- Sakoon Restaurant A little about us
- Balkar S. Tamber Proprietor-Chief Executive Officer
- Alexander P. Xalxo Executive Chef, Sakoon
Sakoon Restaurant

Sakoon invites you to embark on an extraordinary culinary
journey of India. Nestled in downtown Mountain View, Sakoon
offers diners a tantalizing blend of traditional and
contemporary flavors representing multiple Indian
regions.
Our chefs have created dishes that borrow from the past, yet
are reinvented anew with vibrancy and modern flair. Named
for the Indian word for "peace," Sakoon was designed to
envelop diners in warmth and serenity. Upon entering the
restaurant, you'll be greeted by the image of Buddha in
hand-carved wooden panels, the glow from fiber-optic
chandeliers, and the shimmer of a waterfall cascading into a
pool of lotus petals. We invite you to join us for an
exquisite dining experience.
Balkar S. Tamber

Born in Khanoor, a small town in Punjab, India, Tamber
always had a passion for cooking. Even at a young age, he
loved to create dishes full of excitement and surprise. He
was never shy about expressing his culinary likes and
dislikes, either. So much so that his mother soon grew
accustomed to her youngest critic suggesting she add a
little of this or that to her dishes.
Although his father worked in the trucking and farming
businesses, Tamber always knew he would take a different
path in life. Indeed, as a young man, he started a
successful small roadside restaurant in Punjab.After
immigrating to the United States in 1990, he worked as an
assemblyman in an electronics company, and then for the U.S.
Postal Service.
Through it all, he never stopped dreaming of opening a real
restaurant.Six years later, he spotted the perfect location
in San Mateo, Calif. to open Bombay Garden. The restaurant
proved so popular, with lines out the door at peak hours,
that Tamber opened a second Bombay Garden in Newark in 2000.
Two more Bombay Garden branches followed, one in San Rafael
in 2003, and the other in Santa Clara in 2006.Sakoon
represents the newest bold step for Tamber – his first
upscale, fine-dining establishment that promises to elevate
Indian cuisine to the next level.
Alexander Paul Xalxo

Hailing from some of New York’s most prominent Indian
eateries, Chef Alex Paul Xalxo first honed his culinary
skills at India’s Hotel Juhu Centaur in Mumbai. Chef Alex
spent 30 months learning every aspect of the hotel kitchen
and catering operation.
After his formal training, he signed on as a permanent
member of the kitchen management team and worked there for 8
years.In 2002, Chef Alex was courted by acclaimed Manhattan
Indian restaurant Tamarind where he garnered positive
reviews from Time Out New York among other publications.
During his tenure there he hosted a variety of events
including several James Beard Foundation-sponsored
dinners.
President Bill Clinton was also a dinner guest during Chef
Alex’s time spent there.In 2006, Chef Alex helped launch
Earthen Oven in the Upper West Side of Manhattan and helped
propel the venture into popular Indian eatery. By this time,
Chef Alex was on the radar of New York restaurant critics.
Chef Alex’s next stop was in Manhattan’s Financial District,
opening Taj Tribeca for Earthen Oven’s owner Shekhar Gowda.
As executive chef, Chef Alex handled all aspects of the
kitchen including an extensive catering program. After a
year at Taj Tribeca, Chef Alex returned to Earthen Oven to
boost business and regain the trust of its customer base.
Though Chef Alex is appreciative of his time spent on the
East coast and its fast-paced cooking scene, he’s excited to
learn about the West’s appreciation for fresh seasonal
products and incorporating them into his menu at Sakoon.