Chef Chris Yeo began his career as chef and restaurateur when he opened Straits Café in San Francisco in 1987, quickly becoming known for his novel Singaporean cuisine. Since then he has opened several more restaurants south of the city, including another Straits location—the third of four—at San Jose’s Santana Row in 2003. Combining flavorful cuisine and specialty libations with contemporary nightlife, Straits is one of the most happening places to eat, drink, see and be seen in the South Bay.

The bar is a nightly hub for a lively after-hours scene. It delivers a cornucopia of spirits, from top-shelf liquors to wine and draft beer from which Straits’ talented bartenders mix up a great menu featuring traditional martinis, tropical margaritas, mojitos and sake-tini’s—martinis made with premium sake. Live entertainment includes karaoke, jazz and a weekend DJ, creating a different vibe each night of the week. Sports fans can relax with a cool Cucumber Margarita or grab a Japanese Sapporo brew and watch the latest sporting event on the plasma television at the bar.

The dining room is positioned between the sleek bar and a modern exhibition kitchen, removed from the frenetic energy of the lounge area. Cozy tables let you linger over a candlelit dinner, enjoying the signature sweet and spicy aromas wafting from the kitchen  and neighboring tables.

Singaporean food is a delightful combination of Thai, Chinese, Indonesian and Indian cuisine, to which Chef Chris Yeo has added new dimensions with his innovative blends of flavors and ingredients. In one exemplary dish, Chef Yeo takes one of the staples of Thai food, Pad Thai, and adds a dash of elegance by serving it with a whole lobster, creating an extravagant take on traditional peasant food. Curry, another mainstay of Asian cooking, goes gourmet with the Laksa Lemak: spiced coconut curry with rice noodles, abalone, shrimp, clam and mussels. Beyond seafood, filet mignon is tossed with black pepper oyster sauce; lamb is served with a mango-mint emulsion; and chicken is poached and then set delicately upon a bed of rice with a ginger and chili sauce. The fusion of familiar Asian dishes with Chef Yeo’s’s own twists makes for an exciting menu of small plates and entrees, with desserts that are equally alluring.

With its upscale atmosphere and décor mingled with the thriving atmosphere of a neighborhood haunt, Straits keeps its patrons returning for lunch, happy hour, dinner and late-night cavorting.            

Hours:

Mon, 11am-10pm; Tues, 11am-11pm; Wed-Sat, 11am-12am; Sun, 11am-11pm


Entertainment:

Wed-Sat, 9pm-midnight; Sun, 9-11pm. (Wed: Karaoke; Thurs: Cover bands or jazz; Fri & Sat: Live DJ; Sun: Jazz or reggae)


Location:

333 Santana Row, Suite 1100, San Jose.
Additional locations in Burlingame and San Francisco.


More Info:

(408) 246-6320; www.straitsrestaurants.com