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Having just left Fremont on our way to Monterey, the words "I'm hungry" was said in unison from the back seat. For the love of... Then why did they not eat enough food before we left??? Fine. We would have to stop for food. With no real plan, we reached into the altered sched to find the only thing nearby was The Counter in San Jose. Located in the swank shopping district, this location of The Counter is part of a chain that serves up gourmet burgers offering up options for customizing your own.
We were pressed for time so I didn't bother choosing my own toppings and went for the 1/3rd pound Counter Burger consisting of hormone + antibiotic free beef, sharp provolone, crispy onion strings, lettuce blend, sautéed mushrooms, ripened red tomato and sun-dried tomato vinaigrette on a brioche bun. The first thing I noticed after an initial bite was the meatiness of the medium-rare patty. It was firm, yet not dry exhibiting a whole lot of beef flavor and appealing texture. The crispy onions added both crunch and flavor. I thought the toasted brioche was firm enough to stand up to the ingredients while not being overly dry. Viv decided to try the Southwestern Burger in a Bowl that was essentially a salad topped by a 1/3rd pound patty. It included hormone + antibiotic free beef, lettuce blend, tillamook cheddar, fresh jalapeños, roasted corn, black bean salsa, roasted green chiles and scallions with creamy Caesar. This was a spicy concoction with the burst of sweetness from the roasted corn. Definitely a low-carb option.
For the kiddies, my son had the Mini Cheeseburgers with shoestring fries. The thin fries were appealingly crispy while not completely devoid of potatoness. They were well-salted and good on their own. As for his cheeseburgers, the meat was again, not overdone and he dusted them off quickly. Going down her own road (like she often does), my daughter had the Grilled Cheese and Ham with skinny fries. Not particularly seared long enough on the flattop, the bread was naturally a touch soft, but there was lots of ham and cheese. It didn't help improve the texture, however, it did make the sandwich hearty. From the items we tried at The Counter, the food was decent and generally enjoyable. I wouldn't classify anything as ground-breaking, but the many options allow people to customize their meal.
The Good:
- Lots of options
- Low carb, gluten free salad option
- Decent eats
The Bad:
- A little pricey
Continuing on with the "let's not be typical and eat Chinese food" quest, I thought hard about where we were going to eat after my Uncle wanted to treat us back for the meal at Boiling Crab. Suddenly it occurred to me - let's do BBQ! So off we headed over to Sam's BBQ in San Jose for some finger lickin' eats. It was nice to be at a place where it was casual and fun, especially with the impending 5 courses of meat. Such a change from the 10 courses of Chinese food. Yah, #firstworldproblems...
Fortunately for us, we were able to make a reservation since we were a large party. Funny that when we got there, a lady was sitting at our table and refused to budge. She wondered why we needed 2 tables. Um... 8 people cannot fit into one table! Anyways... Before the carnivore feast was about to begin, the Steak Fries made their appearance. These were thick, crunchy yet lacking in potatoness. My kids seemed to like them, so what do I know? Next up was a generous portion of Hush Puppies. These had a firm crunch from the cornmeal which I personally liked. Inside, it was dense, yet not heavy as it was moist. The side of honey butter helped soften things up even more so (as well as adding an aromatic sweetness).
I gave the Beef Ribs a sample and they were meaty with a "steak-like" texture. So it wasn't exactly falling off the bone (it's smoked so it shouldn't be), but that didn't mean it was difficult to eat either. It exhibited a nice even smoke ring that gave the meat depth of flavor. The BBQ sauce was a nice mix including enough smoke and sweetness. As for the Baby Back Ribs, they were ginormous with lots of meat that didn't suffer much shrinkage from smoking. Again, this type of BBQ would not yield fall-off-the-bone ribs necessarily since they marinate and the smoke it from raw (then put on the BBQ). Unlike being par-boiled (that would make BBQ purists cry), these ribs were meaty and full of natural flavour including the smoke and sweet BBQ sauce.
Moving on, we also got a pound of the Smoked Brisket which also had a flavorful smoke ring as well. Due to the cut (at the end of the brisket), the meat was on the drier side. With that being said, it wasn't chewy as the meat had tenderized from the 14 hours of smoking. It did have a nice bark that added a richness to the meat. I wasn't a huge fan of the BBQ Pork though as it was not exactly that tender. As you can see in the picture, it wasn't dry per se and indeed it wasn't lean either. But possibly due to the thickness of the meat, the center portion was chewy and a little bland. Again, there was a nice exterior bark and smoke ring. If I ate those pieces alone, it was okay.
