topped with sesame oil beef and basil. Other menu favorites include 5-spice Quail, Hoisin Lamb Chops, Masala Lamb Curry, and Monkfish with lemongrass and coconut.

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Thaiphoon
543 Emerson Street
(650) 323-7700
Lunch Mon-Sat, Dinner nightly
Inexpensive to moderately priced
www.thaiphoonrestaurant.com

A wide selection of inexpensive lunch specials including curries and stir-fries awaits you at Thaiphoon. The dinner menu is expansive with almost 100 items to choose from. The building's large overhang allows for outdoor dining where a pleasant waterfall muffles street sounds. This is a popular restaurant, almost full on a Sunday evening. The sweet Lemongrass Mojito was welcome at the end of a warm day. Tender Chicken Sate skewers were accompanied by a mild sweet peanut sauce and crispy cucumbers in a sweet light dressing. I always find comfort in a steaming bowl of TomYum Kai hot and sour soup. Thaiphoon's mild version emits a wonderful citrus fragrance with white chicken, cilantro and fresh mushrooms.

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Karen Petersen is a Santa Cruz-based freelance writer focusing on food, fun and fitness.