Source: The Mercury News
Tuesday, February 13, 2024
Santana Row's two newest restaurants are opening soon
Source: The Mercury News
Sunday, February 4, 2024
Raising Cane's is opening their first San Jose location in Evergreen
Thursday, January 25, 2024
Chick-fil-A proposed near Downtown San Jose
Monday, December 11, 2023
Six projects changing the face of Downtown San Jose
Sunday, December 10, 2023
New Taiwanese restaurant will replace Flames in Downtown San Jose
Source: The Mercury News
Wednesday, August 16, 2023
Famous Korean BBQ spot Baekjeong opens first Northern California location in San Jose
Monday, July 31, 2023
San Jose has the largest share of Vietnamese restaurants in the country and exciting projects to come
Sunday, July 9, 2023
Hobee's beer garden coming to Downtown San Jose
Thursday, July 1, 2021
Dine Downtown 2021!
One of the best opportunities to try out new restaurants at a discount launches today. 27 restaurants will be participating in the latest Dine Downtown event with special three and four course fixed-price menus. This time around instead of a restaurant week, the event will take place over the course of over two weeks.
Several new restaurants such as The Good Spot, Petiscos, Scott's Chowder House, and The Shop are on the list. In fact, the only restauranteurs in San Jose to ever get a Michelin Star have three different eateries on the list: Adega, Pastelaria, and Petiscos. Old favorites like Orchestria Palm Court, Habana Cuba, and Mezcal are on the list too.
To see the full press release and the list of restaurants, just scroll on down.
SSAN JOSE – Dine Downtown San Jose Restaurant “Week” returns for 18 days, starting July 1.
Normally the “week” lasts 10 days, but Dine Downtown was delayed and extended successfully to six weeks last October and November amid the COVID pandemic, so it will be extended again this year to assist with economic recovery after 15 months of tough times.
Twenty-seven downtown eateries have confirmed participation, offering food-and-drink pairings, 3- and 4-course price-fixed menus, or chef specials.
For first-timers as well as veteran downtown diners, the restaurant promotion provides a good way to explore new places and return to old favorites. Several new Dine Downtown restaurants that opened during the pandemic are participating: The Good Spot, Petiscos, Scott’s Chowder House and The Shop by Chef Baca.
The newcomers have waited a long time for their chance to show off their mettle during Dine Downtown. For example, Petiscos, new to the SoFA District, has a three-course menu that includes appetizers from flamed chouriço to asparagus rice; 15 choices for the main course from these categories: shells & claws, tentacles & scales, and feathers & bones; and five choices for “sweet endings.”
On the customer side, every price point can participate. Pastelaria by Adega offers a grilled cheese sandwich, drink and pastry for $10. Grace Deli and café has a breakfast combo of egg, bacon, avocado and hash browns with salsa and fruits, plus bottomless coffee for $11.
The Grill on the Alley decided to mix it up, offering a featured cocktail – a Ruby Red Lemon Drop – to go with their three-course meal of appetizer, filet mignon pot pie or Norwegian halibut as entrée, plus dessert.
Nomikai social food + drinkery offers chef’s specials and cocktail specials. Choose from mango jalepeno wings, pork belly musubi on the food side or P.O.G Pig or a green tea highball.
71 Saint Peter and Mezcal have participated in all 13 years of Dine Downtown.
All the choices are posted at dinedowntown.com.
“It will be smiles all-around this summer,” said Julie Carlson, SJDA marketing director. “Our chefs, hosts and servers are ready to welcome their customers ready for a beautiful evening out in downtown.”
2021 Dine Downtown
restaurant roster
- 4th Street Pizza
- 71 Saint Peter
- Adega
- The City Fish
- Devine Cheese and Wine
- District
- Enoteca la Storia San Jose
- The Farmers Union
- The Good Spot
- Grace Deli & Cafe
- The Grill on the Alley
- Habana Cuba
- Il Fornaio
- Mezcal Restaurant
- Nomikai Social Food + Drinkery
- Nox Cookie Bar
- Orchestria Palm Court
- Paper Moon Cafe
- Pastelaria
- Petiscos
- Scott’s Chowder House
- Scott’s Seafood
- The Shop by Chef Baca
- SP2 Communal Bar + Restaurant
- Spoonfish Poke
- Voltaire Coffee Roasters
Friday, April 30, 2021
Good Spot grand opening tomorrow, May 1st!
