Category: SF Bay Area

Cajun seafood places seem to be gathering popularity here in the Bay Area, and we found another one in North San Jose called Kicking Crab.  Located in a small strip mall, parking can be a challenge in the small lot, which can resemble parking in Taipei’s network of narrow alleys and tight streets.  The restaurant can seat quite a bit of people, but expect a wait for dinner, although not as long as Boiling Crab.

The setup is the same as  Boiling Crab and Red Crawfish. You order seafood by the pound, choose your sauce and spice level, and order sides such as gumbo, soup, and fried goodies. The seafood comes in a larger plastic bag immersed in sauce.

Seafood is priced by the pound and varies depending season.  The combo meals work out to be a bit cheaper than ordering the same amount a al carte, so we chose to get the one that included 1 crab,  1lb of shrimp, and we swapped out the 1lb of clams for crawfish. We chose the mild level house “Kickin” sauce, which is a combination of cajun, Louisiana, lemon pepper, and  butter garlic.   The Yelp reviews mentioned the garlic noodles were worth getting, so we ordered that too.

The sauce was a very thick, red, buttery paste laced with copious amounts of chopped garlic.  The seafood itself is plain, so you will find yourself dipping the peeled seafood in the sauce from time to time. As you eat more, you can just slather the sauce that accumulates on your hands instead of dipping it back into the bag.  I actually prefer Kicking Crab’s sauce to Boiling Crab’s, as it packs more punch and is less greasy.  Shrimp, crawfish, and crab were all well cooked (which is to say they were not overcooked like some places). I would not advise getting any higher heat level because any more pepper/heat will probably blow out your palette to the point you will not be able to taste the underlying seafood toward the end of the meal.

The garlic noodles are for definitely for garlic lovers, with our estimate being each dish comes with a full clove of sauteed garlic swimming among each plate of noodle.  Noodles were soft with a bit of chew, and complemented the seafood nicely.  Definitely worth ordering.

It goes without saying that eating here is a messy affair. While we chose to forgo the plastic bibs, most diners did don them, and some diners even brought plastic food service gloves to avoid the eventual messy business of peeling and eating the seafood. Personally I think it’s part of the experience, but if you do choose to follow our lead, avoid wearing anything white and wear washable fabrics, as the smells of the restaurant do penetrate into yours clothes.   The restaurant also has a dedicated wash station so you don’t have to venture into the restrooms to scrub your hands of all that Cajun goodness.

We  asked the staff to wrap up the remaining food, which they did by putting the bag on our table in another new bag and tying it tightly to avoid leakage.  If you liked the sauce like we did, i recommend you do this, as you can use the extra sauce to season something else for dinner the next day. Not sure if it freezes well, but we did not have enough left over to try (although we thought about it).

We saw many people do take out, which I think is a great option to avoid the potentially long wait to be seated. This might be a good option if you have a large party, as we noticed it took more time to seat the larger parties.

Verdict:
Overall, I would rate Kicking Crab a wee bit over Boiling Crab for the food, mainly due to the sauce, which we found to be better.  KC gets some minuses for the parking situation, but it’s not enough to deter me from returning.

Theresa and I have been to The Restaurant at Wente Vineyards a couple of times this past winter, so this is actually a review that takes place over 2 visits.  Like most California cuisine restaurant, the chefs create dishes based on seasonally available ingredients (including those from their own on property garden), so the menu items change, although there are some constants on the menu (more on that later).

The restaurant is located in a separate building from the tasting room, meeting space, and barrel rooms. Decor is typical wine country, with two separate dining rooms and outdoor patio seating, which I imagine would be very nice on warm summer  nights.

Appetizers:

During our first visit, we noticed several tables ordering the same appetizer, which was the Crispy brussels sprouts with pumpernickel salt and shallot-molasses crème.  The sprouts, which I came to discover from our server, were flash fried. Crisp, with a bit of char and the pumpernickel salt added a nice earthy tasty to compliment the green and slight bitterness of the brussel sprouts, and not at all greasy. The accompanying dip provided a slight sweetness, although the plain sprouts were already plenty tasty.

The Beef Carpaccio was well executed and beautifully presented. In place of the hard boiled (or sometimes raw) egg, our carpaccio was topped with little spheres of just barely cooked egg yolk. Flavors were clean and refreshing.

Entrees:

 Wente’s signature pork chop – Smoked stone valley farm pork chop with house made sauerkraut and riesling-mustard sauce – This dish is available year round, and evidently is the most popular dish. The chop is brined then cooked over a real wood grill to acquire a nice smoky flavor.  The sauerkraut is homemade, with just a slight touch of acidity, which paired nicely with the rich (and very thick) cut of pork.  The sauce had subtle hints of mustard, which did not overpower, but rather complimented the other flavors.  One of the best preparations of pork chop I have had and am glad this is a constant on their menu, as I would travel out to Livermore just for this chop.

