Comedians and Empanadas

A new comedy series called "Comedians and Empanadas" is coming to San Jose on the first Wednesday of every month (that's today). Casa Guzmania is restaurant that specializes in delicious empanadas.

Each month they are going to bring a lineup of talented comedians from all over the Bay that have performed at comedy clubs such as San Jose's own Improv, Cobb's Comedy Club, and Rooster T Feathers. The event is free and goes from 6-8pm. If you'd like to reserve a spot, head over here.

You can find Casa Guzmania at 350 South Market Street in Downtown San Jose's SoFA District.

Source: Eventbrite

Eos & Nyx - the new king of Downtown San Jose restaurants

The bar has just been raised for fine dining in Downtown San Jose. Eos & Nyx is an upscale Mediterranean restaurant in the Paseo building at 201 S. Second Street. The restaurant spans two stunning floors in a 4,000 SQFT space filled with unique furniture, Instagram-worthy decorations, and an open kitchen. There is also a large outdoor dining area on the paseo itself.

This restaurant is brought to you by the same team as Miniboss, Paper Plane, Still OG, and Alter Ego. However, it is less bar and more restaurant than their previous ventures. Don't worry though, it still has all of the amazing craft cocktails you would expect from this team and they are severed across two different bars connected with a pully system. It's really cool to see the bottles move from bar to bar, which you can even see outside from the street.

This was the restaurant I was most eagerly anticipating throughout 2024. I wanted to visit earlier, but couldn't get a reservation =). I booked way in advance to visit on my birthday in mid January, with a nearly two-year old toddler in tow. The only time slot I was able to get on a cold Wednesday was late in the evening. It's a very popular restaurant.

After I got over the wow-factor of the space, my first impression was not great. Despite having a reservation (and it being a birthday), we still had to wait 30 minutes and we were getting dangerously close to our daughter's bedtime. There is not an ideal waiting area for the restaurant if it's cold outside. Usually it would be the bar, but that's a challenge with a kid. Speaking of which, the vibe did not seem ideal for kids, especially for dinner. I was getting a little apprehensive. Did we make a mistake?

No, we didn't. After being seated we were able to get the food expedited and everyone was extremely friendly and apologetic for the wait. There was a high-chair for our daughter, and despite it being a little loud she loved hanging out and munching on multiple courses as much as we did. Also, there was a beautiful birthday card on the table with a drawing of the restaurant and it was signed by the staff.

The food was exceptional from start to finish. It started with an amuse bouche of beef tartar and caviar in a mini waffle cone. My mom who doesn't eat any raw fish or meat loved it (we didn't have the heart to tell her what it was).

For appetizers we had the "everything" carrots (carrots many different ways, including fennel, truffle, and hazelnuts), raw seafood (hamachi for the night and it was spectacular), bruschetta, and the dip trio (cacik, baba ghanoush, ataramas, and pita). I would recommend all of it. Next time we'll try the octopus which looked really good.

We tried a variety of cocktails. I wanted to go for items that we could not easily get anywhere else. So we tried "Licensed to Dill" which featured Greek yogurt, apricot eau de vie, aquavit, dill, and lime. It was really interesting and was perfect for Mediterranean appetizers. We also tried a "Crimson & Clover" with gin, strawberry, lychee, basil, lemon, and honey as well as a "Smooth Operator" with rye, blackberry, vanilla, and bitters. Honestly you can't go wrong with anything on their bar menu, that is their wheelhouse.

After the apps came a palate cleanser, a thoughtful second comp that everyone eating dinner gets to enjoy. Then were all the main courses. We got pappardelle duck pasta, tagliatelle lobster pasta with beurre blanc sauce, the house burger (with harissa, eggplant, and piquillo), and a half chicken. Again, everything was excellent. The biggest surprise was that the burger was my favorite course. I love a good burger and this might have been my favorite of all time Downtown.

Dessert was Loukoumades, followed by bite-sized chocolates that came with the artfully presented bill. We were also delighted that the appetizers were comped to apologize for the wait. Great customer service and that gesture ensured we will be back many times in the future.

In conclusion, it was worth the wait... both for the restaurant to open in San Jose and on the day of my birthday meal. It's the new ultimate date-night restaurant for Downtown San Jose and has Michelin Guide written all over it. Just make a reservation way in advance and give yourself plenty of time to enjoy this amazing restaurant!

New Sushi Confidential sign gives a nod to the San Jose Sharks

Sushi Confidential is a popular Japanese restaurant in San Pedro Square. They have a new sign with an arrow saying "Sushi" pointing to the restaurant and another arrow saying "Sharks" pointing at the SAP Center a few blocks away.

