 Darren's Restaurant Restaurant Review: Chef Darren Weiss has built quite a following across the South Bay throughout his many years of cooking, an inspiration as he also happens to be deaf. Though the seating can be cramped, the space itself is intimate, with a farmhouse-style dining room. Though the kitchen isn’t open, due to the confined quarters it’s easy to watch cooks prepare appetizers like crackling crisp quail, rock shrimp ravioli, and a pear salad with candied pecans, triple cream and balsamic vinaigrette. Lobster chowder, in particular, is balanced with a bold spice of red chilies offset by sweet corn and coconut milk, while purple potatoes and shiitake mushrooms add texture. A few large-portion pastas are available, but the best entrées include a chipotle-glazed pork chop, cooked medium, with parsnip purée; and braised short ribs complemented by toasted hazelnuts. For dessert, a triple chocolate brownie is dense and decadent, finished with banana gelato. There's also a respectable cheese list. The wine list is dominated by small producers from California, peppered with a few special selections from the Rhône Valley.
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Splurging at top-rated restaurants is fun for special events, but where can you go for a good quality meal that won't break the bank? Gather the change out of your piggy bank and sofa cushions and take it to one of our selections for the best cheap eats in your area.