Poke Tenderloin with Pork Belly  over Spring Vegetables-  The tenderloin was nicely cooked and seasoned. The pork belly was nicely crisp, with the fat properly rendered. The spring vegetable mix contained some bright tomatoes, which provided a nice acidic counterpoint to the rich cuts of pork. Well done.

Ling Cod –  It’s been a while between when we went and when I wrote this blog and I don’t remember the actual description of the dish, but I do  remember the dish was more a play on cioppino rather than just plain ling cod.  The dish was well executed and balanced, with the seafood being very fresh and the ling cod properly seasoned and cook. But perhaps the reason why this was not so memorable was because the pork chop was by far the more memorable of any of the dishes that we tried at Wente.

Service :
All the servers were extremely knowledgeable about the menu, including the preparation methods and flavor profiles.  Servers were attentive, but not intrusive, and the pacing from seating to order to food hitting the table was very good.

Verdict:
If you are in the mood for a nice sitdown lunch or dinner, The Restaurant at Wente would be a great choice. Would also recommend for special occasions or romantic dinners.  I would definitely go back during another season to try their other menu items, but knowing the pork chop will always be there makes the trip worth while for me.

Taking me back to my youth, this candy store is off the chart. Powell Sweet shop stocks a very wide array of candies. chocolates, and plain old sugary goodness.  Located in Willow Glen, it was fun to walk through and see the wide variety of sweets, both nostalgic………….

…..and modern candy.

Then even have a machine that makes cotton candy on demand.

And an entire section dedicated to Bacon candy!

I could not help but load up on some old and new treats before leaving.

If I ever need to find some obscure candy, this is the place i am going to go to first.

We went to The Table on a weekend walking trip to the Willow Glen neighborhood of San Jose when we were visiting Powell Sweet Shoppe.  They are mainly a dinner place, but serve brunch on weekends, which is when we stopped by.

The Atmosphere

Tables line the modern looking main dining area, with a couple of booths lining the outside edges. A full bar occupies the back of the restaurant, with an open kitchen to the left, giving it a “neighborhood restaurant” feel. The restaurant was very busy when we arrived around noon, and we were told the wait was going to be an hour or so.  The Table has an electronic waiting list, so we were able to leave our SMS information to receive a text from the restaurant when a table opened up.  This allowed us to  to walk around “downtown” Willow Glen instead of being tethered within a few yards of the restaurant while waiting to be seated. We got a text  a little over 30 minutes later and the hostess seated us promptly.

Food

Brunch consisted of the restaurant’s take on breakfast classics such as French toast, pancakes, biscuits and gravy, and some lunch items such as sandwiches and salads.  All the Yelp reviews mentioned The Table’s burger, so we were definitely going to try that. A couple unique items that caught our eye was the Scotch Egg and the Hangtown Fry.

The Table’s take on Scotch Egg consisted of a soft yolk (as opposed to a hard boiled center) which added a nice textural contrast to the dish. The surrounding sausage was well seasoned and not overly powerful like your typical breakfast sausage (think Jimmy Dean), not greasy, and dare I say fairly “light” for something that is that is basically fatty ingredients that are then deep fried. The accompanying arugula salad is a nice contrast and breaks up the richness of the dish.

I did not know what to expect of the  Hangtown Fry (traditionally, an omelet topped with oysters and bacon), and when it arrived table, it concerned me a bit because the fried oysters were sitting on top of a very “wet” looking omelet and topped with a dressed arugula salad.  This usually means the crispness of the fried oysters languish the longer it sits so it’s a race to get them off before moisture ruins the dish.  Surprisingly this was not the case. The oysters were fried just the right amount, maintaining the creamy consistency while balancing with a bit of crispness with the fried exterior. The bacon was incorporated into the underlying omelet and it somehow worked.  Another thing that surprised me was the hash brown/griddled potatoes that came on the side. Just looking at the them, they look just like any other shredded potato side dish that you could get at Denny’s or IHOP.  But The Table added their own touch by shredding onion and fennel into the mix, giving it a nice flavor, making it a “keep coming back for more” rather than a “let’s just leave the rest on the table” side dish.

The burger has gotten a lot of rave reviews on Yelp, and I would agree. In terms of “upscale” or premium burgers, this one is pretty good and something I would order again. Entire burger was well balanced, with the richness of the meat and white cheddar cheese balanced out by the (I think homemade) pickles, spread, and sourdough-ish bun.

Verdict:
The Table has a fresh take on some classic dishes. The neighbor-y atmosphere and friendly service contributed to a positive first experience. If dinner service is as good as brunch, I am excited about coming back to try their dinner menu.  Definitely would recommend The Table for a casual, foodie dining experience.

