GIVEAWAY - Tickets to Cavalia Odysseo in San Jose - Sept 17 at 2PM

Hi friends, a very cool giveaway has come across my desk. The Odysseo is coming to San Jose and I have tickets to giveaway. It's an equestrian show, think Cirque du Soleil but with horses!

Cavalia has given me a package of 8 tickets to do a flash giveaway. One winner's name will be put at will-call to pick up 8 tickets. The tickets are only good for this Saturday's show, Sept 17 at 2PM. 

Here's the website for more details.

http://www.cavalia.net/en/odysseo

To enter the raffle, all you have to do is follow me on Instagram @sanjosefoodblog and leave a comment on the Odysseo picture telling me you're entering I will draw one random winner on Thursday, Sept 15 at 5PM. I will contact the winner for their full name and email. If you don't respond by Friday at 9AM, I will draw a different winner.

J Pop Summit 2016 - San Francisco

Every year, fans of Japanese culture are delighted by the JPOP Summit, which is a festival of all things Japanese. Events can last all week (film screenings) but the bulk of activities is on one weekend. Last month, I attended one day of the event to sample the foods offered there. 

The tasting started with an introduction of the 5 ramen vendors.

Iza Ramen: Started as a pop-up in Lower Haight. They specialize in tsukemen (dipping ramen).

Naruto Ramen: This brand from NY sticks to the classic tonkotsu broth cooked for 24 hours.

Hinodeya Ramen Bar: Specializes in the bonito broth which is popular in Japan.

Orenchi Beyond - This restaurant is located in San Francisco and is from the same owners at Orenchi in Santa Clara.

Ramen Taka: This brand from Santa Clara has a menu that covers various regions of Japan.

My tsukemen ramen from Iza Ramen came in this very convenient tray. The broth was rich and thicker than the noodle soup form. It coated the chewy noodles well and I got a mouthful of flavor with each bite.

Our next step was to Shige Sushi for their triangular shaped sushi-wich. Shige has a brick and mortar store but they also sell at events like this. There were four flavors: Alaskan, spicy tuna, California, and natto with kimchi. 

The flavor of the natto wasn't so bad but the texture is slimy. I couldn't finish it. Natto is definitely an acquired taste. 

The California tastes just like a California roll.

Here's the spicy tuna wich that I didn't get to try. Looks yummy.

Next up was takoyaki from Hirotako, a catering company specializing in Japanese cuisine. Their fried takoyaki balls were crispy and flavorful with some pieces having pickled red ginger inside.

Sapporo samples were also being handed out. I helped myself to some. ;)

Inside the pavilion, we did a quick tasting of Iichiko shochu in ume (plum) and yuzu citrus flavors. It was very light and fruity and doesn't need mixing although you can mix it with other fruit juices. Shochu is different than Korean soju. It can be distilled only once while soju is distilled multiple times. Korean soju is also lower in alcohol content. The Iichiko was much easier to sip than Korean soju though.

Coming up next, a recap of my interview with Chef Tsuo Saito of popular Japanese NHK broadcasting network cooking show, Dining with the Chef. His beautiful cohost was Japanese celebrity Yu Hayami.

Events, Openings, and Announcements - August 2016

Off the Grid: Evergreen Moves to a Monthly Extravaganza

San Jose Event Will Focus More on Community Involvement 

 Off the Grid is excited to announce a new, improved format for the San Jose @ Evergreen Village Square lunch event. The event currently takes place every Saturday afternoon and will become a monthly food truck festival beginning Saturday, August 6, 2016 and occurring the first Saturday of the month thereafter.

This larger-scale, monthly event at Off the Grid: San Jose @ Evergreen Village Square will introduce a number of exciting elements, including a wide variety of food trucks, curated live music performances, and onsite activities.  By changing the schedule to occur once a month, Off the Grid will be able to dedicate more time and resources to create an enhanced guest experience in a festival atmosphere. Along with face painting and children’s activities, Off the Grid hopes to provide a stage for local school bands and performers, giving them a space to showcase their talents.

Saturday, July 30 will mark the last weekly iteration of the Evergreen market and prospective guests are encouraged to RSVP to the August 6 event opening on Facebook. Off the Grid will be posting updates on vendors, entertainment, and performers leading up to each month’s festival.