Many people park in the San Pedro Square parking garage before walking to games and hang out in the area both before and after games. It's a subtle but thoughtful addition to the street honoring San Jose's most famous sports team.

Source: SharksJosh95

El Cabron Kitchen & Cantina

The Downtowner has a plug for El Cabron this week, which is one of Downtown San Jose's newer Mexican restaurants. It has a fun vibe and central location close to Plaza de Cesar Chavez. Below is the description of the restaurant in the newsletter:

"Looking for great food, fantastic vibes, and a true taste of Downtown San Jose’s vibrant energy? El Cabron Cantina & Kitchen is the place to be! Known for its authentic Mexican cuisine, craft cocktails, and an atmosphere that buzzes with excitement, this lively spot has quickly become a favorite among locals and visitors alike.

What sets El Cabron apart isn’t just its mouthwatering dishes—it’s the electric mix of fun, flavor, and community spirit. From casual diners to foodies seeking something special, everyone is welcomed with open arms, adding to the dynamic pulse of downtown.

Ready to experience it for yourself? Head over to El Cabron Cantina & Kitchen and see why it’s quickly becoming one of Downtown San Jose’s hottest spots. Whether you're looking to grab a bite or simply soak in the energy, this is the place to be!"

El Cabron Kitchen & Cantina is located at 155 W. San Fernando and open until 1:30am on Fridays and Saturdays.

Source: The Downtowner

San Jose City Hall Block Party on Thursday, Oct 17th

Dozens of businesses around City Hall will be participating in the last Downtown San Jose block party for 2024. This is an up and coming area that is starting to get a lot of traction. Rollati, one of my favorite Downtown restaurants, is located in this district as well as the new and unique Paleta Planeta.

The event will feature live music, tons of food, over 100 local makers & artists, tours of new businesses, and activities for the whole family. Ground zero will be right in front of San Jose City Hall.

The event runs from 5pm to 9pm and there is free parking for 90min in city-owned garages or free parking all night on metered spaces after 6pm.You can also easily take Light Rail to the Santa Clara Station and walk two blocks.

Paleta Planeta now open in Downtown San Jose

The highly anticipated Paleta Planet officially opened over the weekend. The new shop specializes in unique popsicles like the Astro (mix of guava, horchata, and watermelon), Aguacate Coco (Avocado Coconut), and the Cookie Monster which is pictured below with self-explanatory ingredients🍪. They also have ice cream, dips, toppings, and some specialy items that are not desserts. I'm also excited about the Mexican Street Corn which is white corn with sour cream, mayo, cotija cheese, chili power, and lime.

Paleta Planeta is located at 150 E. Santa Clara Street in the heard of Downtown San Jose. They are open from Monday through Thursday from 12pm to 7pm and Friday through Sunday from 12pm to 8pm. 

Downtown San Jose restaurant updates

A couple weeks back, Nathan Donato-Weinstein from the San Jose Office of Economic Development had a slew of restaurant updates. I was going to break these out into separate posts, but in the interest of getting the news out quicker, here they are:

• Hobee's is full-steam ahead for their new diner and beer garden at 261 N. Second St. in the coming weeks 
• City staff are working with restaurateurs for two high-profile locations: 
• The former Togo's space at 18 N. San Pedro St. is destined for an exciting Thai restaurant 
• The former Curry On (née Taqueria San Jose) at 241 E. Santa Clara St. will host a unique new burger concept (I've always thought there was plenty of room for burgers in Downtown.) 
• Don't miss two old Santa Clara Street favorites, recently re-opened: 
• Fuji Sushi just re-opened at 56 W. Santa Clara St. and 
• ISO Beers has also recently re-opened after a renovation (it's perfect for happy hour after work). 
• Speaking of happy hour... Urban Putt has a new HH menu Tuesday-Thursday (check it out here). While you're there, you might as well play a few holes.. (9 holes is just $11). 
• Time flies… SoFA Market will be celebrating its 10^th anniversary this fall (stay tuned for details)… Stop by its beloved Fountainhead Bar, which is under the new ownership of Uyen Nguyen with a background in biomedical, venture capital, and investing who also owns NUE, a well-reviewed restaurant in Seattle.  
• You may have seen new signage at San Jose's Downtown Food Hall (operated by Cloud kitchens). Masala Pizza [Josh: pictured below] will be occupying a front-of-house walk-up window in just a few weeks. Stay tuned for more announcements as additional restaurant concepts are being added shortly.

 

Paseo de San Antonio Block Party on Aug 15th

The Urban Vibrancy Institute's Block Party series continues next week in the Paseo De San Antonio District of Downtown San Jose. The event is focused on highlighting over 30 businesses in the Paseo area, including Campus Burgers which is all the rave right now. 

