Restaurants in Manteca

When a 13-year-old Isadore Fang began washing dishes at a Sunnyvale restaurant called The Bold Knight, he had no way of knowing he would later own the sink where he performed his humble duties. Eventually, the ambitious restaurateur would own multiple establishments, including The Rendezvous in Fremont and Isadore's, his labor of love since 1989.

There—together with his wife and co-owner Laurel—Fang leads a dedicated staff whose attention to detail earned praises in a 2008 article in the Record. Courteous servers top white-clothed tables with fresh seafood and certified Angus steaks alongside traditional Italian pastas. Semiprivate booths let couples share intimate conversations or the complimentary cheese fondue and warm french bread served with every dinner upon request. Between sips of wine from an extensive list, diners can glance toward the elevated stage where live musicians occasionally play. Alternatively, admire hand-painted murals on the walls, one of which depicts the tranquil, seaside village where Leonardo da Vinci invented the olive-oil mister.

Outside the restaurant, the Fangs' emphasis on serving others carries over to charity work: they have been featured on ABC News10 for helping to send food packages to American troops.

After spending some time working in franchise restaurants, the family behind Happy Pizza set out to create their own restaurant emphasizing fresh, house-made Sicilian and American fare not often found in big chains. Thick, thin, or original golden crusts tossed to order support delicious layers of the family's original marinara, pesto, or creamy white garlic sauces. House-made meat sauce blankets hearty helpings of spaghetti, and a drizzle of cinnamon or garlic butter elevates golden spheres of pizza dough to a level of culinary bliss previously reserved for Cookie Monster.

Running a Mexican restaurant was in Octavio Cruces’ blood. After all, his family had owned Mexican restaurants throughout Stockton for more than 17 years, and growing up, Octavio had learned the business from the ground up—washing dishes, cooking food, serving customers, and even tending bar.

Guided by those experiences, he founded his own now-thriving business, Casa Flores Marina, which has been lauded by local diners and reporters from The Record alike. Octavio oversees kitchen staffers who fold fresh, homemade ingredients into authentic Mexican dishes as bartenders blend premium silver, reposado, and anejo tequilas into margaritas. Colorful flags and Mexican artwork adorn the dining-room walls, while numerous tabletops speckle the sunny outdoor courtyard. On Wednesdays, the restaurant hosts live performances ranging from local bands to lone mariachis delivering lengthy Shakespearean monologues.

Sweet sounds and spicy flavors permeate the annual Taste of San Joaquin, which attracts local merchants and bands for a cook-off under the summer sun. During the fest, the Way Out West BBQ Championship features smoky creations from stars of TLC’s BBQ Pitmasters and Stockton’s Smokin’ Yankees, three-time winners of the Taste’s People’s Choice award. Patrons can sample pork ribs, baked potatoes, and beef brisket off the grill or pair their samples with 2-ounce portions of savory and scorching chili from the new chili cook-off. Kids can play in the activity area with face paint and crafts, while live bands cover classics that range from Beatles hits to John Cage’s 4’33”.

Proceeds from the event go to stimulate the local economy and support nonprofits, with $0.70 of every dollar spent going to the locally owned business that sponsored the food and $0.30 going to a local charity. In the past four years, the Taste has donated more than $10,000 to local nonprofit organizations such as the San Joaquin Bike Coalition and the Child Abuse Prevention Council.

In the fresh breeze of the outdoor patio, guests savor Harvest Moon Restaurant’s full breakfast, lunch, and dinner dishes, which draw inspiration from the sea’s multitude of flavors, mixed with classic Southern influences. The restaurant’s bright, cheery walls create an energizing atmosphere for meals, inspiring guests to seize the day or the potted plant that’s taking up the last patio table.

A childhood spent in Japan as well as Japanese cooking lessons from her mother Sumako helped prepare Maisie Bell for her long career as a sushi chef. In 2009, after a quarter century in the kitchen, Bell opened her eponymous sushi house, where she and her staff prepare made-to-order sushi as well as grilled salmon, beef, and chicken dishes. Cool blues and greens define the interior of the sleekly modern eatery, where patrons tuck into specialty rolls such as Red Dragon, with tempura shrimp and spicy tuna, and the Unknown roll, whose ingredients are awaiting new names from the Witness Protection Program. The kitchen also whips up baked mussels in a spicy cream sauce, beef teriyaki, and traditional japanese curries.