Where:                
Off the Grid: Evergreen
4075 Evergreen Village Square
San Jose, CA, 95135

Date:
Saturday, August 6, 2016 (and the first Saturday of every month thereafter)
Time: 11:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.

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Manresa Bread Los Gatos Adds Outdoor Café Seating and Full Beverage Program Including Espresso Bar

One month after opening its second location in Los Altos, CA,  Manresa Bread announces the expansion of its original bakery in Los Gatos. Slated to debut in August, Manresa Bread adds 200 square feet to the retail space, a full-service coffee and beverage program, and dedicated seating area at the 276 N. Santa Cruz Avenue location.

“Our guests have been asking for these changes for quite some time. We are excited we’re in a position now where we can expand into the adjacent space and offer an experience that’s more than just grab-and-go,” says Partner and Head Baker Avery Ruzicka.

Aevan Balan joins the Manresa Bread team as Lead Barista for the coffee program, which features Santa Cruz-based Verve Coffee Roasters. A Bay Area native, Aevan first learned about coffee when he started working at Yahoo as a Lead Barista and Mentor as a way to make ends meet while going to college.  He later became a Coffee Specialist at Yahoo, working exclusively with Verve Coffee Roasters, training directly with the Verve team. He was most recently a Lead Barista with Blue Bottle Coffee Company in Palo Alto and a Café Manager at Kartma Street Café, a work-experience program that employs homeless men and women while paying a living wage.

The new coffee program, in partnership with Santa Cruz-based Verve Coffee Roasters, includes espresso drinks, fresh brewed coffee, and cold brew. Guests can also enjoy hot chocolate, Chico Chai Tea out of Chico, California, and kefir on tap.

The look and feel of the newly added space mirrors the classic and modern vibe of the original, created in partnership with San Francisco-based Robert van Horne. A larger counter area means Manresa Bread can display a wider selection of pastries and breads throughout the day and newly added outdoor tables and seating for half a dozen invite guests to linger over a cup of coffee or a pastry.

Manresa Bread Los Gatos is located at 276 N. Santa Cruz Avenue and is open from 7 a.m. – 3 p.m. daily.  A second retail space is located at 271 State Street in downtown Los Altos and Manresa Bread is also available at the Campbell and Palo Alto farmers’ market on Sundays and the Portola Valley market on Thursdays. Manresa Bread pastries are featured at Verve Coffee Roasters locations in Santa Cruz, CA.

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Boudin Heats Up Summer with New BBQ Pork Menu Items

Boudin Fast Casual Restaurants Serves Up Seasonal Sandwiches and Salad for a Limited Time

Inspired by the flavors of a summertime backyard barbecue, Boudin, home of The Original San Francisco Sourdough™, has introduced three new menu items featuring perfectly seasoned, seared and slow-roasted BBQ pork. The limited time seasonal offerings, available beginning July 27 at all Boudin SF locations, which offer a unique fast-casual dining experience serving breakfast, lunch and dinner, include:

Classic BBQ Pork Sandwich: Slow-roasted and hand-pulled pork tossed in sweet and savory barbecue sauce topped with crunchy house made coleslaw, served hot on a garlic-buttered, toasted sourdough baguette ($9.29)

 

Aloha Pork Sandwich:  Slow-roasted and hand-pulled pork slathered with an island-inspired ginger soy barbecue sauce featuring a hint of honey, topped with house-made caramelized pineapple, tangy pickled red onion, and fresh-chopped cilantro, served hot on a garlic-buttered, toasted sourdough baguette ($9.49)

 

Luau Pork Salad: A mix of spring greens and cabbage topped with warm, slow-roasted pulled pork tossed in ginger soy barbecue, caramelized pineapple and tangy pickled red onion made in house, fresh-chopped cilantro, crunchy red bell peppers, cucumbers, carrots, and toasted almonds served with a zesty ginger soy barbecue vinaigrette ($10.29)

 

“Our new menu additions capture the spirit of the summer season by combining tender, succulent, and slow-roasted pork shoulder with the perfect balance of savory, sweet and zesty barbecue flavors,” said Alan Skversky, Boudin Bakery’s corporate chef. “Featuring a fresh mix of house-made ingredients, like our crunchy coleslaw, caramelized pineapple and pickled red onion, each menu item delivers a bright taste of summer while also complementing our world-famous, fresh baked sourdough bread.”