The block party will also feature live music from a local band, delicious food and drinks, tours of new businesses, local markers & artists, and various activities.

The event runs from 5pm to 9pm on August 15th and starts at 101 Paseo de San Antonio.

Campus Burger opens to long lines for it's $1.99 burgers in Downtown San Jose

One of Downtown San Jose's most popular new restaurants is a burger shack in a large kiosk where the Circle-A Skateboard shop used to be on Paseo de San Antonio (don't worry about Circle-A, they relocated to SoFA). 

When I first found out about Campus Burgers, the pricing is the first thing that stood out. They have just five items on the menu and the hamburgers are just $1.99. This seemed too good to be true... I've paid $7 for a Big Mac before. However, this is a legit restaurant. The owner Jim Angelopoulos previously owned and operated Scrambl'z in Almaden and Yolked in Morgan Hill. It's all about simplicity and efficiency to get the costs down to something anyone can afford.

Campus Burgers did a soft opening last week where they gave away 1,000 burgers for free. In the following days they have had long lines and have completely sold out of food well before closing time. They are ordering more meat to keep up with demand. As a side note, San Jose State University is a block away and classes don't even begin until August 19th.

So far their Yelp rating is an impressive 4.5 stars with 30 reviews in the past week. This is despite people often waiting more than half an hour in line to get their burgers, which are cooked to order. Initial reviewers are really impressed with the quality, value, and are even comparing it to In & Out. I can't wait to try this for myself, but if you're in the area it certainly seems worth swinging by.

Source: SVBJ (photos by Tomas Ovalle from the SVBJ)

San Pedro Square Block Party on Thursday, July 18th

Over 60 businesses around San Pedro Square will be participating in the latest Downtown San Jose block party. The even will feature live music, tons of food, local makers & artists, and activities for the whole family. Ground zero will be along North San Pedro Street (you can't miss it now with the new mural). 

The event runs from 5pm to 9pm and there is free parking for 90min in the Market & San Pedro Square Parking Garage or free all night on metered spaces after 6pm.You can also easily take Light Rail to Saint James Park and walk two blocks.

Dine Downtown San Jose Restaurant Week is July 11-21

Later this week, one of the largest restaurant weeks in Downtown San Jose history will kick off with 40 participating restaurants. This is a great opportunity to try out fixed price multi-course menus and other specials at discount prices.  

There are many classic and new restaurants on the list. I'm going to highlight a few that I've personally been to:

• AJI - great Japanese Peruvian fusain restaurant in the lobby of the Signa Hotel (former Fairmont). Have been here several times and it has never disappointed, great for groups.
• Angkor Chef - Downtown San Jose's first Cambodian restaurant. Affordable and delicious.
• Club on Post - Great brunch, best Espresso Martini in San Jose. 
• Cobre & Clay (NEW) - Mexican cuisine at the corner of the San Jose Marriott.
• Dr. Funk - Tiki bar with outstanding ambiance, great way to surprise guests and friends.
• EggHead (NEW) - Very popular local chain featuring egg sandwiches.
• Elyse (NEW) - French Vietnamese fine dining in beautiful expanded space. Perfect date-night. restaurant.
• Gyu-Kaku Japanese BBQ (NEW) - the only Japanese BBQ Downtown.
• ISO Beers (NEW) - They're back and newly remolded! Previously they did not serve food, but I see they have will have dinner specials.
• Orchestria Palm Court - One of the most unique restaurants I have ever been to. Part museum, part 40's restaurant experience.
• Petiscos - Downtown San Jose's only Michelin-rated restaurant. Excellent introduction to Portuguese cuisine.
• Pastelaria by Adega - Petisco's sister restaurant with a focus on Portuguese desserts (amazing egg tarts) and snacks.
• Rollati (NEW) - Hot addition to the San Jose dining scene and the flagship restaurant around City Hall.
• Silicon Valley Capital Club (LIMITED ACCESS) - This is Downtown San Jose's only place to dine in the sky. It takes up the penthouse floor at 50 West San Fernando and is actually a private club. It's only open for everyone during Restaurant Week. I'd recommend taking advantage of it and soaking up amazing views of San Jose and Silicon Valley from their giant outdoor balcony.
• Urban Putt (NEW) - The best minigolf course I have ever done, a true love letter to San Jose. Their food and drinks are surprisingly great and unique as well (Pad thai pizza?). If you haven't been here yet, this is a great reason to go.

Check out all 45+ restaurants over here and support your unique, local San Jose Restaurants!

