Merlion Restaurant & Wine Bar

So here's the story. My friends and I decided to stop by here and get a bite to eat before seeing a movie. It was just opening so we figured we would support a new local business. The food was decent, but perhaps just not my thing. California fusion restaurants can be like that. It depends what aspects of food they want to fuse together, and in this case it was interesting, but nothing I felt strongly compelled to come back for.

The drinks are pretty expensive, so I figure these must be the highlight of the place. They had a pretty impressive looking bar, so it seemed like a safe bet. I look down the list and I see a chocolate vodka martini. Since I had completed my meal, I decided it was time for dessert and ordered it. For reference, it was called the Silver Surfer. What I got back was a martini glass of vodka, with what appeared to be crushed up coco puffs (the cereal) floating on top. I guess this was the aforementioned chocolate. All in all, a really "meh" drink, and considering it was $8.75, it was crap.

I definitely recommend giving it a shot. It deserves at least that, but be warned, it could be as big a waste of money for you as it was for me.

I decided to try out this new restaurant in my neighborhood for my brother's surprise birthday party. I had friends and relatives coming from SF and the East Bay so I was really hoping that this restaurant would work out. We were there at 7:30PM and liked the service so far...then at about 7:50PM, the power went out. We hung around for a bit waiting for the power to turn back on. The staff was amazing in keeping us informed and making sure that we were okay. They gave us some options of "cold" food items that didn't require cooking. We were a large group and finding another restaurant on a Friday night would have been difficult. Finally, the GM, Andy, offered to seat us at the outside patio while his kitchen staffed cooked up our order (it would be too smoky inside). So, we stayed and the kitchen staff cooked under candlelight! I kept telling myself, I hope that the food is good! It was! It was great! The sea bass was cooked perfectly. Noodles were yummy! The Basil Chicken will have you swooping the sauce out with your rice. It made it all worth it and to top it off, the restaurant staff went above and beyond making sure that we were okay. Highly recommended. If you are looking for great Asian Food cooked with a differrent flare....huge selection of great wines...excellent service....try Merlion in Cupertino! Plenty of parking and a great looking restaurant.

That about sums it up. The food is your typical Asian fusion fare with some interesting changes such as those made to their lettuce cups. The wine list is decent but expensive (especially relative to their food pricing). Its the decor that leaves me struggling for words... I suppose the best description is one step down from P.F. Chang's. They've intermingled nice, quality furnishings with cheap touches such as floors that look linoleum and an iconic Merlion made of plastic. It is worth stopping by as the food is unique enough that you may love it.