Available at all Boudin SF locations in Northern and Southern California, the new BBQ Pork menu items can be enjoyed in the restaurant or at the convenience of take-out. Boudin SF will also offer house-made coleslaw as an add-on side option for $2.99 for a limited time. Additionally, Boudin SF’s Cobb Salad will be returning to the menu by popular demand. Click here to find your nearest Boudin location.

Taste of Orleans - Great America - Santa Clara

Last weekend, we went to California's Great America's Taste of Orleans festival. This amusement park always brings back memories of my youth. It was the place to be back then and it still is. It's a nice place to go during summer break. Thanks to Great America for complimentary tickets to the park and for the food, I got to take my son here for the first time.

The Taste of Orleans Festival is only here 7/23-24 and again on 7/30-31. For food, you can buy each item at $6 per serving or $25 for a card that gets you all 6 dishes. Food stations are set up on the side of the park near the bumper cars and Pavilion. You line up at each station with your card and they mark each item you've received. The park is also decorated in New Orleans decorations, chalk drawings, jazz music, and street signs. The nights are capped off with fireworks. Here's a summary of our family's trip there.

Red beans and rice

Creole Meatballs - these are pretty sizable and juicy meatballs.

Bourbon House BBQ Chicken Wings - these were pretty good. A bit dry but the seasoning was nice.

Crawfish Etoufee on a hot dog - The crawfish was in the sauce on the hot dogs. A very filling dish.

New Orleans Beignets - the line for this was long as it was shared with the funnel cake station. The beignets were large and tasty. Beignets are always satisfying.

[Not pictured]

Chicken-Andouille Gumbo - a small cup that had a good kick to it and tasty sausage pieces

We took Colin on two rides that he was tall enough to ride. Check out our video below.

The Property Brothers Debut Scott Living Furniture at Orchard Supply Hardware - San Jose

This weekend, the Property Brothers, Drew and Jonathan Scott were in town to promote their new book and outdoor furniture line at Orchard Supply. Of course our family went to catch our favorite HGTV co-hosts.

The book is called Dream Home and gives tips on when to determine to fix up a home or buy a new one. Then specific tips on fixing and decorating. It can be purchased on Amazon.

Link here. <--- This is not an affiliate link.

Samples of their furniture line was displayed in the outdoor furniture section. It's called Scott Living. It will be available for sale at Orchard Supply Hardware stores in August 2016.

Even though the line wrapped around the building, it was a very organized event. People were in and out quickly. The Scott brothers were energetic and all smiles. We enjoyed getting to meet them.

Drew Scott is coaching little Colin to look at the camera and smile. No luck on the smiling part though.

Nintendo Flavors Launch at Yogurtland - San Jose

Between July 1 and Sept 8 this summer, Yogurtland is featuring different Nintendo themed flavors rotating through the weeks. By visiting https://www.yogurt-land.com/, fans of Nintendo, Yogurtland and winning cool prizes can enter for a chance to win a Wii U system and one year of free frozen yogurt. All participants have to do is visit the website starting on July 1 and follow the simple steps to enter. One grand prize package will be rewarded every week during the 10-week promotion. By entering the sweepstakes, you are also eligible for instant giveaways, including unlimited frozen yogurt cups, Wii U and Nintendo 3DS games, as well as shiny new Nintendo 3DS systems that come with one game.

At the launch party this weekend, we tasted flavors like Mario's Chocolate Gelato, Toad's Rocky Road, and Yoshi's Honey Dew. There were also raffles and spin wheel prizes and a photo booth with Mario.

My bowl had Toad's Rocky Road which tasted like malted chocolate, Sea Salt Caramel, and Birthday Cake flavors. They were all great.

Phil had Toad's Rocky Road with gummi bears and oreo cookies.

His second bowl had Mario's Chocolate Gelato. It tasted like a thicker and richer version of the rocky road.

 We posed for a few photos at the photo booth with our Mario mustaches.

We had a great time at this family friendly event. Bring the kids down to try these flavors while they last.

Yogurtland Westgate West

5395 Prospect Road, San Jose

Events, Openings, Announcements - July 2016

Michael Mina's Bourbon Pub Celebrate's National Ice Cream Month with Special Desserts

Who:  Bourbon Pub, Michael Mina’s casual and approachable restaurant located at Levi’s® Stadium offering whimsical plays on pub-style dishes complemented by light, healthier options, will celebrate National Ice Cream month with weekly specials created by Pastry Chef, Amy Lee.

