The origins of tapas are murky, but the most amusing origin story goes like this: A Spanish king, Alfonso The Wise, fell ill and could only ingest tiny meals and small sips of wine during his recovery. After returning to full health, he mandated that…
Articles by Kathy Manlapaz
Peruvian food is a rarity in Silicon Valley. There is certainly an audience for it, though, as people here tend to embrace Latin American flavors. Newly opened Sipan Peruvian Restaurant and Bar in Saratoga aims to satisfy with their traditional dishes and lively music. On…
Summer has been a time of reflection and spiritual awakening for Mr. Harada and myself. We enjoyed outings to the desert and visited many watering holes around Joshua Tree (or Josh Tree, as we call it, since we’re pretty tight now). I also took a…
Five years ago, Jack Rasuli traveled to the East Coast to visit family. During the trip he ate at halal joints across New York and New Jersey, including a cousin’s restaurant, and had one question: “Why can’t we have this in California?” Upon his return,…
Somewhere between the time a buddy and I snuck inside our first 10,000-person beer tent and woke up two days later in a Munich motel stupor, I came to the realization that beer halls are man’s greatest communions. Ludwig’s German Table in downtown San Jose is…
Humans have long added toppings to their breads to make them tastier. Ancient Persian soldiers used their shields as a makeshift flattop to bake dates and cheese into flatbreads. When tomatoes arrived from the New World, chefs in Naples created pizza and the rustic dish soon…
Most restaurants with nine TVs and 16 beer taps serve greasy junk that plays second fiddle to the sports and suds. But Dish N Dash’s newly opened North San Jose spot zags away from the traditional game day/happy hour fare by providing a lip-smacking array…
Why should beer take a backseat to the craft cocktail movement? Everything is fashion in the 20-teens and that means we can make room for beer and booze inside the same cup. In advance of Silicon Valley Beer Week, we criss-crossed the South Bay for…
Five years ago, Dr. Jim Withee made a calculated decision and quit his high-paying job as a government scientist to help people drink good beer. Withee had studied yeast in graduate school and applied his findings to the human immune system, studying ways for the…
Open since October, Voltaire Coffee House is a lovely spot for Francophiles and coffee addicts. The oh-so-French strains of a concertina greeted us as we entered the spacious, Zen-like space. Big tables, a window counter, sidewalk seating and free Wi-Fi make for an open, tranquil…