Last meat option was 1/2 Sam's Salsa Chicken. Sporting a beautiful deep brown smoked exterior, the skin was completely rendered. Although no one would ever claim the meat was juicy, it wasn't too dry either. Even the breast meat was completely edible without chewy parts. Flavorwise, it was of course smoky, but I didn't get a whole lot of salsa though. For our sides, we had Potato Salad, Garlic Bread, Coleslaw and Chili Beans. The potato salad was the typical mashed potato-type with onions, celery and mustard. Coleslaw was good with a fresh crunch and zip. The chili beans were more like baked beans with some spice. Overall, the stuff at Sam's was decent and generally a good value. No one should be longing for any meat after a meal here. One word of caution to those who like chain restaurant BBQ food, you won't find it at Sam's. They smoke everything from raw where it retains its natural flavors and takes on a rich smoke. No parboiled stuff here.
The Good:
- Well-priced
- You won't leave hungry
- Casual, relaxed atmosphere
The Bad:
- Due to the cooking method, the meats will not fall-off-the-bone (if you want that style...)
- Pretty darn busy (good for them)
Early on, I already knew this vacation was not going to be a culinary expedition. Hey, with all the kid-friendly attractions that were planned, not many gourmet eats could be found nearby. Furthermore, with Viv trying to eek out the most possible benefit from our CityPass, we were guaranteed to dine on mediocre food. But wait. There was a glimmer of hope when I spotted that Coqueta lay only steps from Exploratorium. The James Beard Award winner for Best New Restaurant and with Michael Chiarello's team at the helm, it looked as if we were finally going to escape the dreaded mac n' cheese trap.
So I finally got my way, but were the kids going to eat the food? Being a tapas joint, at the very least, there would be some variety. Viv and I started with a few Pintxos (bite-size skewers offered tableside) including the Heuvos de Codorniz (quail's egg, pickled mustard seed and serrano ham), House-Cured Boquerones (white anchovies, olives, pearl onions and guindilla peppers) and I really liked the quail's egg since it wasn't overdone, hence it was creamy and buttery. Little bursts of acidity combined with the salty ham ensured that flavor was not an issue. As for the anchovies, they were predictably salty and tart while the peppers added a spicy finish. Any fears of my daughter not eating anything was quickly ended with the Croquetas de Pollo consisting of chicharrón-crusted chicken and English peas with cured cara-cara orange. These were hot and crispy with tender chunks of chicken. The creaminess inside was broken up by the sweet pop of the peas.
She didn't have any reservations about the Salmon Ahumado (smoked salmon, queso fresco and truffle honey) either. With the combination of the sweet honey with the saltiness of the salmon, there was a harmony of flavors which was accented by the woodsy truffles and smooth herbed cheese. Moreover, the crispy bread added the necessary textural contrast. Finally, my son decided to join us in eating with our next dish. The Patatas Bravas (freshly dug crispy new potatoes lightly smoked and served with bravas salsa and garlic aioli) were addictive with its crispy outside and soft fluffy interior. These were purposefully salty with a nice accent of garlic. We found the salsa to be a nice balance between tart and spicy. However, we preferred the potatoes on their own.
Onto some meat, we had the Albondigas a la Feria (grilled duck and pork meatballs with tart cherry and tempranillo salsa and crispy shallots. These were pleasing to the eye and even better to the palate. With a deep brown sear on the exterior, the meatballs were juicy and tender. With that being said, the meat still maintained its natural texture in the process. Just seasoned enough, is also exhibited natural meat flavours which was nicely complimented by the tart and spicy salsa as well as the aromatic shallots. We also got the Setas al Ajillo (wild and cultivated mushrooms with garlic, chili and sherry) to satisfy our veggie quotient and for our daughter, who loves mushrooms. These exhibited a wonderful fire-roasting that caramelized the flavors as well as adding a sweet smokiness. With the aforementioned ingredients, it was evident in the flavor profile as we got tart, spicy and garlic butter.
Our last tapas item before dessert was the Deep Fried Pancake of shrimp and chickpea flour with saffron aioli, pea sprouts, scallions and charred lemon. This was our least favorite dish as the pancake was overly greasy while the shrimp wasn't particularly appealing as it was rubbery. The pancake itself was crunchy though with a aromatic saffron aioli. The charred lemon did help cut through the oil though. We finished things off with something my son would devour almost by himself - Churro with chocolate sauce and berry powder. These mini-churros were crunchy and light sweetened not only by the sugar, but by the mild chocolate. I liked the fruitiness of the powder, but my son wouldn't touch it. Despite the last savory dish, the selection we sampled was carefully prepared and generally enjoyable. Worth a look-see if in the area.