Another flagship restaurant is opening in SoFA across from Petiscos, the SoFA Market, and Haberdasher. The Good Spot is a modern gastro-lounge featuring a variety of tasty small plates and craft cocktails.
I had a chance to preview it during their soft opening, and was really impressed with the quality of their food across the board. I tried the deviled eggs with crispy brussels sprouts, adobo wing lollipops, long life garlic noodles, sweet potato fries with spicy banana ketchup, and an avocado tostada with fried cheese. I'd recommend all of them, seriously. What was most surprising was how inexpensive the food was compared to similar quality restaurants in the Bay Area. I can't wait to go back and try more of the menu.
The team behinds the new restaurant comes from a solid pedigree. Good Spot owner, Thoi Trinh, was an executive at Chris Yeo Group which launched Sino, Straits, and Roots & Rye at Santana Row. Chef Timothy Luym worked at Poleng Lounge, SF Chickenbox, and Brew Coop.
While the interior is quite spacious (and open at 50% capacity), there is also a large outdoor patio in front of the restaurant right on First Street. I really hope they keep the outdoor space post-COVID as it really changes the dynamic of the street. Apparently there is also a 2nd floor that they could open in the future.
The grand opening featuring an assortment of VIPs is tomorrow, May 1st at 1pm. The ribbon-cutting will be followed by a Vietnamese lion dance at 2pm, then cocktail hour at 3pm, and finally dinner specials and a late night happy hour. The full press release is below and you can learn more over here.
SAN JOSE -- Owner Thoi Trinh and managing partners Sammy Sok and Ivy Li of Good Spot, 386 S. First St., promise good food, good drinks and good company at their new SoFA establishment, opening Saturday, May 1 at 1 p.m. in downtown’s SoFA District.
The gastro-lounge offers a unique small-plate menu and large selection of curated wines, beers, spirits and handcrafted and batched cocktails. Cocktails include Dirty Old Man (rendition of a Japanese-style Old Fashion); Hangtime Cooler (refreshing, crisp, perfect for summertime); and Costa Rican Canopy (your sensual jungle experience).
Food-wise, popular favorites will include Adobo Wing Lollipops, Long Life Garlic Noodles and Chimichurri Hanger Steak.
Good Spot owner Thoi Trinh worked his way up from entry level to senior executive level for local and global hospitality brands. Most recently, he was Corporate Director for Chris Yeo Group, a pioneering Asian Fusion restaurant company, with endearing concepts such as Sino, Straits and Roots & Rye.
Chef Timothy Luym, recognized as a San Francisco Chronicle Rising Star chef, made his name at pioneering Asian street food restaurant Poleng Lounge and more recently led culinary operations for SF Chickenbox and Brew Coop.
At Good Spot, the owners focus on the customer experience:
The set-up is divided into sections the owners describe as “a fine-casual dining section, a set of communal tables ready for an impromptu business meeting, a highly Instagrammable corner reminiscent of a busy sidewalk café, and a lounge where big-city feels will sneak up on you when you least expect it.”
Their story on goodspotsj.com continues: “Good Spot imagines a community junction where locals and visitors can gather in the neighborhood’s living room; a place where differences stay at the door, strong bonds become stronger, and new memories flourish.”
The owners intentionally created the Good Spot with an “ambition to both honor and respond to the unique character of the place that birthed it. That is downtown’s South First Area -- or SoFA District -- a place with a history of glitz and entertainment that fell on hard times in the 1970s and ’80s and now the arts and cultural hub of Silicon Valley’s downtown.
Their On the SoFA outdoor lounge is open on weekends for now with an all-day happy hour.
Follow Good Spot on Instagram and Facebook @goodspotsj. Phone (408) 816-8841.
Good Spot’s Grand Opening ribbon-cutting event will be held at 1pm Saturday. San Jose Mayor Sam Liccardo, Councilman Raul Peralez, San Jose Downtown Association Executive Director Scott Knies will make brief remarks, followed by a traditional Vietnamese Dragon Dance.
