Fogo de Chão Now Open at Santana Row!

Epic Brazilian Churrascaria, Fogo de Chão, has opened their first Northern California restaurant in Northern California at Santana Row. The restaurant is massive--clocking in at about 9,000 SQFT with seating for 250 people, outdoor dining, private dining, and a sizable bar.

I had the opportunity to try out the restaurant during the soft opening last week, and was not disappointed. In fact, I think this is the best Brazillian Steakhouse that I have been to, including Pampas in Palo Alto, Espetus in San Mateo, and Maceio which was in Downtown San Jose.

When you visit, my recommendation is to come very hungry. They food is all-you-can-eat with a special focus on amazing steaks. Gauchos carve one of 16 different meat variations right at your table. These range from bacon wrapped filet mignon, to legs of lamb, beef ribs, linguica sausages, Parmesan pork loin, and my favorite by far... the Picanha. To complement the meats they have a whole side bar of veggies and sides. I recommend getting a plate of rice, topping it with black beans, then adding a traditional Brazilian topping called farofa (you have to ask for it) with some hot red sauce. This goes well with all of the meats. Also, you can't leave without trying a Caipirinha, a traditional Briazilian drink with Cachaca, lime, and sugar. Lastly, for dessert you must have the flan and the cheesecake. At this point, you will feel like you are about to explode, but believe me it is worth finding some room for these.

For lots of photos and a thorough review, I would recommend checking out Ngoc's post at the San Jose Food Blog. That is also where I stole the photo below.

From the San Jose Food Blog

FOGO DE CHÃO OPENS FIRST NORTHERN CALIFORNIA LOCATION

ON FEBRUARY 27, 2014

Authentic Southern Brazilian Steakhouse Brings the Best of Churrasco to Santana Row in San Jose

SAN JOSE, Calif. (February 25, 2014) — Internationally renowned Southern Brazilian Steakhouse, Fogo de Chão (pronounced fo-go dèe shoun), opens its first Northern California location on Thursday, February 27, 2014. The restaurant, which offers upscale Churrasco(barbeque) cuisine, is located at Santana Row in San Jose, Silicon Valley’s premiere destination for shopping, dining, living, and more.

“We are excited to celebrate our first restaurant in Northern California in the heart of Silicon Valley and join the community at Santana Row,” says Fogo de Chão Chief Executive Officer Larry Johnson. “Like Brazil, the Bay Area is home to some of the best food in the world. We are looking forward to introducing the Southern Brazilian Steakhouse experience and the culinary traditions behind it to San Jose.

The Fogo de Chão dining experience is based on the centuries-old gaucho tradition known as churrasco, the art of roasting meats over an open fire, and sharing dining experiences with family and friends. To see the story of Fogo de Chão from the perspective of one of their gauchos, visit the documentary-style video recently filmed on a return trip to the farms of Brazil by clicking here. 

The menu focuses on 16 cuts of meat including beef, chicken, pork, and lamb carved tableside by a team of Brazilian trained gaucho chefs, led by Head Gaucho Chef Helio dos Santos Vieira. The prix-fixe experience invites guests to dine at their own pace using a double-sided, red and green disk indicating when they are ready to try the various selections of meat. This approach allows them to enjoy a variety of meats with each new cut coming right from the grill and carved tableside.

Highlights include the Picanha, the prime part of the sirloin, seasoned with sea salt or flavored with garlic – a Brazilian specialty; Cordeiro,fresh leg of lamb flavored with a special mint marinade and sliced off the bone; and Fraldinha, a bottom sirloin cut that is one of the most distinctive and flavorful cuts of meat from Southern Brazil. The restaurant also features a gourmet salad and side bar with more than 30 selections of fresh cut vegetables, cured meats, cheeses, and traditional Brazilian side dishes including Pão de Queijo – a warm cheese bread,Crispy Hot Polenta, Garlic Mashed Potatoes, and Caramelized Bananas.

The menu is complemented by an award-winning 200 label wine list featuring selections from around the globe including Malbec and Carmenère varietals from South America, to Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Pinot Noir from the Napa Valley and Sonoma Valley. The restaurant also boasts a South American-inspired cocktail program, including many traditional drinks from Brazil, such as the Caipirinha, as well as a selection of Brazilian and domestic beers, premium liquors, after-dinner drinks and non-alcoholic beverages. The dessert menu features indulgences such as Fogo de Chão Signature Papaya Cream, Key Lime Pie, and Molten Chocolate Cake.

