When it comes to soup dumplings (xiao long bao or XLB), one name has international acclaim above all others: Din Tai Fung. Guffaw all you want at the ubiquity of restaurant chains, but when a 60-year-old dumpling giant opens in our area, it is a…
Articles by Kathy Manlapaz
Downtown Poki doesn’t charge extra for avocado. Operating in the same room as Dakao, an authentic Vietnamese sandwich shop, the latest addition to San Jose’s burgeoning poke scene has done away with price-jacking California’s state fruit, and thrown a novel spin of Japanese-Hawaiian-Vietnamese fusion on…
Santa Clara‘s bar scene reflects the demands of students at the nearby private university. Mostly, the just-up-to-code dives cater to an ample number of partiers who trade their disposable income for cheap, strong drinks on sticky dance floors. Ambience ain’t a necessity for those who…
2nd Story Bakeshop‘s inviting space is actually on the first floor. Christa, the friendly clerk, tells me “second story” refers to the second episode of one owner’s career. The dark-stained ceiling boards, a counter made of fruit crates and wood shelves were all handmade. Two…
One of the biggest problems with owning a private dirigible is that they tend to be quite large. Even the compact version Mr. Harada and I operate is just shy of 250 feet. So, while I steered the Von Barfly above the squat skyline of…
An actual bell tower on top of the Bell Tower Café gives this downtown Saratoga eatery a bit of a European flair. An espresso machine straight from Rome graces the countertop and goes oh so well with the hammered tin ceiling. The minimalist glass displays…
It’s a bustling time for new restaurant chains in Silicon Valley, as retail developments grow rapidly and diners begin to embrace mixed models of dining. LYFE Kitchen is not a newcomer—a highly regarded flagship restaurant opened in 2011 in Palo Alto. But while the brand…
Mr. Harada and I are rarely offended: mainly because we’re poor listeners but also because we’re lazy. Of course, this is not the case when it comes to the hallowed grounds where we sip, reflect, compose and sometimes repose. We take offense to so-called “happy…
Repurposed wood booths and a remix of classic American dishes make Eureka! the culinary equivalent of American sportswear: casual but slightly sophisticated. The chain out of Redlands is opening locations in both Cupertino and Mountain View (the latter coming later this month), and the “Made…
Beer’s best friend—men and women—made enough of a difference in the lives of at-risk shelter pets last year, that the Pints for Pups fundraiser will return for a second installment Saturday, April 16, at Strike Brewery. The brainchild of Paul Anderson, a member of the…
