Spencer's Steak & Chops

I was lucky enough to get an invite to sample the Winter menu at Spencer's. I had been there a few years before when it was primarily a steakhouse, but it is obvious that the restaurant has dramatically changed since then. Chef William Hughins has transformed the menu to into something far more eclectic and contemporary. The steaks are still there (and they were delicious), but my favorite dishes were actually the courses that came before them. Below is a tour of my meal:

Freshly baked sourdough bread with black salt (not pepper). It was extremely difficult not to fill up on this before the meal started. 

Butternut squash soup with a roasted marshmallow, topped with chives. This one blew my mind. On the official menu the soup comes with creme fraiche instead of the marshmallow, which is too bad since this variant seems far more tasty and creative.

Braised bacon with local figs (middle part), and caramelized organic honey (top). I love bacon as well as combining savory and sweet flavors. The blend of the extremely thick cut bacon with the sweetness of the figs and honey made this my favorite dish. If you try this (and you should), slice from the very top to the bottom to make sure you get all three flavors in every bite.

Ahi poke. Sushi grade ahi, avocado, sesame, nori, and wonton. Here the secret is slightly burning the nori, which gives it a different flavor. This was very tasty and something I definitely was not expecting at a place known for their steaks.

Pan-seared Hokkaido sea scallops, filberts (no need to google that, they are hazelnuts), on top of orzo. The scallop was perfectly cooked and this would be a perfect light dinner for a pescatarian.

Kobe Ribeye, Spencer cut, and Tomahawk cut with potatoes and mushrooms. This was the most insane meat plate I have ever had. There was also a side of Ostrich steak (tastes like red meat but is very low in calories/fat). Even I couldn't finish the plate, but it made for a very luxurious lunch the next day.

Chocolate five different ways. If you haven't guessed it by now, Spencer's has gone a bit more upscale and they are raising the level of creativity in the menu. It really felt like dining at many of the Michelin star restaurants that I have been to. The dessert was a perfect cap to an outstanding meal.

I should also mention that they have a very nice setup for private events such as corporate parties and a cool bar area serving craft cocktails.

Spencer's is located at 2050 Gateway Pl, San Jose (inside of the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel San Jose). For the full menu or reservations, visit the website over here.

Starbird: super-premium fast food launches in Silicon Valley

Starbird is a restaurant with a very unique beginning as it was actually created by a restaurant consulting company. What better way to show your customers you know what you're talking about than to create your own restaurant from scratch and practice what you preach? They invited me to come and try out their food and I have been back there a couple times since.

I'm not a huge fan of fast food (Chick-Fil-A and The Habit are my two exceptions), but have to say that Starbird does an outstanding job. They use Petaluma Farms free-range chicken, organic eggs, fresh-baked bread, and they make all of their sauces in house. Despite the high-end ingredients, the prices are still reasonable and the food comes out quickly.

My favorite item so far is the Free Range Ranch sandwich--crispy chicken, slaw, bacon, pimento cheese, and Greek yogurt ranch. They also have chicken tenders (the maple aioli was my favorite dipping sauce), wraps with an international twist, salads, breakfast sandwiches, and a house made chocolate-dipped ice cream cone with crushed toffee or almonds.

The decor is impressive for fast food. Starbird really put in a high attention to detail inside and out. The interior was clean and modern with some nice features like the plants in the middle of a communal table. They have a nice patio with plenty of tables and creative lighting. I can't say the seating was super comfortable, but it's not supposed to be for fast food.

Starbird also baked in the latest tech available for restaurants. You can always see the status of your order by looking at a large flat-screen so theoretically they don't have to shout out names or numbers. There is even a smartphone app that allows you to order, park, and have the food delivered to your car (think drive-through 2.0). It really seems to embody everything you would expect from a new fast food restaurant launched in Silicon Valley--not just the tech but the quality of the food, atmosphere, and the desire to innovate as well as challenge people's perceptions of fast food.

The first Starbird is located at 1241 El Camino Real in Sunnyvale. The owners are planning to open 9 more locations in Silicon Valley. For more information, head over to the Starbird website.

Haberdasher Review (Singlebarrel 2.0)

When I first heard Singlebarrel was changing their concept, I was very concerned. Immediately I thought that the best bar in Silicon Valley (and perhaps the Bay Area) was in jeopardy. Seriously, what are the chances that they could actually improve on such an outstanding product?

I'm happy to say that my worries were not warranted one bit. I finally checked out Haberdasher last week and was completely blown away!

Haberdasher means to make or manufacture with skill and careful attention to detail, and is most commonly used in reference to tailoring--explaining the theme. Walking in, the ambiance was already a big improvement. You'll find classy dimmed Edison lights hanging from the ceiling and hidden inside bollard hats. There is more bar space, most casual seating, and comfortable seating for reservations (more on that in a moment). The soundproofing is also amazing. People can talk at a normal volume now and the hushing has been replaced with some nice music.

One of my favorite upgrades is that the huge line outside and the 6-person party limit are completely gone! Haberdasher is designed to provide quality craft cocktails more efficiently than before while maintaining the same quality and level of service as Singlebarrel, if not exceeding it.