Downtown San Jose gets its first Japanese Ramen restaurant

Hinodeya Ramen has officially opened a restaurant in Downtown San Jose near the intersection of Market Street and Santa Clara Street. Surprisingly, this will be Downtown's first Japanese ramen restaurant--not the first Japanese restaurant but the first specifically specializing in ramen.

Hinodeya in headquartered in Japan and has a few other US locations. There are a number of outposts in San Francisco and one in Campbell, Newark, and Dallas.

This is long overdue Downtown and fortunately the restaurant is off to a great start.

Hinodeya is located at 9 N Market Street and is open from 11am to 10pm from Sunday through Thursday and 11am to 11pm on Friday and Saturday.

Easter Brunch in Downtown San Jose 🐣🥂

As usual, the San Jose Downtown Association has a list of all the great brunch options in Downtown San Jose for Easter weekend. They also have a brief history of brunch in America.

I'll call out Rollati specifically since they have a special Easter Menu with a Cocoa Pappardelle (lamb ragu, pistachio, and mint gremolata) and Italian Easter Bread pictured below. However, you can't go wrong with any of the restaurants below. I've been to all but one.

For your convenience, here is the entire DTSJ brunch list with links to the restaurant in the title:

Rollati

Brunch at Rollati is best enjoyed with a group of friends, so you can order the Aperol Spritz Tower for four, which is their featured Brunch Cocktail.  Brunch entrees include Italian Toast (Sweet Batard, Nutella, Maple Syrup) and Buttermilk Pancakes with Huckleberry, plus the entire lunch menu.  Brunch served Sat. & Sun. 11am to 3pm.

The FAB

The FAB brunch menu includes Egg Machaca, Pozole, and their hearty loaded dirty fries, served “breakfast-style” with a soft over-easy egg.  Brunch served Sat. & Sun. 11am to 3pm.

The Club on Post

The brunch menu at The Club includes Berry Waffles, Chilaquiles, Crab Cake Benedict, or a Club Burger, served brunch-style, with an egg on top of the Wagyu patty.  There’s a full bar and specialty cocktails, but the Fever Tree Sparking Sicilian Lemonade is worth a try.  Brunch served Sat. & Sun 11am to 3pm.

SP2 Communal Bar  & Restaurant

The Sourdough Machi Waffle, Tri-Tip Hash, Smoked Salmon Scramble (to name just a few) pair perfectly with imaginative cocktails that include an Elderflower Spritz, Passionfruit Bellini, and a drink called Corpse Reviver No. 2.  SP2 also has a preset Brunch menu that allows you to choose an entree, side and a salad for the fixed price of $45.  Brunch served Sat. & Sun. 11am to 2pm.

The Farmer’s Union

The Chuy’s Michelada at Farmer’s Union is practically a meal, but you will want to try the Chicken Fried Chicken & Eggs or the Huevos Motulenos with turkey, peas, cojita cheese, and friend plantain.  Brunch served Sun.11am to 3pm.

Mama Kin

Brunch at Mama Kin includes the usual brunch staples, along with Cajun Creole specialties of the house, but it’s mostly about the vibe.  On Saturday, the R&B Brunch and Day Party, features R&B tunes from the 80s to the 2000s.  Sunday is the Boom Box Brunch and Day Party, with a DJ playing music from the golden era of Hip Hop.  Brunch served Sat. & Sun. 10am to 3pm.

Poor House Bistro

Jambalaya Scramble, Pecan pancakes, New Orleans-style Beignets, and Pain Perdu (New Orleans French Toast) are just a few choices on the brunch menu at PHB. Doors open 10 am, but the live Blues on the Patio entertainment doesn’t start until noon.  Brunch served Sun. 10am to 2pm.

Whispers Cafe & Creperie

The sweet and savory crepes at Whispers are offered all day every day, but it’s a very popular place for brunch on the weekends. It’s also the longest hours for Brunch in the downtown, for early risers who don’t want to wait until 10 a.m. to eat.  Brunch served Sat. & Sun. 8am to 3 pm.

Fountain Restaurant

Located inside the Signia by Hilton San Jose, next to the Circle of Palms, offers a weekend brunch that includes Lobster Benedict served atop fresh artichoke hearts, generous Avocado Toast and Trout Toast, Pancakes, and Belgian Waffles. The weekend brunch menu also adds lunchtime go-tos like the tasty Fountain Burger with balsamic onion jam and gruyere, plus salads, sandwiches, and a crowd-pleasing kid’s selection with Mac n’ Cheese, Chicken Tenders and Sliders.

