49ers Stadium Comparison

I have some interesting statistics between Candlestick Park and the New 49ers Stadium proposed for Santa Clara. I rarely post about things outside of San Jose, but in this case we would be one of the main benefactors of the new stadium (increased hotel utilization, light rail usage, and simply having another pro sports team a few miles away). They have already had their practice facility in the South Bay for a long time and most of the players physically live in the South Bay, so far all intents and purposes they'll be our team if the stadium gets built.

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!

Downtown Districts in 30 Seconds

Baseball San Jose: Episode 2

Wii Party Tour Coming to Santana Row

SAN JOSE CONSUMERS TO PARTY HEARTY

AT EXCLUSIVE Wii PARTY TOUR STOP

Interactive Wii Party Airstream West Coast Tour

Rolls Into San Jose on Dec. 17

WHAT:           It’s not often that holiday shoppers can gather together for a free, hands-on look at one of the season’s most remarkable games. Families and friends in the San Jose area will be on their feet and having a blast when Nintendo of America’s extraordinary Wii Party Airstream West Coast Tour makes a stop at Santana Row on Dec. 17 – one of only five scheduled stops in the region. Consumers of all ages and backgrounds are invited to experience the one-of-a-kind social fun of the new Wii Party video game aboard a special Nintendo-themed Airstream trailer. In addition to providing a fun-filled break for holiday shoppers, theWii Party Airstream West Coast Tour will offer area residents a chance to win their own Wii console and a copy of Wii Party.

Created exclusively for the popular Wii system, Wii Party is designed to get families and friends on their feet and having fun together. The game features 13 party game modes and more than 80 entertaining minigames, some of which take the action from the TV screen into the living room. For example, “Animal Tracker” challenges players to pick up the Wii Remote making a particular animal sound, while “Hide ‘n’ Hunt” asks players to locate a controller that’s been cleverly hidden by another player. Whether they’re playing cooperatively or competitively, Wii Partygives every player a turn in the spotlight by putting their customized Mii characters at the center of the action. More information about Wii Partyis available at http://wiiparty.nintendo.com.

WHO:            Kids, adults, teens, parents, game enthusiasts and holiday consumers of all kinds

                     WHEN:          Friday, Dec. 17, 2010

                                          11 a.m. – 4 p.m.

                     WHERE:        Santana Row – Park Valencia

                                          3055 Olin Avenue

                                          San Jose, CA 95128        

San Jose Bike Party - Xmas Ride Tomorrow

Bring a thermos of coco cause it’s gonna be a cold but awesome night as we ride through some of the best decorated neighborhoods of San Jose. Decorate your bike with tons of lights as we show folks how we roll.

We will be doing a canned food drive at the START of the ride, so bring a CAN!

Route and Prerides will be announced Closer to the ride.

Wednesday Wishlist: Yoshi's @ San Jose

Yoshi's is a legendary Jazz Club at Oakland's Jack London Square with a secondary location in San Francisco. It brings in top tier Jazz performances in an intimate setting and even has a sushi restaurant as a part of each club. Given we have one of the largest Jazz Festivals in California, I think there is definitely a market for a 3rd Yoshi's location in San Jose.

Right outside Diridon station there are high hopes of building a new entertainment district so that people coming from all over the Bay Area (and even California with High Speed Rail) could have easy access to San Jose entertainment options. A Yoshi's would be perfect either there or in SoFA!

Pho 69 Press Release

I've received additional information on Pho 69's opening ceremony this Saturday! The ribbon cutting takes place at 2:30pm in SoFA and features traditional lion dancers. Sounds like a nice stop to make before heading to Christmas in the Park.

For Immediate Release:                                    Contact:

December 13, 2010                                           Khanh Bui: (408) 394-0369 or pho69noodlea@gmail.com

Something Hot is Coming to your Mouth at Pho 69

San Jose, Calif. -  An enticing new restaurant has come to Downtown San Jose.  Restaurant goers throughout the city are invited to sample the unique sights, sounds and tastes of Pho 69, conveniently located in the eclectic SoFA District, next to Original Joes’ (321 S. 1^st St., San Jose, CA 95113).

Join us for the grand opening on Saturday December 18^th, ribbon cutting and lion dancers at 2:30pm.

From the moment you enter into the inviting surroundings of this contemporary restaurant, you quickly realize this is not your typical Pho restaurant.  The knowledgeable staff greets you with a warm smile and you are immediately captivated by Pho 69’s thoughtful, savvy service.

The aroma of the rich pho broth with hints of star anise and cinnamon is a welcoming invitation to the forthcoming hot bowl of luscious rice noodles that is sure to warm you during this winter season.  The pho comes in a variety of broth options including traditional beef, free range chicken, locally farmed vegetable and seafood, all expertly prepared and gingerly tended to maximize flavor.

Along with the enticing aroma of comforting hearty pho, the modern interior complements the experience. Earth-toned glass tile covered walls, large lantern style pendent lighting and the warm orange of the hand embroidered chrysanthemum banquettes are a gentle complement to the subdued modern nickel-shaded sconces, historic green stair case and uplifting white textured tiles surrounding this contemporary eatery. The walls have been outfitted with museum grade hangers and left intentionally naked as Pho 69 puts out a call to local artist to exhibit their craft.

The relaxed sophistication of the dining room of Pho 69, with its stylishly trendy comfortable furnishings, muted lighting, and blend of soft and vibrant colors is the perfect neighborhood place to meet up with friends or have a business lunch.

Noted for the aromatic and simple but elegant preparation of its local products, modern Vietnamese food has become the new darling of the culinary world. The open kitchen sends the aroma of fresh herbs and spices wafting to your table as you anticipate your meal.  With all of your senses engaged, you know you've come to the right place to sample the delicious fare of Vietnamese cuisine.

Aside from pho, savor Pho 69’s other dishes such as the fresh grilled BBQ pork Vermicelli bowl with julienned vegetables, fresh herbs, bean sprouts and caramelized brown sauce. Continue your dining journey with fresh spring rolls with grilled tiger shrimp, hot and crispy crab eggroll or the roasted Japanese eggplant with crunchy shallots.  If you need just a quick bite, then have a Vietnamese sandwich filled with pickled daikon and carrots, cilantro, jalapeño, your choice of grilled meats, and for the indulgent, request the pate spread.

With so much to offer, there is always something hot coming to your mouth at Pho 69.

Pho 69 is situated at the gateway of the SoFa district in Downtown San Jose. Operating hours are Monday through Thursday from 11:00 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. and Fridays and Saturdays from 11:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m., closed Sundays. There is ample parking in the many lots in the neighborhood, many of them free after 6pm. 

New Electric Car Charging Stations Downtown

As a little Christmas present to electric car drivers, the week of the 20th will kick off the ability to start using the charging stations right in front of City Hall between 4th and 5th on Santa Clara Street. Coulomb Technologies will be installing at least 5 EV stations, 4 in front of City Hall and one in the San Fernando and Fourth Street garage. This is in addition to the 2 in the Convention Center installed earlier this year.

San Jose is the first city in the country to put in these charging stations. Likely Coulomb will try to turn the space in front of City Hall into a "demo" zone showing other cities how non-obtrusive EV charging solutions could be deployed in their city. Some ideas they are throwing around for this area are repaving part of the sidewalk with green recycled concrete and adding solar cooling stations.

For more info, check out the SJ Business Journal article over here.

San Jose Downtown Association End of Year Slideshow 2010

A nice recap of 2010 in Downtown San Jose, spread across 4 short videos!