Say you’re heading south on Highway 101 after running some
morning errands in San Jose. You’re stomach tells you it’s
definitely time for lunch, but it’s another half hour or more until
you get home. What do you do?
Say you’re heading south on Highway 101 after running some morning errands in San Jose. You’re stomach tells you it’s definitely time for lunch, but it’s another half hour or more until you get home. What do you do?
I have good news! The Coyote Creek Golf Club is open to the public and serves breakfast and lunch in a lovely setting.
The day that my husband and I visited there for lunch, it was already warm in Morgan Hill. However, once we arrived, a nice breeze was blowing across the valley, so we decided to pass up the nicely appointed, air-conditioned dining room in favor of eating on their spacious patio under a large umbrella with beautiful views of the golf course. The patio is surrounded by colorful rose bushes, and Coyote Creek runs close enough to provide a nice background sound.
We received silverware right away, and our drink orders were taken promptly. Coyote Creek serves a refreshing Passion Fruit Iced Tea ($2.20) that was perfect on this warm day. The menu is nicely varied and reasonably priced. To appease the many golfers coming in after their 18 holes, the appetizer menu is especially well-rounded and includes a basket of garlic fries ($6.25) to six tacos (three steak and three chicken) for $8.50.
For lunch, I wanted a fresh, crisp salad, while my husband focused on the sandwich part of the menu. I eventually chose the Valley Cobb Salad ($9.75), which is named after one of the two courses you can play at Coyote Creek ($9.75), and my husband selected the Golf Club Sandwich ($9.75).
While our lunches were being prepared, we sat back and enjoyed the lovely setting. The large, grassy area overlooking the lake was set up for a small wedding that would take place later that day. Coyote Creek can accommodate groups of various sizes for events and, from past experience, I can attest to the quality of their banquet services.
Before too long our meals were brought out. Our waitress had warned me that the Valley Cobb Salad was large, and she was right. It was artfully arranged on a beautiful and unique glass plate. My only frown came when I realized that the “chopped avocado” described in the menu was actually a scoop of guacamole. The avocados were fresh, but they would have blended with the texture of the salad better if they had been the chopped avocados I was anticipating.
The House Vinaigrette dressing that was mixed with the chopped greens, though, was a perfect enhancement – not too sharp and not too sweet. The amount of dressing was well-proportion and didn’t drown the fresh leaves. A dinner roll of some type would have been good with my salad, but it was never offered.
My husband’s Golf Club Sandwich was comprised of a stack of quality ingredients. Thick, applewood smoked bacon, thinly sliced turkey, fresh guacamole, tomatoes and Swiss cheese were arranged between layers of a nutty, whole grain oatmeal bread that had been nicely toasted.
Accompanying his meal were thin, crisp, hot and salty french fries. Everyone prefers his or her own “style” of fries, but both my husband and I liked them just like Coyote Creek served them. If you don’t want fries, a small green salad or fresh fruit serve as alternatives.
Although it was a busy afternoon at the restaurant, our server was attentive and friendly throughout our entire visit. She also reminded us that Coyote Creek offers a Make Your Own Pasta night every Thursday during the summer. Served from 5 to 8pm, you can choose from a vast array of ingredients, pasta types and sauces, and watch as the chef puts them together for your entree. Served with either green or Caesar salad and focaccia bread, this is a deal dinner for $14.95.
Sara Leigh has lived in Morgan Hill for 26 years with her husband and two sons, who are now away at college. She loves food and wine, and keeps all the delicious calories in check by avid race-walking. Reach her at
ca*******@ho*****.com
. All reviews for The Dish are anonymous, and all reviewer’s meals are paid for by South Valley Newspapers.