Rollati's Cocoa Pappardelle (lamb ragu, pistachio, and mint gremolata) and Italian Easter Bread

Urban Putt, a love letter to San Jose's past, present, and future

With anticipation building for over a year, I thought there was no way that Urban Putt could possibly live up to the expectations in my head. I was wrong. Best. Minigolf. Course. Ever.

You walk through a very subtle entrance at 201 S. Seconds St., right next to Scott's Seafood. As soon as you walk in you are immediately transported to another planet. If Urban Putt was a standalone bar, it would already be one of the best ones in San Jose. Specialty drinks include The Winchester Old Fashioned with a smoke bubble, 10th Street Penicillin using local San Jose-made whiskey, Steve's Espresso Martini (pictured below), and a fruity Happy Accident which you wear around your neck and take with you as you golf.

For food, I just sampled a small number of their menu items at the media preview night but have plans to return this weekend for "more thorough research." The Pad Thai pizza was super tasty, as was the street corn salsa and Bavarian Pretzel with locally produced IPA mustard. I'm looking forward to trying their OMG Burger, which is a smash-burger on Texas toast with avocado and a fried egg.

Okay now for the best part. The golf course is incredible. It puts any other course I have ever done to shame in terms of creativity, engineering, and localization. It starts with an homage to Downtown San Jose and then blends innovation with nostalgia. I don't even want to show all the photos so that you get to experience some surprises while you're there. 

Some of the holes are actually races with your party of up to 4 people, including a game of labyrinth. One is a real-life game of Duck Hunt. Another is inside of the Winchester Mystery House. There's a shark, a downed UFO, a replica of the San Jose Electric Light Tower, a submarine, and a finale worthy of Silicon Valley. Some of the holes even have hidden tricks and easter eggs, including some trippy optical illusions and effects with vacuum tubes.

If there was ever a time to run out and support a new local business, this is it. I already have my next two trips lined up. Urban Putt officially opens to the public today at 4pm. After 8pm it will be 21+ only.

This has immediately become my top destination to take people from out of town. What a way to start 2024!

Slice of Homage Review 🍕🤯

We are fortunate to have a lot of great pizza places in San Jose. For New York Style you have the ever-popular A Slice of New York and Bibo's. For Chicago, there is Blue Line and Paxti's. For more traditional Italian, Pizza Bocca Lupo. Californian? Pizza Antica. We even have some awesome Indian fusion pizzas--my favorites are at Blast & Brew on North First Street.

However, out of all the pizza genres and all the pizza places I have been to in Silicon Valley... the Detroit-style pizza at Slice of Homage was the best I've ever had. 

They have actually been around for a couple years for take-out, even operating out of a nightclub, but they have finally gotten a dedicated space in August. It's easy to miss, nestled between The Farmer's Union and San Pedro Social along Santa Clara Street in Downtown San Jose.

Detroit-style pizza is known for a crunchy, cheese-lined edge and crispy bottom. The crust almost tastes caramelized while the dough bakes bubbly and fluffy in the center.

Slice of Homage's flagship and my favorite slice of all time was appropriately named "The Detroit vs. Everybody." This masterpiece has a special four-cheese blend, bacon, Genoa salami, Rosa Grande pepperoni, sausage, mushrooms. It's topped with dollops of fresh ricotta, freshly grated Grana Padano, basil strips, and garlic-infused extra-virgin olive oil. Every ingredient is premium and it tasted like magic. Perfectly balanced despite the insane amount of meat and cheeses. 

If you want to step it up another level you can dip it in homemade ranch sauce or use a hot honey packet or two. They also had vodka sauce, buffalo, and BBQ dipping options.

You can order it by the slice for $13, and one is enough to fill up most people.

Of course my wife and I had to try more of their options including the Margherita, Halla Mahalo (a take on Hawaiian with fresh pineapple, American bacon, Canadian bacon, tomatoes, and jalapenos), and traditional New York slice with pepperoni and basil.

Everything was delicious. If you are a carnivore, you should run not walk to get "The Detroit vs. Everybody." The vegetarian Margherita was also spectacular so you can't go wrong either way here. There aren't enough superlatives to describe just how good the pizza was here, you have to try it for yourself.

They also have a Sicilian-style pizza that takes days to make, but you typically have to order it in advance and can only get it by the tray. It's on my list for next time.

Word has started getting out. Slice of Homage has they highest Yelp rating of any pizza place in San Jose with over 200 reviews. It even has a higher rating than Tony's pizza in San Francisco. Truly epic for pizza lovers and I will be back here many, many times. It's also one of the few spots Downtown conveniently open every single day from lunch to dinner (11:30am-9pm). 

Slice of Homage is located at 163 West Santa Clara Street in Downtown San Jose.