You have two options when drinking at Haberdasher: 1.) Make a reservation. You'll get the best seats and the bartender will come to your table for fully custom-tailored craft cocktail experience, usually with multiple "courses." 2.) Casually walk down to the bar area and order off of a menu of the best craft cocktails Singlebarrel had.

How is #2 even possible without a huge line you may ask? Their most popular craft cocktails are on draft. They make them from scratch in large volumes before opening the bar each day. You can still order a customized cocktails at the bar, but their "craft on draft" handles a large number of the orders. I can vouch that the Old Fashioned on draft is just as good if not better than Singlebarrel's. There is also a Moscow Mule where you get to keep the copper mug, Gin & Herb Tonic, Whiskey Ginger, and Montenegro Amaro on tap. There are 8 "house fittings" drinks that are more complex and are made to order from scratch. My wife opted to get a Singlebarrel classic that was not on the menu... the Rum Flip. Not only was it as good as it has always been, but they brought it out in an old-fashion mini milk jug. Nice touch!

Other additions to the menu include outstanding non-alcoholic craft sodas, low alcohol drinks, craft beers, and snacks (brisket jerky, chicharrones, garlic almonds, etc.).

So in summary, go check out Haberdasher! The best bar in Silicon Valley is now even better. They managed to further innovate the local craft-cocktail scene!

Haberdasher is located at 42 W. San Salvador St. For more info and for reservations, head here.

SJMADE with SJEATS @ San Pedro Square Market

If you're reading this right now, you need to step away from the computer, grab the family, and get to this event below. Come see Downtown San Jose's future!

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SJMADE with SJEATS

San Jose, California

September 17 & 18, 2011

San Pedro Square Market

PRESS RELEASE

San Jose Made (SJMADE) found its roots in San Jose, CA, where brother and sister, Mike and Marie Millares of The Usuals, ran small trunk shows featuring products from local brands. The small trunk shows have, since, grown into larger-scale vendor shows for locals who are building independent brands, creating collections, or designing goods in the San Francisco South Bay Area. SJMADE events house vendor and artist booths alongside live music performances by local acts. In response to the growing demand for local goods, SJMADE partnered with SJEATS hoping to continue this unique homegrown shopping and food experience in San Jose, CA.

Some of the Bay Area’s best food trucks are coming to San Pedro Square Market for SJMADE with SJEATS, a vendor and food truck festival based in San Jose, CA. Cuisines spanning the globe will be represented, from Filipino street food to chrome karaoke ice cream trucks. SJEATS was founded by husband and wife team, Ryan and Christine Sebastian. The couple operates Moveable Feast, a traveling food truck and live music event. Thousands of people have attended Moveable Feast events to sample local fare from gourmet food trucks with a helping of live music.

SJMADE with SJEATS is scheduled to run 11:00a to 7:00p on Saturday and Sunday, September 17th and 18th at San Pedro Square Market in downtown San Jose. Admission is free. The growing schedule of vendors and food trucks is available online at: http://www.sanjosemade.com.

SJMADE with SJEATS @ San Pedro Square Market!

Of all the events I have plugged this year so far, I have to say I am the most excited about the one below. It will usher in a new, major permanent attraction in San Jose. At the San Pedro Square Market sign lighting last week, Sam Liccardo said this was the beginning of Downtown's second renaissance. I think he's right, and the event coming next weekend will show you why.

I actually see this event as a combination of 3 main attractions:

1.) SJMADE - They will be showcasing local vendors (including The Usuals), south bay culture, San Jose art, and live music. This is a great way to support our burgeoning arts, fashion, and crafts community.

2.) SJEATS - The best food trucks in the Bay Area will be gathering along St. John Street right in front of the Market. They'll also be providing some entertainment.

3.) San Pedro Square Market Soft Launch - You will be able to try out the wine bar also featuring plates of fine cheeses and cold cuts, enjoy a mojito or craft beer at the San Pedro Square Bar, have a pizza baked in a hand-made brick oven imported from Naples at Pizza Bocca Lupo, or maybe even get a haircut at Crewners. This will give you a good sample of what's coming with an ambiance you just can't beat.

If you're reading this blog right now, then you have to mark your calendar for this event. Bring the whole family!

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SJMADE with SJEATS
San Jose, California
September 17 & 18, 2011
San Pedro Square Market

PRESS RELEASE

San Jose Made (SJMADE) found its roots in San Jose, CA, where brother and sister, Mike and Marie Millares of The Usuals, ran small trunk shows featuring products from local brands. The small trunk shows have, since, grown into larger-scale vendor shows for locals who are building independent brands, creating collections, or designing goods in the San Francisco South Bay Area. SJMADE events house vendor and artist booths alongside live music performances by local acts. In response to the growing demand for local goods, SJMADE partnered with SJEATS hoping to continue this unique homegrown shopping and food experience in San Jose, CA.

Some of the Bay Area’s best food trucks are coming to San Pedro Square Market for SJMADE with SJEATS, a vendor and food truck festival based in San Jose, CA. Cuisines spanning the globe will be represented, from Filipino street food to chrome karaoke ice cream trucks. SJEATS was founded by husband and wife team, Ryan and Christine Sebastian. The couple operates Moveable Feast, a traveling food truck and live music event. Thousands of people have attended Moveable Feast events to sample local fare from gourmet food trucks with a helping of live music.