The nearly 9,000-square-feet, 250-seat restaurant, located on the corner of Winchester Boulevard and Olin Avenue at Santana Row, blends contemporary Northern Californian and Brazilian design and features a mix of textures, colors and materials. In addition to the main dining area, Fogo de Chão features outdoor seating, a lively bar, and three semi-private dining areas that can be combined to make larger rooms, seating from 22 to 110. With its location in the heart of Silicon Valley the restaurant was designed with the tech-savvy crowd in mind, offering fully connected private dining spaces including touch screen televisions and 60-inch projector screens, wired for everything from presentations to video conferencing. The focus on technology also flows into the bar area, which features numerous AC and USB outlets for charging phones and laptops as well as complimentary Wi-Fi.

Fogo de Chão is located at 377 Santana Row in San Jose, California. It is the 23rd location in the U.S., with 32 restaurants worldwide.

Hours of operation and pricing are as follows:

Lunch – beginning Monday, March 3
$29.50 | (Salad Bar Only - $22.50)
Monday through Friday 11:30 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.

Dinner – beginning Thursday, February 27
$51.50 | (Salad Bar Only - $26.50)
Monday through Thursday 5:00-10:00 p.m.
Friday 5:00-10:30 p.m.
Saturday 4:30-10:30 p.m.
Sunday 4:00-9:30 p.m.

Children 6 and under are complimentary. Children 7 to 12 are half price.  Any beverages, desserts, tax, and gratuity are additional.  An 18% gratuity is added to all parties of 6 or more.

For more information, please visit www.fogo.com. Follow FOGO on Facebook.

About Fogo de Chão

Fogo de Chão^® Churrascaria - Brazilian Steakhouse was founded in 1979 in Porto Alegre, Brazil and expanded into the U.S. in 1997. There are currently 22 locations throughout the United States and nine locations in Brazil with the recent openings in New York City and the Jardins neighborhood of São Paulo. A location in Portland, Oregon will follow in 2014. For more information, please visit www.fogo.com. Follow FOGO on Facebook.

San Jose State Has FIVE Major Projects Underway!

SJSU has five--yes five--major projects happening right now. They add up to a total of more than a quarter billion dollars of new development, and one of them includes a 10-story tower that will house 850 students. I walked through the campus a few weeks ago and was surprised to see so many areas fenced off.

Below are a couple recent photos of the new Student Union building (top) and the new Student Health and Counseling Center taken by Joseph Meduri (who also sent in the tip on these projects). If you keep scrolling down, you will get a quick synopsis of the projects underway.

Student Union Expansion & Renovation The project will add approximately 100,000 SF of expansions and renovate existing Student Union. The building will have new ballroom, food court,theater, meeting rooms, and student program spaces. Status - Construction Phase Construction Duration: 9/2010-6/2014 Total Construction Estimate: $65,000,000
Spartan Complex Renovation The primary project objectives are to upgrade the existing structural system of the complex to be concurrent with the current building codes,correct ADA deficiencies,correct fire life safety deficiencies,construct new infrastructure, make program modifications, and hazmat abatement. Status - Construction Phase Phase I Construction consists of the YUH and YUH Annex, from 7/2013 -7/2014 Phase II construction consists of SPXC and SPXE, from 8/2014-8/2015
Student Health & Counseling Center The project is a new 3 story 52,000 SF building located on 7th Street and Paseo de San Carlos. The building will house Student Health Center, Counseling Services and Wellness Center. Status - Construction Phase Construction Duration: 6/2013-1/2015 Total Construction Estimate: $24,600,000
Spartan Stadium End Zone Building The 61,000 SF facility will house sports medicine and athletic training space, a football team locker room, football coaching staff offices, meeting rooms, a hall of fame, and an auditorium. The facility will serve the day-to-day operations of the athletic department,and provide hospitality space on game days. It will be located at the South Campus site,north of Spartan Stadium. Status - Design Phase Construction Duration: 2/2014-9/2015 Total Construction Estimate: $32,000,000
Campus Village Phase 2 A new 850 bed student housing is being proposed at the corner of 9th Street and Peseo de San Carlos. The new building will house up to 850 beds, common study rooms, lounge, multi-purpose room, recreation space, and other support spaces. It is expected to be a 10 story high rise building. Status - Planning Phase Construction Duration: 6/2014-7/2016 Total Construction Estimate: $100,000,000

The Table Distiller's Dinner

The Table is one of the hottest restaurants in San Jose. The concept is farm-to-table seasonal cuisine in a gastropub-style atmosphere in Willow Glen. They are branching out a bit and partnering with St. George Spirits to do a "Distiller's Dinner" featuring 4 courses, 4 spirits, and 4 cocktails.

