Dio Deka is one of the “crown jewels” of Los Gatos/South Bay fine dining; IMHO, only Manresa is better, but the cuisines are completely different, so it’s not really fair to compare the two.
Dio Deka (“Dio” for short) is an upscale Greek-based restaurant/steakhouse, featuring some of the finest steaks, all “prime,” grilled over an open Mesquite fire.
Last night, for a party of six, we shared appetizers¹:
– Keftethakia: Lamb meatballs, blistered grapes, citrus infused yogurt, light herb broth.
– Octapothi Scharas: Mesquite-grilled octopus, romesco sauce, lemon vinaigrette, grated hazelnuts.
– Plevrakia: Slow-cooked pork ribs rubbed with Greek spices Attiki honey and lemon, sour cherries with ouzo.
Entrées included:
– Moussakas: A traditional layered casserole, ground lamb sliced eggplant and potato, béchamel crust, lamb jus.
– Solomos… Wild king salmon roasted on the plancha, tomato pearl couscous, Kalamatas, sweet peppers, and herbs.
– 16 oz. milk-fed “pink” veal steak. Extraordinarily tender and delicate on the palate, features a veal sirloin on one side of the bone, and a tender filet on the other.
– Petite Filet: An 8 oz. USDA prime, 30 days aged filet mignon, grilled bread and Greek Chimichurri sauce.
– Rib-Eye: 24 oz. USDA prime, French-cut bone-In rib eye delivers marvelously rich, yet mellow flavor that comes from the heart of the prime rib roast, where the most abundant marbling, tender textures and succulent taste are found.
Sides for the entrées included: Mesquite grilled romaine hearts, bagna cauda; Orzo, burnt butter, Myzithra cheese; Creamed spinach, lemon zest, nutmeg; Garlic and rosemary French fries; and Roasted baby potatoes, lemon, oregano.
And for dessert, we shared:
– Yiaourti: Greek yogurt with fresh fruit, Attiki honey, quinoa pastelli.
– Sokolata: Chocolate Mousse with pistachio, spiced whipped cream & Samos Muscat.
– Loukoumathes: Traditional Greek beignets, dipped in thyme-honey syrup with cinnamon and nuts.
EVERYTHING was incredibly delicious, but – for me, personally – the standouts were the Plevrakia, the Rib-Eye (truly outstanding; one of the best I’ve ever had); the Roasted baby potatoes with lemon; and the Loukoumathes.
The surprisingly broad and very affordable wine list features an impressive number of exceptional Greek wines, plus a number of wines from all the major regions of France and Italy, along with Spain, Portugal, Germany, and the rest of Europe, as well as the New World, including of course California.
We live in Berkeley, and it was truly worth the drive last night from there to Los Gatos and back again to dine at Dio! (That said, it is located within the Hotel Los Gatos, and we have upon occasion made reservations for a Friday or Saturday night at Dio, and reserved a room in the hotel, too.)
Highly recommended.
¹ All descriptions come directly off their menu.