Nordstrom Cafe Bistro--San Jose (American cuisine)

After a long morning of shopping with some friends, some good food was in order. Who would have thought a really good restaurant would be in a mall. At 2400 Forest Avenue, in the Valley Fair Mall in San Jose, at the back of the Nordstrom Department store is a delightful little cafe.

The way it works is this: you pick up a menu that's right outside the front entrance, figure out what you want, enter, order and pay at the counter and then get seated. Then you get the surprise of your life with incredibly fresh and well-prepared dishes.

First was a Nicoise Salad with Salmon. The salmon was well prepared and seasoned with herbs and dijon. The greens were fresh and it was lightly dressed with a dijon balsamic vinaigrette. Very nice.

Next was the Braised Short Rib Pappardelle. The short ribs were slow-cooked and they were very tender and moist. The red wine tomato sauce was not overwhelming and the spinach and creamy goat cheese finished it off perfectly. Very enjoyable.

We also tried the Rustic Vegetable & Three Cheese Pizza. Baked in a brick oven, the crust was thin and crisp with that nice clay-cooked aroma. Topped with artichokes, baby spinach, mushrooms, fresh mozzarella, aged provolone, parmesan cheese, and fresh basil, this was a hearty, satisfying pizza.

Since bread pudding is one of my favorite types of desserts, I had to try it. It came warm with a nice toasty exterior with a soft, but not mushy interior. Served with a raspberry sauce, vanilla sauce, fresh cream, and white chocolate shavings, this was a very nice ending to a very good meal.

The service, as well as the decor, was elegant. I would highly recommend skipping the fast food when shopping at this mall and go straight for this hidden gem.