These are the types of events local restaurants need to think about to help elevate our dining scene to the next level. We are missing a lot of the food pairing events that highlight both local chefs and the purveyors of fine liquids that make us happy. I'm glad to see an event like this at The Table.

The Distiller's Dinner is happening on Monday, March 10th at 6:30pm. For more information and reservations, you can head over to The Table's website right over here.

Saturday Stats: America's Super Cities (Best-Performing Metros 2014)

SpareFoot put together an infographic showing a list of US cities to watch in 2014. They relied on data from the Milken Institute as well as several media outlets. San Jose made the list! They even posted a great quote from Business Insider: "With a powerful ecosystem of startups established companies, universities, investors, and a deep talent pool, San Jose remains the most impressive tech neighborhood in the world."

Check out the full infographic over here.

Bowling Alley and 24 Hour Fitness Coming to Eastridge

Eastridge Mall is adding two new non-shopping tenants to spice up the retail mix. The first is an 18-lane Round1 bowling alley. This is a Japanese chain that is known for incorporating karaoke rooms, arcades, and billiards into their facilities. The Eastridge Round1 will be about 50,000 SQFT. The second tenant is a 24 Hour Fitness that will come in around 40,000 SQFT. Both of these will be located in the space formerly occupied by Bed Bath & Beyond and it looks like they are under construction right now.

Source: SVBJ, Hat-tip to Arnold Kwok

Signature Flight Support Breaking Ground Today at SJC

Signature Flight's $82 million private jet terminal at SJC breaks ground later today. It will house Google's fleet as well as the jet fleets for other large Silicon Valley businesses. This means more tax dollars for the City and improved convenience for local companies. More info below:

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A new era  begins in San Jose - on Friday, February 28, Signature Flight Support will be breaking ground at Norman Y. Mineta San Jose International Airport and begin development of a new facility that will serve Google and other Silicon Valley companies.

A powerful uptick in the private jet industry for companies of all sizes has spurred demand that is now being met in Silicon Valley - a strong need for hangar space, maintenance, and crew and passengers amenities in key worldwide locations.

Key competitive differentiators for business aviation:

— Business aviation companies reach over 10 times the number of U.S. airports than airlines do
— Users can reach multiple destinations in one day
— Business aircrafts increase employee productivity thanks to cabin configurations that are conducive to individual and team work

Signature Flight’s $82 million investment will help Silicon Valley companies stay competitive, will generate hundreds of new jobs and garner more than $3 million in annual revenue for San Jose. The company will also be an integral part of the community by partnering with local organizations such as the Tech Museum and Computer History Museum.

Eating San Jose - New Local Blog!

The San Jose Blogosphere grew a little bit larger this month with the addition of Eating San Jose. I'm sure you can guess what most of the posts will be about based on the name. The creator of the new blog, Dale Federighi, moved from the East Bay to Willow Glen in 2009 and calls it one of the best decisions he's made so far. He's a software developer, family man, skateboarder, food enthusiast, and now of course a blogger.

The first post on Eating San Jose is about KANSUI, a new pop-up Ramen restaurant in the Willow Glen Hay Market. Dale raved about their Tonkatsu Ramen, Spicy Red Miso Ramen, Okonomiyaki (photo below), and Pickled Salmon. Check out the detailed post right over here. I also added a permanent link to Eating San Jose on our blogroll over to the right.

Welcome to the community Dale, looking forward to your future posts!

Vacant Office Buildings Getting Free Gigabit Fiber

Well, well, well... when it rains it pours. Last week I happily posted about Google's consideration of San Jose (and other Silicon Valley cities) to be part of the next Google Fiber expansion. This would bring inexpensive ultra-fast internet to homes, businesses, and schools. Now it looks like the City of San Jose is initiating a new program that would use Fiber as a carrot to help fill vacant office buildings.

The City currently has some excess capacity in their internal Gigabit Fiber network. The Office of Economic Development is proposing that we use that extra capacity to wire up to six buildings with over 30% vacancy as an incentive for companies to fill those spaces. The ultra-fast internet would come free of charge, but the building owners would have to pay for any up-front costs to connect the building to the Fiber.  The out of pocket costs to San Jose would be nil, but the upside could be more companies in San Jose and increased tax revenue.

So far three building owners are interested: 2 North First, 4 North Second, and 75 E. Santa Clara.

Source: SVBJ