The Good:
- Wonderful location
- Carefully prepared tapas
- Attentive service
The Bad:
- Pricey (but consider the location and the name behind it)
- Good, but not great
Seeing how my aunt and uncle were so gracious enough to let Viv and I stay at their place while in the Bay Area, we thought that treating them to a meal was in order. But where? No, I was not going back to Mayflower, despite his love for the place. This time, I really wanted something different. Okay, they like seafood... and aren't afraid to eat with their hands... Bingo! The Boiling Crab! Ever since my meal at Crawdaddy, I wanted to check out the "more well-known" spot in San Jose.
Before we got to the seafood, we started with an order of their Yam Fries. Yes, I know yam fries are as exciting as a late-night infommercial (do people watch those anymore? GLH anyone?), but these were good. They were crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. They weren't overly greasy either. The kiddies didn't partake in the seafood feast, so we got them a basket of Chicken Strips and Fries. Well, remember what I said about the late-night infommercial? Basically, these did the job with large pieces that featured moist white meat coated with a crunchy batter. The fries were equally crunchy too.
For the boil, we got Crawfish, Clams, Mussels, Shrimp, Corn, Potatoes and Sausage (in the Whole Sha-Bang Sauce in mild). For good measure, we added a whole crab and lobster. We felt that the clams and mussels were money as they were plump and properly cooked. There was definitely enough meat to fill each shell, where the whole sha-bang sauce clung onto each piece. It was still spicy (even though we asked for mild) and full of garlic which was accented nicely by the limes with salt & pepper. The frozen white shrimp were pretty typical while the crawfish could've been more fresh as some were mushy. The crab was on point with fluffy meat. The lobster was a tad overcooked where it started to become rubbery. I liked the meaty sausage as there was just enough fat and spice. The medium-sized potatoes were done right while the corn could've used less time. If I had to compare, The Boiling Crab has offered up the best seafood boil that I have tried. The combination of fresh seafood and flavorful sauce made me wanting for more.
The Good:
- Fun eating
- Whole ShaBang spicy and impactful
- We got fresh seafood (even the crab and lobster)
The Bad:
- Will never be a "cheap" meal
- Very messy, if you don't like that
There I was, across the street from Pizzeria Delfina, anxiously awaiting the arrival of Choobee and company. Minutes passed, then it became an hour, no sight of anyone. Alas, the visit never happened, only to get a text that we would no longer dining at Pizzeria Delfina and we'd be eating elsewhere. That was 2010 and I remember it vividly. This time around, I had Viv with me and Saltzer was a willing participant. In fact, we would be the ones arriving late (curse Bay Area traffic!).
Before the pizzas hit the table, we sampled on the Fresh Mozzarella with a drizzle of EVOO and served with crostinis and arugula salad. They didn't get their shipment of burrata, so this was the alternative. As much as I love the creaminess of burrata, the firm bounce of the mozzarella accented by the aromatic EVOO was simple enjoyment. Next, we had the Saffron Arancini which were fried up super crispy with the creamy-cheesiness of a still firm risotto inside. Although a touch salty, the ample saffron satisfied many of our senses.
Saltzer insisted on the Roasted Fennel with lemon oil and bottarga and it was a good choice as there was a pleasing char which resulted in great visuals and smokiness. This, in turn activated the flavors which were supplemented by well-seasoned arugula. The hint of lemon added acidity while the ample bottarga provided a purposeful saltiness. Meatman, as his name suggests, didn't really care for the fennel or greens for all that mattered. Hence, he ensured the Neapolitan Meatballs in Sugo were added to our lineup. These large, nicely-roasted beef, veal and pork meatballs were moist and well-seasoned. There was a meatiness to them. As for the tomato sauce, it was mildly tart with quite a bit of salt from the guanciale.
We ended up sharing 3 pizzas (that we didn't finish, surprisingly!). Starting with the standard, we had the Margherita which featured a crispy crust with more leoparding on the bottom than the edges. The center was soft, but not overly so. Again, the tomato sauce was mild with only a slight tanginess. I wished there was more basil as it didn't really come through. The Salsiccia (with homemade fennel sausage, tomatoes, bell peppers, onions and mozzarella) was predictably more wet with all the extra toppings. Hence, the center didn't hold up and the toppings slid off. Despite this, we thought the pizza was the best tasting due to the ample meat and peppers. There was this sweet and tangy fennel flavor that was quite impactful.
