Source: VTA
Saturday, August 3, 2024
VTA will get $5 billion from Federal Government to extend BART to Downtown San Jose and Santa Clara
Source: VTA
Sunday, January 14, 2024
New housing proposal near Five Wounds future BART station and urban village
Thursday, December 7, 2023
San Jose approves 913 apartments east of Downtown
Friday, October 20, 2023
Little Portugal San Jose Mural
Monday, September 11, 2023
New Five Wounds Trail would link San Jose's cycling and walking network to the 28th Street/Little Portugal BART station by 2031
Wednesday, January 6, 2021
High-rise residential village proposed for Five Wounds neighborhood
The first big new development proposal of 2021 is actually outside of Downtown San Jose. A seven-building project called Vila de Camila would rise just a couple blocks away from the proposed BART station behind Five Wounds Portuguese National Church.
With a mix of 942 residences and office space across 3 acres, this would be one of the most dense projects in San Jose. Most buildings would be 16-stories tall with one seven-story building. There is even a potential expansion with four more towers that would result in between 1,200 and 1,300 residential units.
This may be a longshot as several amendments to the general plan would be required--including raising building heights, density, and widening the urban village boundary. However, this is exactly the type of projected needed close to mass transit like BART that will help San Jose grow in a sustainable way.
Source: SVBJ
Monday, June 8, 2020
New affordable housing project near Little Portugal
The project will have 91 homes and half are allotted for permanent supportive housing. Based on the render it appears there could be some retail on the ground floor as well, which would be a nice bonus for the area.
Source: aphelion2100 from the San Jose Development Forum, Housing Trust Silicon Valley
Tuesday, August 29, 2017
Viva Calle SJ 2017 - September 17th
Viva Calle features multiple activity hubs which are basically festivals-within-a-festival that highlight the local area. This year they will be located in Japantown, Roosevelt Park, the Mexican Heritage Plaza, Alum Rock Village, and Lake Cunningham Park. You can expect live music, vendors, food, activities, bike parking, and good times at each and every one. In between the activity hubs you will still find all sorts of interesting stops, hydration stations, and stores.
The route has changed again this year. It is now just a single line without branching out, and for the first time it will go straight down Santa Clara Street. At 7 miles and five activity hubs, it is the largest Viva Calle yet!
If you are one of the 50 million people that still play PokemonGo, the company that makes the game is leveraging Viva Calle as their first official event in San Jose. I'm about to out myself as a huge nerd, but I use the game when visiting someplace new to find hidden street art and all sorts of points-of-interest that even locals don't know about. It's like a hyper-local Tripadvisor for each block. The game will feature temporary stops and extra pokemon along the route as part of the event.
Viva Calle 2017 takes place on Sunday, September 17th from 10am to 3pm (streets are closed until 4pm). It is completely free and has no designated beginning or end as it's not a race. You can use the handy map below to locate the routes and festivities. For more info, head over here. Hope to see you there!
Wednesday, July 12, 2017
The Insider's Guide to Little Portugal in San Jose
While not very large, the area has a rich history and is well worth a visit. Little Portugal is located on Santa Clara Street/Alum Rock Avenue between 28th and 34th street. Five Wounds National Church is the primary landmark for the area, but ADEGA--San Jose's first and only Michelin Star restaurant--is quickly becoming the top attraction.
You also have some really nice bakeries, cafes, and grocers that offer Portuguese treats throughout Little Portugal. Bacalhau Grill is another staple of the area that is part grocery store and part restaurant. You can try a number of Portuguese and Brazilian specialties here without breaking the bank.
To check out the guide and see a map of the attractions, head over here.
Wednesday, June 28, 2017
San Jose's ADEGA is one of America's 100 Best Wine Restaurants
One of ADEGA's owners is actually a wine importer, and he has amassed the largest collection of Portuguese wines outside of Portugal. This includes a large selection of ''green wines" which come from one of two varietals that only grow in Portugal.
The list was announced earlier this month and includes restaurants that the editors feel reflect the "best, brightest and most progressive wine and food experiences available today." The issue will hit newsstands in July and you can read the initial announcement over here.
Tuesday, October 25, 2016
BREAKING NEWS: Adega became the first restaurant ever in San Jose to get a Michelin Star!!!
The Michelin guide represents the highest level of recognition restaurants can achieve. Each year, I highlight the lack of Michelin restaurants in San Jose with an annual post analyzing the guide and listing all Bay Area winners. I am completely thrilled that on my 8th annual post we will finally have a restaurant representing San Jose and it could not be a more appropriate one at that.
For my full review on Adega and its stunning interpretation of authentic Portuguese cuisine, head over here.
Better yet, head to the Adega website to make a reservation before the word gets out and it gets booked out for months.
Well done Adega, well done.
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.
Sunday, August 17, 2014
East San Jose Soccer Team Ranks 3rd in the Country
Source: I Heart San Jose, The Merc
Thursday, June 9, 2011
Dia de Portugal Celebration this Saturday in History Park!
This is an event that is dear to my heart since both of my parents emigrated from the Azores to San Jose about 35 years ago. Dia de Portugal will be filled with tons of great Portuguese food (you must try authentic linguica if you've never had it before), Portuguese wines, beers, art, music, dancing, and some really interesting cultural events. They will also be featuring a new exhibit in the Portuguese Heritage Museum that documents the migration of Portuguese people to California and Hawaii. Admission is free and children of all ages are welcome.
For more information, click here for the Dia de Portugal website.
This video is almost all in Portuguese but shows some of the cultural booths and events.