Tuesday, April 13, 2021
Gyu-Kaku and Serious Dumplings are coming to San Pedro Square
Two major restaurants are coming are coming to San Pedro Square that will compliment the rest of Dowtown San Jose's "restaurant row." Both Gyu-Kaku and Serious Dumplings will be added to the recently finished Modera residential project in a former parking lot between The Old Spaghetti Factory and O'Flaherty's Pub.
Gyu-Kaku is a Japanese BBQ (Izakaya I believe) place that already has a loyal following in Cupertino. It will be one of the higher-end places Downtown and is likely to be a popular spot for parties and events.
Serious Dumplings will be a new kind of restaurant for Downtown San Jose. I don't believe we have ever had a dumpling restaurant. I imagine it will be similar to the Michelin recommended Din Tai Fung in Valley Fair, but more low key and less expensive. Come to think of it, I'm not sure we have had a Japanese BBQ place either.
I think it's safe to say the combination of these two places is a big upgrade from Peggy Sue's (while I did enjoy their burgers as well). I'm excited about having an even more diverse array of restaurants to choose from in San Pedro Square. The selection is expected to grow even further as there are three more retail pads to lease at Modera and additional retail spots are opening soon in and around the ground floor of 188 St. James (Silvery Towers).
If our remaining restaurants can hang on a bit longer, 2021 could end up becoming the best year ever for Downtown San Jose dining.
Source: San Jose Development Forum
Tuesday, December 29, 2020
iChina Restaurant in Valley Fair
Covid hit just as San Jose was beginning a true culinary Renaissance. We even got our first Michelin Star restaurant in 2017. Over this entire decade it feels like expectations have changed and there is a general shift away from cookie-cutter chain restaurants to more unique offerings. Old strip malls from my childhood that were filled with fast food joints like Taco Bell and Little Caesars now have Vietnamese Cafes, Indian Pizzerias, and wine bars featuring tapas.
I was pleasantly shocked when I stumbled across these photos of iChina in Valley Fair. This easily could have been another Cheescake-factory, but instead they hired the same designer from Hong Kong that worked on the top floors at the Burj Dubai (world's tallest building). The aesthetic looks stunning, and hopefully the food will live up to design. I can't wait to visit when all this craziness is over.
Source: Silicon Valley Joe from the San Jose Development Forum
Wednesday, June 3, 2020
Scott's Seafood reopens in the middle of the COVID crisis
On May 21st, they opened for takeout at 200 S. 1st which is at the intersection of Paseo de San Antonio. This is a famous spot that has housed Casa Castillo, Asqew Grill, Zing, Ruffled Feathers Eatery, The Blackbird Tavern, and Social Policy. This corner has had so much turnover, that some believe it to be cursed. If there is one restaurant that can break the curse of Case Castillo, I think it's Scott's Seafood. They have a loyal fan base and will offer a more impressive menu and cocktail selection than any of their predecessors.
Just as exciting as this opening is Scott's plan to expand their brand and build a second restaurant in Downtown San Jose. They are looking to open a takeout soup and salad eatery called Scott's Chowder House which will feature their excellent seafood chowders. We don't have a great casual bread-bowl place in Downtown San Jose, so I can't wait! Meanwhile, please patronize Scott's and your over faves so we can keep as many of our restaurants as possible this year.
Source: SVBJ
Wednesday, January 22, 2020
Santana Row 2020 Openings and Events
Tuesday, June 27, 2017
Cupertino Welcomes Coconut’s Fish Café with Aloha
- Seared Ahi – sesame-crusted, blackened Ahi served with wasabi and soy sauce
- Macadamia Nut Crusted Mahi-Mahi – served with homemade mango coconut sauce, brown rice and coleslaw
- Poke Bowl – choice of traditional, spicy or teriyaki. Served with coleslaw, brown rice, ginger, wasabi and radish sprouts
Coconut's Fish Café is located at 20010 Stevens Creek Blvd in Cupertino and is open every day from 11am to 9pm.
Friday, March 25, 2016
The Blue Door Opens at Westgate Center
New restaurant/bar offers American fare with Greek and Mediterranean flair
San Jose, CA – Familiar comfort food and dishes elevated for the sophisticated palate are on the menu at The Blue Door Restaurant and Bar at 1520 Saratoga Ave. at Westgate Center.