What:  Bourbon Pub will be featuring four special ice cream desserts on the menu that will change weekly and are only available throughout the month of July, in honor of National Ice Cream month. The weekly rotating menu will include different styles of ice cream desserts, all housemade and featuring seasonal ingredients.

Menu:                                          

July 5 - 9

STRAWBERRY ICE CREAM BAR

Red Verjus Gastrique

$6

July 11 - 16

HORCHATA AFFOGADO

Espresso, Roasted Almonds, Chantilly Cream

$6 

July 18 - 23

BOURBON MINT CHIP ICE CREAM SANDWICH

$6

July 25 - 30

BRULEED BANANA SPLIT

Strawberry, Vanilla, Roasted Banana Ice Cream

$9

When:             July 5 – July 30

Where:           Michael Mina’s Bourbon Pub; Levi's® Stadium, Ground Level

                        4900 Marie P. DeBartolo Way Santa Clara, CA 95054

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Taste Of Orleans Comes To Great America July 23-24 & 30-31Cajun & Orleans Food, Live Music And Décor In Orleans Section Of Great America

California’s Great America will introduce the exciting new
Taste Of Orleans festival July 23-24 and 30-31 in the park’s Orleans Place area. Taste of Orleans will feature live Cajun, Jazz and Mardi Gras style music, regional food delicacies and drink and will be open to all Great America guests.

Regional cuisine includes chicken gumbo with red beans and rice, Po’boys, muffuletta, crawfish etouffee, beignets and much more. The live music features four jazz and Cajun bands that will entertain guests throughout the day.

“The Taste Of Orleans Festival renews a tradition of branding areas of Great America that represent and celebrate regions across the United States,” said California’s Great America Vice President and General Manager Raul Rehnborg. “This festival, and holiday events such as Halloween Haunt and our new WinterFest, provides even more and unique reasons for guests to visit Great America.”

A Chalk artist will paint Mardi Gras murals throughout festival and there will be mask decorating for kids 12-and-under. To close each evening, a Taste Of Orleans fireworks show set to Cajun music will decorate the sky.

2016 Season Passes are currently on sale for just $67 and feature a season of fun in both Great America and Boomerang Bay Water Park. A $99 Gold Pass includes Halloween Haunt, WinterFest, Gilroy Gardens and more, making Great America one of the regions best family valued entertainment options.

More Info here

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Whole Foods Market to open Santa Clara store July 26NorCal’s newest location anchors Santa Clara Square Marketplace

Whole Foods Market opens its new 50,000 square-foot Santa Clara storeJuly 26 at 2732 Augustine Drive (corner of Scott & Bowers). Santa Clara Mayor Lisa M. Gillmor will join the company to host a bread-breaking ceremony for the store and ribbon cutting for Santa Clara Square Marketplace at 9:45 a.m. Doors open at 10 a.m.

For a first look at the store, members of the public can attend a Preview Party on July 23 from 5-7 p.m. The event includes cooking demos, food and product samples, games, raffle, and 3D chalk art photo booth. Tickets are $5; Whole Foods Market will donate all proceeds to Santa Clara Vanguard. RSVP at eventbrite.com.

This is the first Whole Foods Market location in Santa Clara, and the 44th in Northern California. The store brings an estimated 225 new jobs to Santa Clara.

Highlights of the new store include:

TAP ROOM

Beer and Wine on tap – 16 taps feature local beers including brews from Camino Brewing Company, Santa Clara Brewing Company, and even Whole Foods Market’s own brewery in the San Jose Store. National favorites and wine on tap will be available as well.

Signature Menu by Melissa King – Top Chef finalist Melissa King designed many of the items on the Tap Room menu, including the Seoul Burger with kimchi, arugula, and sesame-gochujang aioli; Tokyo Burger, with shiitake mushrooms, greens, caramelized onions, and yuzu miso aioli; Lemongrass Meatballs; Chicken Karaage; Gomae-Spinach Sesame Salad; Enoki Bacon (Enoki mushrooms wrapped in bacon and finished with togarashi); and simple Zucchini Rounds.