Hash House just opened a couple of weeks ago and we decided to go for a late weekday breakfast. The restaurant was opened by the kids of the local San Jose families that run the Flames and Bill’s chains of diners and specialized in just breakfast. With Hash House, the decor went a bit more modern and so has the breakfast fare, offering updated versions of breakfast classics, and as the name implies, specializes in breakfast hashes.  We had read on Yelp that the corn beef hash was the thing to get, so we ordered it, along with the chocolate chip pancakes that came with a side of chocolate covered bacon.

All hashes come topped with eggs any style, so we chose sunny side up so we could get the yolks mixed in the with the hash, which consisted of red potatoes, onions, and shredded corned beef (that was not out of a can), and homemade biscuit on the side. While not exactly “light”, it was not as heavy as your typical greasy spoon hash and portions were fairly generous.  The biscuit was standard and tasted decent with a pat or two of butter.

The chocolate chip pancakes were done well and nicely fluffy (so it did not become a boat anchor in your stomach after eating like some other diner places) with chocolate chips sprinkled in with the batter.

While it was not the primary criteria for us choosing the chocolate chip pancakes, the chocolate covered bacon solidified our choice.  My experience with chocolate covered bacon is pretty limited, and if you have never tried it, I would suggest you try this version of it.  I think this is a nice side to the pancakes, but as a standalone element, I think there are better versions out there. HH’s version lacked the salty punch you would expect from bacon, although it could also be the underlying bacon was more fat than meat.  A sprinkling of large grain sea salt might have helped.

While I was expecting more from the choco-covered bacon, it did not detract from the overall good experience with Hash House. Prices are on par with local diners such as Bill’s and Flames. The location in Campbell is a bit far from where we live to make it a more regular place for us, but it would be on our list of places worth traveling a bit for to get a hearty, satisfying breakfast.

Looks like Nordstrom is following the trend of mall dining going upscale. In conjunction with a remodel of its Valley Fair location, Nordstrom had shifted the format of its cafe, renaming it Bazille. Gone is semi-table service format where you ordered at the counter, seated, and then served by a waiter. Now the restaurant is full table service. Bazille also serves alcohol now, offering wine and beer. Menu items have also been slightly tweaked. What stays are the sandwiches, salad, pizzas, and soups while new additions are on the entree side.  One such dish is the bouillabaisse.

Broth was rich, with a good amount of fresh seafood with large shrimp, seared scallops, mussels, salmon along with sauteed fingerling potatoes and croutons.

The prime rib french dip sandwich was something that was recommended to us by both the waiter and various Nordstrom employees.  The meat was very tender and topped with a bit of melted cheddar. The sandwich tastes good all by itself, not really needing the au jus dipping sauce. The au jus was a bit salty, but in line with the typical au jus you would get at other restaurants.

Entree prices are a bit higher compared to the old menu, as you might expect, but the sandwiches, soups, salads, pizza pretty much carry over the old pricing, perhaps with a little bump to account for higher costs. Expect to spend about $15-$30/person depending on what drinks you order. Ordering the seafood will also drive the price up.  Bazille is worth exploring, especially if you happen to be at the mall and want a decent sit down meal. Nordstrom is going to roll out Bazille to its other locations over the next few months.

The food court at Valley Fair mall in San Jose has been remodeled and has gone upscale, being renamed “The Dining Terrace”.  Seems like Westfield kicked out the fast food vendors and installed more local foodie places.  One of those is San Francisco’s Super Duper Burger, which serves gourmet burgers at reasonable prices.

Super Duper offers counter service where they take your order and then issue you a pager to let you know when your order is ready. The menu consists of the regular burgers, fries, and shakes. They also had wine on tap”. I did not know that wine came in kegs….. Not sure if that will sell well in the land of wine snobs.

One of Super Duper’s differentiating elements is its own homemade pickles. Entire jars are set along side the ketchup and mustard at the condiment station.  You can munch on them while you wait for your order or after your burger to cut the grease and/or cleanse the pallet. The pickles are really crisp and not overly salty like most pickles you buy at your local mega-mart, but a bit on the vinegary side. You have an option to add pickles to your burger, but I would recommend eating them separately, as the tang is nice counterpoint to the pretty rich burger.

We ordered the Super Burger which contains two 4oz patties. You can top with lettuce, tomato, “super sauce”, red onions, grilled onions, jalapenos, and pickles. Cheese, bacon and avocado can be added for an additional up charge.  I chose lettuce, tomato, grilled onions and super sauce.  We also ordered the garlic fries.

The burger patties were fairly large for the size of the bun overflowing over the sides. Having two patties made this a very meaty sandwich. I found myself needing the paper wrapper to properly contain all the meaty goodness.  The meat patties themselves were well cooked, but not as juicy as Smashburger or Holsteins, perhaps because the beef itself was a courser cut and/or cooked differently.

