Nick's on Main

My cousin Chi graduated from his MBA program, so we were celebrating his accomplishment with a nice dinner at Nick's on Main in Los Gatos. This restaurant has been excellent for lunch (often very packed) and superb for dinner (always packed). Reservations for dinner are a must, as their small space fills quickly, but it's best to call ahead for both meal times. Parking can vary, as there is only street parking, though general parking in Los Gatos will suffice if you're up for a walk (I always am; it's better for my digestion).

To begin, their bread is lovely, light, and fluffy, but instead of serving with butter, they have a sun-dried tomatoes, roasted peppers and olive oil spread. A healthy dab on each slice is wonderfully sweet with a nice kick to finish. It's always tasty, so we usually have to ask for more bread and spread.

Nick's also boasts a selection of choice wines, but we preferred to bring our own for a corkage fee. Consider doing so if your table will drink a whole bottle, and you have a particular favorite vintage. Alternatively, there are also sodas and water for the non-drinkers in your party. We had brought both a white and a red, but only drank the red.

To start, we "trusted the chef" which is a regular on their menu. The chef has creative license over what he or she has in the kitchen and serves up. Here, we had elk, brandied cherries, risotto, and string beans. The elk, medium, didn't have the usual game taste, which was excellent, but paired with the sweetness of the cherries and the buttery texture of the risotto, a perfect bite was delightful. We also had duck confit with polenta, a favorite of my family's whenever we dine at Nick's (we get it at lunch too when it's not on the menu; ask your waiter if it's possible because it's worth it). The duck is tender, sweet, and fatty enough to delight, while the polenta grabs up the excess moisture and smoothes down the palate.

For my entree, I had their rib eye, medium-rare, served with dungeness crab, potatoes, and asparagus. The butter slathered over my steak also had a strong crab flavor, which made this steak unexpectedly surf and turf (where I had not been expecting it). The bites were rich and buttery, and the potatoes soaked in the leftover butter were absolutely mouth-watering (I ate all of the leftover potatoes on a cousin's plate). I forwent the asparagus, because y'know, awfully crunchy. Among the other plates ordered at the table, we had sea bass, lamb, Ahi tuna, and pheasant (the bites of which I had, I most preferred the seared Ahi).

Lastly, for dessert, I had the lemon cheesecake, while my brother and parents had the banana bread pudding (their specialty and probably the best dessert; I just have a weakness for cheesecake), and my auntie and cousin had creme brulee. To be fair, the cheesecake was disappointing and a bit thick. It wasn't supple in the way that cheesecakes are creamy and full of melting texture once inside your mouth. However, the bread pudding packs a severe punch, and the creme brulee is standard and delicious.

I always enjoy Nick's on Main for lunch or dinner (their burger is absolutely awesome and the only time I can really enjoy blue cheese), but the dinner menu blows lunch out of the water with the sophistication on each dish. They're hearty but elevated, with lots to fill, but full of technique. The dessert (for me) was a disappointment, but it wasn't bad enough that I dislike the restaurant. I was already extremely full of steak, potatoes, duck, and elk, so I wasn't about to complain. However, it's worth stopping by if you're looking for good eats.