THE SPECIALTY DEPARTMENT

Chromatic Coffee & Camino Brewing Company Collaboration Brew – The star of this store’s beer set is 22-ounce bottles of Chromatic Coffee and Camino Brewing Company’s Café Con Leche coffee stout. Whole FoodsMarket Santa Clara will be the only place to snag bottles of the tasty collaboration brew through the fall. Guests can browse among a large curated selection of international, national, local, and micro brews, too.

IN THE AISLES

Local product selection – Some of the local products customers will find on shelves include:

Rabbit’s Foot Meadery (Santa Clara Valley)

Frontier Bites (San Jose) – nutrient-dense snacks

Uncie Ros’s (Santa Cruz) – New York-style wood-fired pizza

Small Bees Honey (Los Gatos)

Stueve Biodynamic and Organic Pasture-Raised Eggs (Oakdale)

Camino Brewing Company (San Jose)

Chromatic Coffee (Santa Clara)

Bonny Doon Vineyards (Davenport)

Ridge Vineyards (Cupertino)

More Vegan, Gluten Free, and Paleo options than ever before – The Produce section will house Whole FoodsMarket’s standard selection of top quality fruits and vegetables, as well as an expanded value added set with zucchini noodles, coleslaw mixes, stir fry veggie kits and ready-to-nosh platters. In the Bakery, Sugar Plum cookies are vegan, gluten free, and GMO free; they’re just one of the vegan and gluten free brands the store will sell. The Meat department will offer bacon cured without sugar, and in Prepared Foods customers will always find plenty of plant-strong items on the hot and salad bars.

Imperfect Produce – As part of Whole Foods Market’s ongoing commitment to reduce food waste, the company will feature its partnership with Imperfect Produce at the Santa Clara Store. Guests will find specially-packaged “ugly” fruits and veggies like potatoes and apricots on sale at great prices. Historically, small, misshapen, or otherwise cosmetically-flawed produce never makes it to market, but Bay Area startup Imperfect Produce and Whole Foods Market are helping it see its way to the shelf.

Whole Body natural makeup and body care – Tiger Nuts are the nutrient-dense superfoods are taking the fitness world by storm, and customers can find a new Tiger Nut Smoothie Mix in the Whole Body department. There will also be an expanded lifestyles section with aromatherapy infusers, yoga gear, organic and responsible clothing lines, and plenty of candles and books. This complements the store’s regular selection of natural makeup and body care lines like Andalou Naturals, Juice Beauty, Dr. Hauschka, Mineral Fusion, and Pacifica.

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J-Pop Summit is Saturday and Sunday, July 23 and 24th at Fort Mason Center’s Festival Pavilion, located at 2 Marina Blvd, San Francisco, CA 94123.

This year, J-POP SUMMIT attendees will be able to experience a vibrant 2-Day celebration of Japanese pop-influenced culture including edgy fashion events, pop art exhibits, live music, a technology summit and display, and interactive activates, accented by ramen vendors, sake-tasting, and additional attractions also highlighted by celebrity Guests of Honor. Full details on 2016 J-POP SUMMIT are available at: www.J-POP.com.

A variety of affordable ticket options and V.I.P packages will give J-POP SUMMIT attendees the maximum amount of flexibility to customize a memorable festival experience. Adult single-day passes start at only $25.00 each; 2-day passes start at only $40.00 each. Ticket details are available at www.J-POP.com/Tickets.

About J-POP SUMMIT
J-POP SUMMIT is one of the world’s biggest Japanese pop culture events, held every summer in San Francisco, CA. By introducing the latest in Japanese music, fashion, film, art, games, tech-innovations, anime, food, as well as niche subcultures, the festival has become a landing platform for new trends from Japan. 

Official website: www.j-pop.com
Official YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/JPOPSUMMIT/featured

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FAME - Fashion Art Music Exhibition

A street culture marketplace by the people and for ALL the people.

Founded in 2010, FAME is an event that strives to connect the fashion, art, and music counterculture communities under one roof to exhibit the work of passionate and respected artists, open minds, and challenge stereotypes.

WHEN
Saturday, July 30, 2016 from 8:00 PM to 11:59 PM (PDT)

WHERE
Mexican Heritage Plaza - 1700 Alum Rock Avenue, San Jose, CA 95116

Tickets here
Facebook here