The garlic fries were a thicker cut variety and topped with garlic, parsley and cheddar instead of the usual Parmesan cheese. While I would order them again if I had a garlic fry craving to satisfy, I would not put this as a “must try” item.

Verdict:
The lowly hamburger seems to be making a comeback in foodie circles and Super Duper is competing in the same space as Five Guys and Smashburger. Westfield has accomplished its goal of getting me to return to Valley Fair more often with the opening of their “dining terrace”.  Not sure I would fight the crowds on the weekends and holiday shopping season just to eat here, but if I happened to be at the mall or during off peak times, Super Duper would be a detour I would be willing to take to get a good burger.

Have heard a lot about Koeran style fried chicken, with a few places popping up in the South Bay. The buzz has been the best one is Bonchon Chicken, which started in LA and has expanded here.  We decided to check out the Sunnyvale location

You can either do dine in or take out. The dine in area was not big, consisting of about 8 tables and a bar/counter  that could serve 30-35 people.

The place was packed on a Saturday night and there was what appeared to be a reasonable waiting list for most restaurants. What we did not realize was the wait would be a while. There were time when a couple of tables opened up, but there was a lag between when diners left and when the table was bussed and ready for the next set of diners. It seemed there was no one person tasked with ensuring the tables were turned in a proper manner (like a hostess or maitre d’ role) . I sensed the same thoughts in the other people waiting for a table. This is not to knock the servers, who were being very attentive to diners already seated, but rather a procedural or operational defect that should be looked at. Theresa said this would be a good project for an operations management class.

After a lengthy wait, we were finally seated and we quickly ordered a “large” combo of wings and drum sticks, with the two different flavors, which were soy garlic and hot garlic fried chicken with a side of the kimchee cole slaw and white rice. as an appetizer, we ordered the zucchini fries.

Unlike the wait for a table, the food arrived fairly quickly, with zucchini fries arriving less than 5 minutes after we ordered, with the rest of the food coming shortly after that.  The zucchini fries tasted exactly like fried mozzarella sticks, except with zucchini in the center.  It came with 2 dipping sauces, which were sriracha flavored and ranch, I think. nothing outstanding about it, but would go great with a pitcher or beer.

The fried chicken is unlike traditional American style fried chicken, which tends to be overly breaded or if flavored, drenched in sauce. The sauce seemed to be incorporated into the dry outer crust of the chicken.  The hot flavor was not very hot. In fact there I could not detect much difference in heat level between the two flavors.  The chicken was also not greasy on the outside, again, unlike typical American style fried chicken, which means you don’t needs stacks of napkins to keep your fingers clean.

The kimchee cole slaw was average, with nothing especially memorable, tasting like regular cole slaw with the addition of some kimchee marinade.  We like the pickled daikon more than the cole slaw, as it provide some nice acid and a tiny bit of sweetness to balance out all the fried food.

Prices are really reasonable given the amount of food you get, which explains its popularity. I would suggest doing takeout rather than dine in, which can take a while on busy nights.

It’s been a while since I had gone to The Counter, primarily because the first location was in Santana Row, which is typically super crowded during meal times.  A new one opened in Mountain View in a less busy location, so decided to hit that up with Theresa and her co-worker.

The concept:
Design your own burger, meaning you are given a list of things you can top your burger with. Each diner is given a clipboard with a check list menu. If you ever filled out a survey or insurance forms, you will be familiar with this part.  Choose a burger size, cheese, sauce, toppings, and bun. The list includes the standard pickles, sauteed onions, mustard, and cheeses, but also include some more exotic toppings like cranberries, jicama, and bean sprouts.  Bun choices are varied.  There are also “Market Selection” options, which are seasonal items in each category.

The base beef is angus beef that is hormone and antibiotic free. You can choose between 2 sizes of burger, 1/3 lb and 2/3 lb. The weight of the burger is AFTER cooking, so plan accordingly.  For those overwhelmed or rendered paralyzed from indecision, there are also several pre-defined burger creations on a separate menu to choose from.

Regardless of the sauce you choose, it is always served on the side, which i like a lot because i prefer not to have my burgers (or sandwiches for that matter) drowned in a sauce that overwhelms the other elements.  The base burger patty was cooked well and fairly juicy/moist, although I found Smashburger to be “juicier”.

Verdict:
The Counter is ideal for those looking for a fully customized burger and should satisfy a wide variety of burger lovers’ preferences.  On the spectrum of burgers,  i would slot The Counter above Smashburger and Red Robin (and certainly way above the burgers you get at larger chains like Chili’s), but a notch below a place like Holstein’s. The Counter’s pricing certainly reflect that, as does the table service dining experience. For Bay Area residents, I would suggest the Mountain View location, as you won’t have to deal with the Santana Row crowds, parking, and traffic.