Randy Musterer fully embraces the idea of “American” sushi and makes a point to be as innovative and non-traditional as possible. Before opening Sushi Confidential in downtown Campbell in April 2012, he held sushi making parties for friends, worked part time as a sushi chef (while working full time in the bio-tech industry) and started a sushi catering company in 2006. But the idea for Sushi Confidential was to push the boundaries as much as possible.
Articles by Aaron Carnes
Is a pizza with Brussels sprouts and honey still an authentic pizza? Yes, according to Angelo Womack, one of the owners of Los Gatos’ new pizza-centric restaurant, Oak & Rye—so long, he says, as the concoction is fun and tastes good. SanJose.com talked with Womack about all things wood-fired.
La Fontaine owner and chef Hasan Yildiz knows Northern Italian food: he should, after an eight-year run as head chef at downtown Mountain View’s beloved Vaso Azzuro, which specializes in the cuisine. As at Vaso Azzuro, Yildiz focuses on Northern Italian cuisine at La Fontaine, but mixes it up a little by adding French dishes to the menu.
New Asian fusion restaurant Izzo serves traditional Taiwanese and Chinese food, but owner Frank Chang also plans to emphasize new creations that draw on Asian influences. For example, Izzo swaps tortillas out for Chinese scallion pancakes to create the pork belly quesadilla, a dish that seems on track to become a signature offering. We sat down with Chang to ask him about the flavors that inspire Izzo’s menu.
Plans for a new Little Italy emerged shortly before Paesano opened, making the restaurant a giant piece of the puzzle of restoring the historic neighborhood. After all, what is a Little Italy without a good Italian restaurant? Answer: It’s a grandmother that can’t cook.
Though Nirvanaah does serve cassata (and some other Indian desserts), it’s the ice cream that’s the highlight, which they partner with New Jersey ice cream plant Kwality to make. A lot of the flavors are familiar in Indian cuisine, even if not usually found in ice cream form. Sitaphal, for instance is a common tropical fruit that looks like an artichoke, but tastes like a sweet apple. Chickoo is a fruit popular in India that tastes similar to a pear.
South Bay Greek restaurant Opa! has a newly opened fifth location right in the heart of downtown Campbell, and already boasts a healthy draw. We spoke with Campbell GM Ron Bryan and got a little glimpse into what kind of food it is exactly they serve, and just why they say “Opa” all the time.
Considering how popular Vietnamese food is in San Jose, it’s surprising that there are only a handful of places in the area that serve Vietnamese style hot pot soups. Of those that exist, some even feature it prominently. Lau Hai San, which opened six months ago in southern Downtown San Jose, is one such place.
Despite the obvious popularity of Thai restaurants in San Jose (with people of all different ethnic backgrounds), not all Thai food is a big hit with everyone. At least that’s what Min Yang, owner of the new San Jose food truck PM2 Kitchen, explained to me when I ordered from her Thai dessert truck.
People lovetheir barbecue, even here in California, a state that doesn’t have the reputation or history other parts of the country have. Conversely, because there isn’t a specific style attached to California the way there is to say, Kansas City, cooks have a greater sense of freedom to experiment with ingredients and technique. Mark Brown, a former techie and competitive barbecuer, is now co-owner of the recently opened Smoke ‘N Wings smokehouse.