Lastly, we had the Smoked Ricotta with pancetta, arugula, black pepper and mozzarella. With less wet ingredients, the crust held up better. The creamy ricotta was a nice balance to the salty pancetta while the both the arugula and black pepper added 2 layers of pepperiness. As mentioned, we didn't finish all of our food as we probably ordered too much (in addition to the "enough" portion sizes). We enjoyed the food at Delfina and it was nice to finally get a chance to try it. We particularly liked how they were accommodating with our party by rearranging the tables a few times.
The Good:
- Good Neapolitan pizza
- We got great service
The Bad:
- Not the most spacious of seating arrangements
- A bit pricey, but we thought it was fair
How hard is it to find late night desserts in the Bay Area? Well apparently it was not as easy it is appeared when we were driving from place-to-place in search of sit down sweets. In fact, one of the top-rated places according to Yelp! was more of a grocery store than anything else. With 2 complaining kiddies in tow, it was probably a good idea to find a place with a table. Hence, we drove all-the-way back to Fremont (where we were staying) and settled on Snowflake Teahouse or was it Sno-Crave? Kinda confusing...
Since my daughter is a Macaron aficionado (at 6 years old...), we got a few. At first glance, they looked remarkably legit despite my obvious trepidation. Texturally, they, were crispy on the outside and a dense chewy on the inside. I found the meringue to be too sweet while the filling compounded the problem. This was especially true with the strawberry as it was like pure jam. For our Dark Chocolate Shaved Ice, it reminded me of watered-down frozen chocolate milk. Now that was not necessarily a jab. Rather, it was actually quite smooth and almost creamy for an ice. It was not overly sweet. It tasted a bit like a weak Fudgsicle.
Laslty, we had the Strawberry crepe which was filled with Nutella and strawberry ice cream topped with sweetened fresh strawberries. Naturally, this was a pretty sweet creation. The strawberries were fresh and ripe while the crepe was thin and chewy. As much as the individual ingredients were good, everything added up just became overly sugary. In the end, Snowflake did the job in terms of offering up late night dessert. Nothing amazing, but serviceable nonetheless...
The Good:
- Okay pricing
- Okay portion size
- Open late
The Bad:
- Everything was a bit too sweet and lacking finesse
Originally, my plan for the day was to grab some lunch at Park Chow since it was relatively close to our day-long visit to the California Academy of Sciences. However, Viv thought it would be too long of a walk over which meant we were stuck eating at the on-premises cafeteria. It wasn't bad though, but I normally can't stand default restaurants. So when we finally ended the day (at closing... the humanity!), we did finally visit Park Chow for dinner.
Viv and I decided to get some greens in our pathetic travel diet in the Cobb Salad. Yup, we got our greens alright, mixed in with crispy bacon, blue cheese and chicken (my kinda salad...). This was more substantial than it appeared since there was a bevy of lean white meat (albeit quite dry and chewy). There was ample dressing and crumbled blue cheese for flavor. For her main, Viv had the Fusilli of
Chicken & Sausage with mushrooms, tomato & cream. She decided on the medium portion and it seemed to be enough. With al dente spirals of pasta, the texture was on point. Flavor-wise, it was mild with a bit of fennel and tang.
For myself, I had the Steak Frites which looked somewhat small, especially crammed onto a tiny plate. For aesthetics, they could've piled on more fries underneath the steak. The fries themselves were thin and very crispy. As for the steak, it was more-or-less medium rare. However, it wasn't tender per se, but not overly tough as well. My son ended up with the Organic Egg, Ham, Tomato & Gruyere Sandwich. Since his eating habits are unpredictable, we got the rosemary mayo on the side. Although the sandwich didn't look like much, it was relatively substantial with a bevy of "corned beef"-textured ham and gruyere on crunchy toast.
My daughter had the kid's Cheese Pizza and it was more or less a standard version. The crust was light and slightly chewy where it could've benefited from more charring and overall color. With that being said, the tomato sauce was mild and the cheese was plentiful. After we were done, we agreed that the the meal was average at best. Nothing particularly wrong with the food, but for the price, we expected a bit more. Turns out that we didn't miss much at lunch then.
The Good:
- Kid-friendly
- Excellent service
- Comfortable casual atmosphere
The Bad:
- Average eats
- Kinda pricey
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