SJMADE with SJEATS is scheduled to run 11:00a to 7:00p on Saturday and Sunday, September 17th and 18th at San Pedro Square Market in downtown San Jose. Admission is free. The growing schedule of vendors and food trucks is available online at: http://www.sanjosemade.com.

Pho 69 - Best Pho in San Jose!

Downtown San Jose is really on a roll with restaurant openings lately. Since I was raised in San Jose, I'm intimately familiar with Pho (Over 100,000 people of Vietnamese descent live in San Jose... Pho is everywhere). Back in college, I had Pho for lunch almost every single day. Of the 50+ Pho restaurants I've been to over the years, Pho 69 is hands down the best one in every criteria I can think of!

Let's start with the food. Today I had the spring rolls, crispy rolls, a Pho 69 special, and my wife had Chicken Pho. Everything was amazing, but the house special Pho 69 really rocked my world. The 3 main proteins in their signature bowl are brisket, meatball, and thinly sliced fillet mignon. You read that correctly, fillet Mignon in Pho! My wife's Pho Ga also featured a rare Pho ingredient, free range chicken. The broth was rich and complex. Usually I douse hot sauce and plum sauce in my soup, but that was really unnecessary in this case. Perhaps the $20,000 vat that they use to steam cook the broth over a 24 hour period has something to do with the quality here.

Next, the ambiance. Easily the nicest Pho restaurant I have ever been to (I've had Pho at Parcel 104 before, but that doesn't really count). The dining area is spacious, lofty, and well appointed. There's a second floor for additional seating and private parties that overlooks the entire restaurant, and it's equipped for Karaoke. The kitchen is pretty open and is visible from the dining area. There's even a skylight, another feature I've never seen in a Pho restaurant.

Lastly, let's talk about character. Pho 69 is located in the artsy SoFA district downtown. I've been keeping my fingers crossed for weeks that the restaurant would have a program for artists, and it looks like it paid off. The walls are fully prepped to support rotating art and the 20+ foot ceiling provides ample space for even over-sized works. And yes, Pho 69 is planning to participate in South First Friday and already have relationships with Anno Domini and MACLA!

Personally, I couldn't have asked for anything more for a new SoFA restaurant. It's been a good year for Downtown San Jose!

A Taste of Paris is Incredible!

My expectations were set already high by friends that have already eaten here and Yelp reviews... yet somehow A Taste of Paris still managed to blow my mind. I have to be honest. When I first heard a restaurant called "A Taste of Paris" was coming to the old Beard Papa space, I assumed it was just going to be another generic sandwich shop. What downtown San Jose ended up getting is a truly AUTHENTIC French Delicatessen with sets the bar for sandwiches downtown.

The authenticity begins with the proprietor Lionel Haeberle, a 6th generation French baker who also happens to be a fully trained French Chef. Then we have the food itself. The bread is made fresh throughout the day, from scratch, using base ingredients imported from France. Even the mustard is imported! Then you have small touches to complete the feel, such as French music playing throughout the cafe.

The menu is concise and focused on quality over quantity. My wife and I were fortunate enough to sample most of the menu, and EVERYTHING was amazing... the Brie Baguette, Pate, Cassoulet (traditional French country soup), Nutella Croissant, Almond Pastries, and even simple Ginger Cookies were incredible. The prices are also unexpectedly reasonable, especially considering the quality and meticulous prep work. 

In addition to their menu, they are also selling a few high-end imported products from France, such as slow roasted coffee, their mustard (which comes in thick glass jars), and jams. The selection here is going to be expanding over the next few weeks.

One last interesting tidbit is they are planning to build a traditional French patio, which would have an overhang above outdoor seating right on Paseo do San Antonio.

To summarize... authentic French delicatessen with phenomenal sandwiches and desserts. You might as well throw a dart at the menu when you get there because anything you order will impress. A very welcome addition to downtown San Jose!

Maceo Brazilian Steakhouse - Now Open

Despite the harsh economy, all is not doom and gloom in the south bay restaurant scene. In fact, last week a brand new top-tier restaurant opened in downtown San Jose where The Melting Pot used to be.

Maceio is phenomenal. I have been to over 90 restaurants in downtown San Jose, and I would put this on my top 5 list. The food, drinks, service, and ambiance are all exceptional.

The best way to describe Maceio would be a carnivore's candy shop. You'll be treated to over a dozen different meats cut table-side including bacon wrapped fillet mignon, tri-tip marinated in a house sause, top sirloin, lamb, and house made sausages. There is also an extensive side-bar buffet and Brazilian appetizers served to your table (fried bananas and salgadinhas). I would also recommend trying a caiparinha with your meal, a sweet yet potent drink featuring Brazilian rum.

When all is said and done, it's not cheap... but the experience is well worth it. Clear your schedule, come hungry, sit back and enjoy. I'll definitely be going back for seconds.

Maceio Brazilian Steakhouse - 72 South First Street