The restaurant opened in early February and serves an extensive menu of American classics, often with a touch of Greek flavors, accompaniments and ingredients, a nod to the owners’ heritage and food traditions.
The Blue Door features favorites such as meatloaf, pastas, steaks and burgers, all with signature touches. For diners searching for more innovative choices, the restaurant serves such dishes as grilled salmon with mustard greens, braised short ribs with orzo and mizithra cheese and a kale and quinoa salad with Parmesan-sunflower seed cracklings.
Five dining areas are designed with unique features and coloration, creating experiences that range from cozy and family-friendly and to quietly intimate. The 7,500-square foot space seats 170. An outdoor patio accommodates 80 more diners.
A bar area serves cocktails, beer, wine and small bites, including vodka-cured salmon bruschetta with tzatziki, tomato and pickled onions, lamb sliders and soutzoukakia--lamb meatballs in spicy garlic tomato sauce.
“The Blue Door Restaurant and Bar is a new and exciting addition to Westgate Center,” said Collette Navarrette, Director of Marketing for Westgate Center. “The sunny outdoor patio, modern and elegant interiors and comprehensive menu offer the community a vibrant culinary experience."
The owners are restaurateurs Sylvia and Peter Foundas whose family members are longtime Bay Area restaurant entrepreneurs, immigrants from Greece in the 1950s. The Foundas restaurants include the Pinecrest Diner, an institution in San Francisco, and the Boulevard Café in Daly City.
The restaurant was inspired by the warmth and beauty of Costa Navarino, one of the Foundas’ favorite resorts in southern Greece.
Blue is the color associated with the country’s flag and waters and the blue door is especially significant: wives of fishermen painted their doors blue believing it protected their husbands from harm as they went to sea and would bring them home safely.
The Blue Door Restaurant and Bar
Address: 1502 Saratoga Ave, San Jose, CA 95129.
Executive chef: S. Michael Alsop
Opened Feb. 8, 2016. The restaurant serves breakfast, lunch and dinner.
Hours: Mon.-Thurs. and Sunday, 7 a.m. to 10 p.m.
Fri. and Sat: 7 a.m. to 11 p.m.
Website and menu: thebluedoorrestaurant.com
Phone: (408) 866-4176
Tuesday, January 5, 2016
Adega Restaurant Review
The restaurant was sold to husband-and-wife chef team David Costa and Jessica Carreira along with Carlos and Fernanda Carreira (Jessica's parents). Jessica was born and raised in San Jose. She studied cooking at the Cordon Bleu and then went to Portugal for three years to master Portuguese cuisine. By age 20 she became the head pastry chef at Restaurant Eleven, a Michelin-star restaurant in Lisbon. That is also where she met her husband David Costa. David had been cooking for over ten years and believes in transforming traditional dishes without destroying the original flavor. He has worked at several notable restaurants in addition to Restaurant Eleven and was the sous-chef at the Four Seasons Hotel in Lisbon.
With Adega (which means wine cellar), David and Jessica have realized their life-dream of opening their own Portuguese restaurant. There is character in every corner of the space. Much of the furniture is hand made, original tools used in wine-making are hanging on the walls, there is a traditional tile mosaic on the back wall, even the plates and dishware are imported from Portugal. True to the restaurant's name, Adega's massive collection of Portuguese wines is one of the first things you'll notice when walking in. It is immediately clear that this is not a cookie-cutter restaurant.
STARTERS
House-made hummus and Portuguese bread - These comes complimentary. The hummus is a unique blend and may change from one visit to the next. The marinated olives are perfect to nibble on while you browsing the menu and wine list.
Pork belly, pea puree, poached quail egg - A must-order dish! Pork belly has become very popular in the US over the last few years. This combines perfectly cooked slices of pork with an outstanding pea puree that could stand on its own. Add the quail egg and you have magic on a plate. The presentation is also gorgeous.
Sweet prawns in a buttery garlic sauce - This is a very simple dish that is exploding with flavor. I forgot to ask how long the prawns are marinaded for, but I imagine it is a very long time. These were so good that we were looking around the table to see other's reactions when they bit into the shrimp.
