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Saucy, seasonal and sweet bites await at five recently opened Asian eateries along the Peninsula. Try unique regional dishes of Northeastern China at a spot in Cupertino, sit down for a family-style meal of Hong Kong favorites in San Carlos or immerse yourself in the fine-dining experience of Japanese kaiseki in Saratoga. Discover these eateries and more in this roundup of restaurant openings.
Sunshine HK Cafe, San Carlos
Sunshine HK Cafe is a new eatery along San Carlos’ Laurel Street paying homage to the comforting flavors of Hong Kong-style cuisine. The cafe previously operated as a ghost kitchen in San Mateo beginning October 2022 and transitioned to a brick-and-mortar space in November 2023. Jane Lau and her brothers, James and Joe, manage the restaurant and have previously worked in accounting and engineering, respectively. Their passion to serve Hong Kong cuisine in the Bay Area led them to start this venture, which they say has been a rewarding journey to provide the community with affordable, convenient and family-friendly meals.
In an email interview, Jane described Hong Kong-style food as having many sauces, flavors and ingredients influenced by the British when the city became a colony of the United Kingdom in 1842. For an introduction to this fusion of flavors, try out the cafe’s top entrees of baked pork chop with cheese and tomato sauce, spaghetti bolognese, garlic and pepper wings and chicken with Portuguese sauce, which are each available as a discounted combo meal due to their popularity. Other offerings include handcrafted beverages of classics such as Hong Kong-style milk tea, yuen yang (a mix of coffee with milk tea) and Hong Kong-style lemon tea.
Sunshine HK Cafe, 635 Laurel St., San Carlos; 650-590-4821, Instagram: @sunshinehkcafe. Open Wednesday through Monday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. and 5-8 p.m.
Hashiri Bettei Kaiseki Aoki, Saratoga
For a dining experience steeped in tradition and seasonality, visit Hashiri Bettei Kaiseki Aoki in historic downtown Saratoga. Formerly based in Burlingame, the new space opened in December. The restaurant specializes in Japanese kaiseki, a multicourse meal complete with a specific name and cooking method for each dish plus a traditional tea ceremony. Courses can include sakizuke (appetizer), yakimono (grilled course), mushimono (steamed fish) and mizukashi (dessert), to name a few. Recent course offerings have included Hokkaido wagyu A5 tenderloin (yakimono), live lobster with Bafun uni (mushimono) and persimmon with shine muscat (mizukashi).
Chef-owner Shinichi Aoki is at the helm of the restaurant, and his partner Yuko Nammo specializes in the tea ceremony. Unlike omakase, where the multi-course menu is selected by the chef, seasonal ingredients inform the menu of kaiseki, which the restaurant sources locally to infuse with diverse flavors. Another essential element of Hashiri Bettei Kaiseki Aoki’s service is presentation, and the owners have built a growing collection of fine plates to deliver each course. The aesthetic of the intimate restaurant is key to the dining experience; according to the restaurant’s website, the space is “designed to allow dishes to remain the focal point of the experience (and) our space represents the endless potential for an intimate dining experience.” The restaurant is open for dinner seatings of their kaiseki tasting menu, with reservations available through Open Table.
Hashiri Bettei Kaiseki Aoki, 14417 Big Basin Way, Saratoga; 650-885-1242, Instagram: @okami_kaiseki.aoki. Open Wednesday through Sunday for 6:30 p.m. seating.
Dainty Cuisine, Cupertino
Open since December, Dainty Cuisine is an eatery in 99 Ranch’s Eat Up! Food Court that serves Northeastern Chinese family-style food with a focus on value. Notable features of this style of cuisine includes preserved foods and hearty ingredients due to the short growing season and harsh winters in the region.
Chef Duan, who asked to keep his first name private, brings the menu to life at Dainty Cuisine. Master trained in China, Duan has over 40 years of experience in China, Russia and the United States. He and his wife fell in love with the entrepreneurial spirit of the Bay Area after moving here six years ago and teamed up with the proprietors of Dainty Cuisine to pursue their American dream.
A few popular dishes include beef wraps, beef/pork/chicken cheese pancakes, Chinese leek pockets and a variety of dumplings (which are a staple Northeastern Chinese food). These dishes can be ordered a la carte or as part of value combo meals, with the special three-item combo priced at $10.99 and four-item combo priced at $12.99. Sides of congee (Chinese rice porridge) and pickled vegetables round out the meals.
Dainty Cuisine, 10445 South De Anza Blvd., Suite 106, Cupertino; 408-564-4409. Open Tuesday through Sunday from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Snowtime Dessert Cafe, Campbell
The Peninsula may not have powdery white winters, but snowfall can still be found in the form of Korean shaved ice desserts at Snowtime Cafe in Campbell. Owners Sara and Greg Shin opened the dessert cafe in October 2023 with the goal of cultivating a welcoming environment for the community to gather and enjoy treats people may not have tried before. Sara’s mother Jin Chung first started Snowtime in Arizona in 2017 and operates three locations in the Grand Canyon state.
Based in the Bay Area for the past six years, Sara wanted to bring the Snowtime experience to her new home and settled on Campbell for its family-friendly feel. Visitors will find a menu of Korean desserts at Snowtime, including nine specialty-crafted shaved ice bingsu creations, — aptly named “snows” — topped with options like matcha, Oreo, coffee jelly, cheesecake, fresh strawberries and mango. Other offerings include soft serve ice cream, taiyaki mochi waffle cones, boba tea and coffee. Popular orders include the Tira-Miss-You snow (shaved ice with tiramisu, cocoa dust, strawberry garnish and chocolate drizzle), soft serve taiyaki cones, strawberries and cream taiyaki buns and brown sugar boba milk. The cafe includes indoor seating for guests to enjoy their sweet treats and beverages.
Snowtime Dessert Cafe, 715 W Hamilton Ave., Suite 1130, Campbell; 408-963-6799, Instagram: @snowtimedesserts. Open Tuesday through Sunday noon to 9:00 p.m.; open until 9:30 p.m. on Friday and Saturday only.
Ondam, Santa Clara
Step into Ondam for a filling Korean meal in a contemporary and bright setting. Located in an unassuming strip mall along El Camino Real in Santa Clara, Ondam aims to provide diners with a wide menu of traditional entrees and even some fusion options. The restaurant had its soft opening Feb. 12 and is currently open for dine-in only, with plans to offer takeout in the future.
Staff recommend the kalguksu, a traditional noodle soup with knife-cut wheat flour noodles served in a large bowl with broth and other ingredients. Ondam offers six kalguksu variations, such as chicken, seafood, and algoni (fish roe). A popular appetizer has been the mini cheese tteok sticks, which pack a sweet and salty bite thanks to American cheese, mozzarella rice cakes and a light drizzle of condensed milk. The menu includes shareable dishes such as galbi short ribs, fried chicken platters, jeongol (Korean-style hot pot) and kimchi fried rice served on a sizzling plate with egg poured to cook on the outer perimeter. For an American-inspired meal, the restaurant serves up a prime galbi burger with fries.
Ondam, 2450 El Camino Real, Santa Clara; 408-747-9003. Open daily from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m.