Silicon Valley’s ramen scene is in full swing. Although it was once difficult to find a decent bowl in the South Bay—outside of the neighborhood surrounding Mitsuwa Marketplace on San Jose’s West Side—seriously sumptuous noodle shops now proliferate the 408. While a strong group of…
Articles by Kathy Manlapaz
While the Calerrain wines has yet to bottle the fruits of its labor from the vineyard neighboring its months-old tasting room, the wines they have on offer cut a wide swath across the grape-growing regions of Santa Clara, San Benito and Monterey counties. Husband-and-wife winemakers…
Sidle to either side of the bar window at Besson Family’s mini-barn tasting room, and a great view awaits. For those who are inside looking out, the window frames 20 acres of old vines that meander down to Uvas Creek. Those on the outside looking…
The holidays done and the new year is upon us—it’s resolution time. With several months of cold weather ahead, comfort food might be tough to give up. Let’s look instead to trimming the extra fat from that credit card statement. One of the easiest ways…
Cold weather begs for a warm cocktail. Hot toddies, Irish coffees, hot buttered rum—these seasonal favorites are well known for good reason. But the depth of warm cocktails is vast. Let’s dive into these warm winter wonders and get you up to speed on what…
Those on the hunt for a last-minute gift may find their way to the bottle. A drink can help spur creativity, after all. And, of course, good drinks make for good presents. Whether one is in search of inspiration or just on the hunt for…
The samosa chaat ($9) is the star dish at Desi, a very recently opened “contemporary, casual” Indian restaurant located just outside downtown Campbell. The potato-filled pastry is smothered in chana masala, chutney verde and a turnip salsa, and yet each individual flavor remains intact. When…
Camino Brewing has become quite an incubator for San Jose’s burgeoning pop-up restaurant scene. From keto tacos to fried chicken (made by yours truly) to modern Filipino, there is always something exciting and tasty happening in their downtown taproom. One of my favorite pop-ups is Wren,…
Confluence Point is where the Guadalupe River and Los Gatos Creek meet. It’s a gorgeous isthmus that rests below the shadow of the SAP Center. It’s where the salmon run, the amphibians frolic, and the beavers beave. It’s also where, every half century or so,…
The 2019 wine harvest presented many hurdles to local vintners. However, plenty of winemakers in the Santa Clara Valley are optimistic about the product of a wet winter followed by a long summer, which stretched well into the fall. The late and protracted season led…