Rabbit terrine with pine nuts, pistachios and cous-cous salad - Rabbit is not something you see often on American tables, but it is a popular staple of Portuguese cooking. The taste is similar to chicken and is not gamey at all like other "exotic" meats. At Adega, it is prepared perfectly in a terrine mixed with nuts and each slice sits on a bed of cous-cous. The sweet sauce on the bottom is what really elevated the whole dish for me and made it all come together. If you are adventurous, you have to try this one.
Octopus salad with roasted red pepper sauce - As beautiful as this dish was, I could only try a small bite since I'm allergic to raw onion. Everyone else at the table had no problem cleaning this plate.
SOUPS
Fresh cut kale, chourico bits, cream of potato (Caldo Verde) - This is as traditional of a Portuguese soup as you can get. It tastes just as good as how my grandmother made it, but Adega dresses up the soup with a modern presentation I have never seen before. It tastes as good as it looks.
Seafood bisque, aspic of lobster & oysters - Absolutely delicious. This is as good as any soup I have ever ordered at a Michelin-star restaurant. The soup is poured over the seafood table-side.
ENTREES
Ribeye steak, crispy Iberico ham, fried egg, fried potatoes (Bife a Portuguesa) - Wow, what an amazing and fun interpretation of a Portuguese classic. Usually this is a marinated flat-iron steak topped with an egg and french fries, but Adega has put a tuxedo on this traditional dish. They use a premium Ribeye which comes medium-rare and sizzling on a hot stone (similar to Rok Bistro). You can leave it on the stone to cook to your favorite temperature and then combine it the accompaniments on the neighboring plate.
Braised beef, roasted taro root puree, sauteed spinach (Alcatra e Inhame) - Another outstanding beef plate. This one is less interactive than the Bife a Portuguesa, but combines melt-in-your-mouth beef with taro mashed potatoes and surprisingly flavorful spinach. This was one of my wife's favorites.
Sea bass cooked with potatoes, bacon, green beans - The fish was flaky, crispy, and moist all at the same time. The texture was excellent and it had the right amount of spices.
DESSERTS
Fried coconut rice pudding, passion fruit sauce, mojito sorbet (Arroz Doce Adega) - This might be the best Portuguese dessert I have ever had. It was not a traditional rice pudding like what I was expecting. You have three fried pastries filled with coconut rice and combine those with the passion fruit sauce and mojito sorbet in the middle. I could have eaten a half-dozen of these. This is another must-order item.
Flan pudding, caramel tile, caramel sauce, vanilla ice cream - This is definitely not your traditional flan. I like this version much more and my table devoured the flan in about 20 seconds.
Orange roulade cake, cream cheese, in cardamom sauce - I don't think I have ever had this before in Portuguese cooking so I have nothing to compare this to. It was sweet, decadent, and the cake was the perfect sponge for the sauces and cream cheese.
BEVERAGES
Adega has what is likely the largest collection of Portuguese wines of any restaurant outside of Portugal. Chef Jessica's parents are both in the wine industry and have used their connections to get over 200 different types of wine across multiple regions of Portugal. You will probably need some help picking a wine similar to what you are used to, but I would recommend being adventurous and trying something that you will never find anywhere else. My pick would be a "Green Wine" (Vinho Verde), which comes from one of two varietals exclusive to Portugal. The cost for these is very inexpensive and Adega has some of the best ever made.
For dessert, you can add a shot of Port, Madeira, or Moscatel to help close out a wonderful meal. They have suggested pairings for each dessert and the cost is only $5.
Adega also has a selection of Portuguese beers and sodas. If you are going non-alcoholic then I recommend the passion fruit soda.
In conclusion, you should book a reservation ASAP before the word gets out. Adega is San Jose's best shot at getting its first Michelin Star Restaurant in 2017 and is a shining example of what the next generation of San Jose restaurants could be.
Adega is open for both lunch and dinner at 1614 Alum Rock Avenue. Hours are 11:30am to 2:30pm and 6pm to 10pm Wednesday through Sunday. Parking is available behind the restaurant, across the street, and valet parking is available on weekends. You can book a table from the Adega Website.