Kula Revolving Sushi Bar

19600 Vallco Pkwy Ste 160, Cupertino, CA 95014

http://www.kulausa.com/

Once you arrive, there is a tablet outside for you to type your information (phone/email, your preference) and choose whether you want a table/bar/first available seating and their system will automatically keep you updated on when your seat is ready. It's a no wonder there was a wait even on a weeknight (approx. 15min. for us), Kula Revolving Sushi Bar is a great concept for the Silicon Valley. 

Once seated, the host will ask if it's your first time, and if it is, they will send your waiter over to show you how everything works. There is a touchscreen that you can browse and order from. There are two belts - the top belt is for food you order (it's sent right to you) and the bottom belt has their endless revolving array of sushi, appetizers and desserts. There is a name card for each item so you know just what it is. Each plate has a covering; to open it, all you need to do is grab the plate and lift it gently, it will sense the motion and open it for you to take - how awesome is that? There is a plate disposal at your table and for every 5 plates you put in, you get to watch a little clip; for every 15 plates, you get a little prize (notepad, pen, etc.). The screen will also display how many plates you've consumed and what you've ordered. 

We tried their Tonkatsu Ramen to fill us up a bit so we wouldn't go too crazy on the sushi, it arrived on the top belt for us to open and enjoy. The chasu was cut a bit too thick for my liking, but the noodles and the broth were so hearty and flavorful. We also had 15 plates of their sushi and bites (ok, we had 14 and were just shy of 15 - give us a break). Each plate had either 1-4 pieces of sushi on them and they had a pretty good variety. Each plate is $2.25 and other items on the menu seemed pretty affordable, everything seemed to fall around $5 or less, including the ramen. To finish off, we tried their soy milk donut which came with ice cream, and it is a definite must try to end your meal - it was delicious to say the least. We clicked check-out on the touchscreen and our waitress was at our table instantly. Our water was constantly refilled and the speed of the waiters here was scary, but remarkable! The concept of this place, would probably attract a wide crowd, from families to couples to friends, etc.

Noodles Pho Me

377 Bancroft Ave. San Leandro, CA 94577

http://noodlesphome.weebly.com/

Noodles Pho Me is a Laotian cuisine restaurant. They have a nice comfy feel to them, their food is made fresh and nice and homey, they have an open kitchen and it's amazing how clean they keep it, and what tops it off is the staff that go around chatting with you and making sure you feel right at home. At the beginning of your meal, they offer for you to taste test their broth, which I thought was amazing because I've never experienced that at a restaurant. They brought out a cup of each broth on a tray for us each to taste test, which made deciding that much easier for us! 

Although they're called Noodles Pho Me, this is not your average Vietnamese pho; they are a Laotian cuisine and thus comparing the two are kind of irrelevant. My mother would actually make these type of noodle soups so I've personally had these dishes homemade and I love it. It's so much more savory and packed with such wonderful flavors. For starters, we had their egg rolls and chicken satay and they were both delicious. Billy had their Combo Pho and I had their Khao Soy. We both enjoyed our meals and hope to bring family by sometime, because how often do you come across a good Laotian restaurant in the bay?