Restaurant Review: Sino Restaurant & Lounge

Its a lazy Saturday afternoon where R and I are making dinner plans as in "where should we eat today" ;)? Now that brought me to my current post pondering, isn't this what most people would be thinking at this time as well? So here is my small contribution towards answering that (new) age old question "where should we eat tonight ;)

We recently went to Sino which is this very hip, very mingle (and single ;) friendly lounge & restaurant in San Jose. San Jose, hip you ask..ahem! Well to be fair this restaurant is located in Santana Row, a European style, stone cobbled shopping and dining destination.

While Sino's lounge is hopping with lots of people watching opportunities, R and I went to of course try the food ;)! The restaurant is surprisingly very well separated from the bar area. Interestingly, as you walk into the restaurant section of Sino, you will feel transformed into a warm, romantic setting with red billowy curtains and amazing decor. The lights are muted, music hushed and the tables are well distanced from the other tables (something that seems to be a rarity in California these days!).

The Asian fusion type preparation was good but not excellent. I got the dim sum platter and R got the lamb roast. What contrasting orders we both had, as while mine looked all white and dainty, R's lamb was HUMONGOUS! The picture of the lamb you see in the post is true to size..no alterations in size there!! For the first time R had a problem finishing his lamb in spite of it being perfectly cooked and accompanied by a great tangy sauce. For drinks, I got a chocolatini and R got a glass of Merlot. Nothing special there..pretty regular drinks menu, with tantalizing descriptions for the cocktails.

The dessert now is a different story altogether! R and I shared a decadent chocolate strawberry mousse which was beautifully presented with a crispy butterfly shaped cracker dusted with powdered sugar. NICE!!

I would definitely go back to Sino, not so much for the food alone, but really for a combination of things: pretty good food, really great ambiance, and impeccable service. Of course if you are interested in the the people watching bit, Sino lounge is the place to be seen at :)

My Ratings:
Cuisine: Asian Fusion
Food: Mmm (good, not great). Decent portions. More options for non vegetarians!
Decor: Yay yay yay!
Service: Yay.
Price: Nay. This place is definitely pricey.
Would Go Again: Yay!
Website: http://www.sinorestaurant.com/